Kentucky Derby: Upstart looks good breezing
BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. – Any reservations trainer Rick Violette had regarding how his Kentucky Derby hopeful Upstart would be affected by the sinus infection he contracted over the weekend were erased in 59.47 seconds, the time it took the Florida Derby runner-up to work a half-mile and gallop out five furlongs Friday at Palm Meadows.
With regular exercise rider Vicki King aboard, Upstart broke off at the half-mile pole at a relaxed pace, completing his opening furlong in 12.03 seconds and then gradually picking up the pace without a hint of urging from his rider, covering the final quarter-mile in 23.66. Violette, via walkie-talkie, told King to “let him gallop out” once passing the wire, and Upstart responded by shading 13 seconds for another furlong into the turn while at no time giving any indication he was traveling that fast.
“Wow,” was Violette’s initial reaction to the work back at the barn. “He scoped clean, he’s cooling out great. We’ll see how he comes out of it, but I kind of breezed a day early so I have an extra day to bounce out of this if it’s taken any toll, and I don’t know that it has. He did this so easily, wouldn’t pull up down the backstretch, and that was with order through the walkie-talkie to ease him up [after five furlongs].
“I’m not sure we could have done things any better. He’s just a good horse, and we try not to get in his way. He always fools you when you watch him work. This morning, too. He looks like he’s going in 50, and he goes in 47.”
In reference to missing several days of training and a scheduled work last weekend due to the sinus infection, Violette said, “This morning, he showed us we shouldn’t be canceling any travel plans.”
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Violette will allow Upstart to open gallop at a two-minute lick during the week, with one more scheduled work, likely either next Saturday or Sunday, prior to shipping to Churchill Downs the following Tuesday.
King, who has galloped and worked Upstart throughout the winter, said the Holy Bull Stakes winner felt exactly the same Friday as he had in his previous works, showing no ill effects from his brief bout with the sinus infection.
“He’s push-button; I don’t ever need to carry a stick. He’ll do anything you ask of him, and he galloped out really well, probably a little too good,” King said with a laugh. “I am really very happy with him. I never asked him at all. He’s very genuine.”