Yaupon's talent trumps his inexperience in Amsterdam
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - In a span of 71 days, Yaupon has gone from unraced maiden to undefeated graded stakes winner, and the future only looks to be brighter for the 3-year-old speedster.
Saturday, Yaupon made the lead soon after the start under Joel Rosario and led the rest of the way over the sealed, muddy surface to record a two-length victory over Basin in the Grade 2, $150,000 Amsterdam Stakes at Saratoga.
Basin, last year’s Grade 1 Hopeful winner, finished second by two lengths over Premier Star. It was 3 1/2 lengths back to Wondrwherecraigis, who was followed by Long Weekend and Liam’s Pride.
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Yaupon, a 3-year-old son of Uncle Mo, was purchased out of the 2019 Ocala Breeders Sales 2-year-old in-training sales at Gulfstream Park following a 20.60-second two-furlong workout. He had “minor issues,” according to trainer Steve Asmussen and was given plenty of time to mature.
Asmussen had planned to run Yaupon earlier this year at Fair Grounds, but the horse came up with another minor problem.
He didn’t debut until June 20, when he won a six-furlong maiden race by a nose at Churchill Downs. On July 18, he won a first-level allowance race here by 3 3/4 lengths. Both races were against 3-year-olds and up.
Saturday, Yaupon faced only 3-year-olds, but the field included the very fast Long Weekend and the 2019 Grade 1 Hopeful winner Basin.
None of that mattered to Yaupon, who made the lead about three strides into the race and opened up a one-length advantage after running a quarter in 21.93 seconds. He extended it to two lengths after a half-mile in 44.68 seconds and was never seriously threatened from there.
Yaupon, owned by William and Corinne Heiligbrodt, covered the six furlongs in the mud in 1:08.50 and returned $4.80 as the 7-5 favorite.
“He’s not super quick coming out of there but he found his stride right away,” Rosario said.
Asmussen said he was not surprised how seemingly easy Yaupon made the lead despite the presence of other speed types in the field.
“He’s extremely fast, he’s got an elite amount of speed,” Asmussen said.
Asmussen also trains the talented older male sprinter Volatile, who won the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap here earlier in the meet.
Asmussen did not discount the possibility of both ending up in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Keeneland on Nov. 7.
“Maybe that’s why there’s different people on them,” he said. “He’s that level. Fortunate that they’re both doing so well.”
Basin won the Grade 1 Hopeful last year for Asmussen. He was recently moved to trainer Todd Pletcher, who was running him for the first time in the Amsterdam.
“The winner was very good,” Pletcher said. “We were hoping for a bit of a speed duel, but it never really developed. We were pleased with the effort, though.”