Upstart has had enough of American Pharoah

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Rick Violette said Monday that if American Pharoah runs in the Grade 1 Travers, he’ll run Upstart somewhere else.

Upstart, in his first start since the Kentucky Derby, finished third, 5 1/4 lengths behind American Pharoah, in the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on Aug. 2.

“We tried him once; it didn’t work out,” Violette said Monday. “We’re running out of restricted races. You’d like to be able to have a shot in one. I know you’re not supposed to duck one horse, but he’s not just an ordinary horse.”

Violette said that should American Pharoah come to the Travers, he would look to run Upstart in the Pennsylvania Derby on Sept. 19.

Before the Haskell, Upstart finished second in the Grade 1 Florida Derby at Gulfstream in March and was eased in the Kentucky Derby.

“I’d like to run in the Travers,” Violette said. “We’re supposed to improve off that race. That was really his first race since the Florida Derby – he didn’t run in the Kentucky Derby – so it’s been a pretty lengthy time between real races.”

Meanwhile, trainer Dale Romans confirmed Monday that Javier Castellano will ride Haskell runner-up Keen Ice in the Travers.

Others still on schedule for the Travers include Jim Dandy Stakes one-two finishers Texas Red and Frosted as well as Curlin Stakes winner Smart Transition. On Sunday, Smart Transition breezed four furlongs in 49.76 seconds.