Violette barn gets hot with debut winners

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Between winning re-election as president of the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association and verbally sparring with Bobby Flay over Lasix at a recent New York Racing Association board meeting, trainer Rick Violette has found time to do what he truly prefers – win races.

Violette has been on quite a roll as of late, winning with five debuting juveniles in the last month, perhaps setting the stage for a bright 2015 in which he already has the multiple Grade 1 stakes-placed colt Upstart for possible Triple Crown prep races.

Over the last three racing days at Aqueduct, Violette won with the first-time starters Ship Disturber, Noble and a Beauty, and All Is Number at Aqueduct and Red Rei Rei at Gulfstream Park West. His streak of juvenile success began Nov. 8, when Golden Gem won her debut at Aqueduct, beating Kathy’s Humor, also trained by Violette. Kathy’s Humor also is entered Saturday at Aqueduct.

“It’s been a pretty cool run,” Violette said Thursday at Aqueduct.

Golden Gem, a New York-bred daughter of Wildcat Heir bred and owned by Len Riggio’s My Meadowview Farm, set up the stable for this run, winning a six-furlong maiden race by 3 1/2 lengths Nov. 8. Noble and a Beauty, a My Meadowview Farm homebred daughter of Noble Causeway, won her debut Saturday by 2 1/2 lengths.

Violette said he got excited for Noble and a Beauty after Golden Gem won because Noble and a Beauty “had shown she might be a little bit better quality, but she had to run against open company.”

Ship Disturber, a Kentucky-bred son of Sky Mesa owned by the Elkstone Group, galloped to a 5 1/4-length victory Sunday, surprising Violette a little bit. All Is Number won Wednesday by 3 3/4 lengths over a sealed, wet racetrack.

“Ship Disturber and All Is Number were working together, and All Is Number was a work or two in front of Ship Disturber,” Violette said. “I thought [Ship Disturber] would run good, but this was an awesome performance. He wants to be a nice horse.”

Violette said that quartet would stay in New York for now. He is considering running Golden Gem back in the East View Stakes for New York-bred juvenile fillies Dec. 14 but otherwise would look to sprint the other horses again if possible before stretching them out.

Meanwhile, Violette said Upstart, the runner-up in the Grade 1 Champagne and third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, has started jogging at Palm Meadows after having about four weeks off. Violette said depending on how quickly Upstart comes around, he could make his 3-year-old debut Jan. 24 in the Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream or Feb. 7 in the Withers at Aqueduct.

Samraat, who won the Withers and Gotham for Violette last year, is galloping at Palm Meadows as he continues along the comeback trail from an injury he suffered last summer.

Violette said he was in no rush with Samraat, mentioning perhaps a February or March return.