Delahoussaye giving Pickett a summer break

Pickett, winner of the $75,000 colts and geldings division of the D.S. “Shine” Young Memorial at Evangeline on July 14, is being freshened, according to trainer Glenn Delahoussaye.

“Pickett and I are going to take a little break,” Delahoussaye said last week when driving to the beach for a short getaway.

Pickett, meanwhile, will spend his time enjoying the surroundings at his base, the Copper Crown training center near Evangeline.

“We’ve got full access to beautiful paddocks, great grass,” said Delahoussaye. “He’s comfortable at that facility. We’ll let him down for this week for sure, then start him back with some light training to get ready for Delta.”

Delahousssaye said he and owner Charlie Carlton would like to target some of the Louisiana-bred stakes at Delta Downs, which opens in October, and at Fair Grounds, which opens in November.

“We’ve mapped out a short-term plan and a long-term plan, and all of those plans are predicated on illness or injury, and right now we have neither,” said Delahoussaye.

Pickett has won both of his starts, including his debut by 6 1/2 lengths in a maiden special weight for Louisiana-breds on May 30 at Evangeline. With the victory, he became the first winner for his sire, two-time Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Goldencents, and he became his sire’s first stakes winner in the Shine Young. He led throughout the Shine Young under regular rider Tim Thornton and won by nine lengths, earning a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 66.

“He separated himself from them without being asked,” said Delahoussaye.

Delahoussaye looks forward to seeing how Pickett will handle additional distance, as there traditionally are multiple two-turn stakes for his division at Delta.

“I don’t believe he’s a one-dimensional horse,” Delahoussaye said. “I believe he’s fast because he has quality. All good horses possess speed. Now, we find out distance limitations. That’s our next plan.”

Delahoussaye said that depending on how Pickett advances, he would love to see him move into open company next year for the 3-year-old series at Fair Grounds.

“If he’s good enough, then you try,” said Delahoussaye.