Revolutionary preps for Withers with eye-catching workout

ELMONT, N.Y. - While many of his stakes-winning, headline-grabbing Kentucky Derby prospects were putting in workouts in south Florida Sunday morning, one of trainer Todd Pletcher’s under-the-radar 3-year-olds was gearing up for his stakes debut at Belmont Park.

Revolutionary, a solid maiden winner at Aqueduct on Dec. 28, put in an eye-catching workout over the Belmont training track in preparation for a start in the Grade 3, $200,000 Withers Stakes at Aqueduct on Feb. 2.

[ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays]

Revolutionary, working in company with the 6-year-old multiple stakes winning horse Heart Butte, went a half-mile in 47.88 seconds over a fast training track. But it was his gallop out that truly impressed. Revolutionary galloped out five furlongs in 1:00.29, six furlongs in 1:13.39, and pulled up seven furlongs in 1:28.02.

“By the way he galloped out distance won’t be an issue,” said Michael McCarthy, Pletcher’s New York-based assistant. “Heart Butte is a useful workhorse.”

Pedigree suggests distance won’t be an issue for Revolutionary. He is by 2007 champion 2-year-old War Pass out of the 1997 Alabama winner Runup the Colors.

Revolutionary, owned by WinStar Farm, lost his first three races before winning a one-mile, two-turn maiden race by 8 1/2 lengths on Dec. 28. He earned a 102 Beyer Speed Figure for the performance. Sunday’s work was his first since that race.

“It seems like he’s taken that race very well. He bounced out of it fairly quickly,” McCarthy said.

Revolutionary will have one work before the Withers, a 1 1/16-mile race which does offer qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby.

Also working for Pletcher’s stable on Sunday was the 3-year-old filly Princess of Sylmar, who went four furlongs in 47.50 seconds in company with R Gypsy Gold. Princess of Sylmar, coming off a win in the Busanda Stakes on Jan. 5, galloped out five furlongs in 1:00.92. She is preparing for a start in the $100,000 Busher Stakes on Feb. 2.

“She worked with a nice filly in her own right and I thought she more than held her own,” McCarthy said. “Her gallop out was encouraging. She’s getting better at the right time.”

R Gypsy Gold, second in the Ladies on New Year’s Day, is expected to run in Saturday’s Affectionately at Aqueduct.

McCarthy said that the multiple stakes winner Caixa Eletronica, who most recently won the Fall Highweight on Thanksgiving, will miss the Grade 3, $150,000 Toboggan on Feb. 2 due to a quarter crack.

In his place will be Johannesburg Smile, whom owner Mike Repole claimed for $100,000 in his most recent start. He worked four furlongs in 48.20 seconds Sunday, with a final quarter in 23.49 seconds.

“He seems like he’s a very nice horse,” McCarthy said. “He was in very good order when we got him.”