Upstart Looks to Stay the Course
Ralph Evans’s Upstart (Flatter) looks to continue his march towards the Triple Crown in the GII Besilu Stables Fountain of Youth S., which is part of a blockbuster Gulfstream card Saturday that features seven additional added money events. The bay kicked off his career with a pair of wins against New York-breds at Saratoga before finishing a solid second in Belmont’s sloppy track GI Champagne S. Oct. 4. Third with a less-than-ideal trip in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita Nov. 1, the dark bay reemerged here Jan. 24 and blew the doors off the GII Lambholm South Holy Bull S., airing by 5 1/2 lengths from Frosted (Tapit) and earning a very strong 106 Beyer Speed Figure. “Even if he regresses, we hope he can still win,” offered trainer Rick Violette, Jr., adding, “This isn’t your father’s New York-bred, so to speak. The bar has been raised. There was a terrific cast of New York-breds last year all across the country. There was an Eclipse Award winner, Dayatthespa (City Zip); Chester and Mary Broman’s sprinter [Artemis Agrotera {Roman Ruler}] was a Grade I winner. There is certainly no longer an asterisk or a stigma as to where they were bred.”
Godolphin’s Frosted broke his maiden third out by open lengths when stretched to a mile at the Big A Oct. 30, and ran a valiant second after an always-wide trip in that venue’s nine-panel GII Remsen S. a month thereafter. He was perhaps a bit more sluggish than usual in the Holy Bull after breaking from the one slot, and will now be equipped with blinkers. The Sheikh Mohammed homebred drew the six hole, just inside of the favorite, this time. “I think the winner was most impressive that day and hopefully he doesn’t run as impressive this time and he drops back to us a length or two and we gain a length or two with the blinkers and a better post position,” trainer Kiaran McLaughlin offered. “We think we have a good chance. We have a lot of respect for Upstart, but we just hope he doesn’t run such a monster race again.”
Crossed Sabres Farm’s Bluegrass Singer (Bluegrass Cat) was third in the Holy Bull, while Juan and Bina (Indian Charlie) checked in fourth and Frammento (Midshipman) sixth. Bluegrass Singer entered that event off back-to-back wins at a flat local mile, over Frammento in a Dec. 17 optional claimer and in the Jan. 3 Mucho Macho Man S. The grey set a fairly slow pace in the Holy Bull. “He kind of sprung a shoe and I think that definitely had something to do with it,” trainer Marcus Vitali said. “I’m not big on making up excuses. It is what it is. It’s horse racing. It unfolded the way it did, but I was still ecstatic the way he ran first time going a mile and a sixteenth. We’re just gearing up.”
A pair of unexposed types could also make some noise. Starlight Racing’s Itsaknockout (Lemon Drop Kid) looks to remain unbeaten for the meet’s leading trainer and two-time race winner Todd Pletcher. A workmanlike debut graduate going seven furlongs here Dec. 7, the $350,000 FTSAUG yearling purchase showed more flash when he aired by 5 1/4 lengths in a one-mile optional claimer here Jan. 4.
Marylou Whitney Stables homebred Gorgeous Bird (Unbridled’s Song) is undefeated since adding Lasix for his second start at Churchill Downs Nov. 22. He drubbed optional claiming foes by seven lengths over eight furlongs here Jan. 24, and appears one who might appreciate more ground.