Upstart to work this weekend after sinus infection

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Rick Violette said Wednesday that his Kentucky Derby contender, Upstart, continues to progress nicely after having a scheduled breeze canceled last Saturday at Palm Meadows.

Violette canceled the work, which was to be Upstart’s first since the Florida Derby, after discovering that Upstart had some discharge from his nostrils and was running a temperature just prior to sending him to the track to breeze. Upstart was subsequently diagnosed with a sinus infection.

“All systems are good,” Violette said. “He had his regular gallop today, showed good energy, cooled out well, and his temperature has not gone up since Saturday.”

Violette said he is planning to breeze Upstart either Friday, Saturday, or Sunday but has not circled a date on the calendar just yet. Upstart is scheduled to do all his major prep work for the Derby at Palm Meadows prior to flying to Louisville on Tuesday, April 28.

Upstart has been considered a major Kentucky Derby contender since posting an impressive victory over Frosted in the Grade 2 Holy Bull in his 3-year-old debut. He was disqualified from first in a controversial stewards’ decision after registering an apparent easy triumph in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth four weeks later, then finished second behind Materiality in his final Derby prep, the Grade 1 Florida Derby, on March 28.

Upstart is listed at odds of 15-1 on this week’s Derby Watch.

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