Theory Back to Business

China Horse Club and WinStar Farm's 'TDN Rising Star' Theory (Gemologist)–a jaw-dropping debut winner at Saratoga this summer–posted his first workout in a month earlier this week after sitting out the GI Hopeful S. with a foot ailment.

“He had a foot that he bruised and we sent him down to Dr. Bramlage [at Rood & Riddle in Kentucky] to get him checked out,” WinStar Farm's Elliott Walden explained. “Dr. Bramlage checked him out fine and said that he was good to go. He missed about 10 days of training.”

While not ready to commit to a return target for Theory at this stage, Walden didn't rule out either Belmont's GI Champagne S. going a mile Oct 8 or the six-furlong GIII Futurity S. a week later.

“We want to get another work in him before we really pinpoint where we're going,” Walden commented. “It's kind of a tight schedule to the Champagne–everything needs to click just right. The Futurity gives him an extra week. We want to see how the next 10 days go first.”

Theory ran to his 3-5 odds on debut, drawing off to win by 5 1/2 lengths from an outside draw at the Spa July 30, good for an 85 Beyer Speed Figure. The distant second-place finisher that day Reckling (Dialed In) returned to graduate in style on the GI Travers S. program. Theory covered four furlongs over the Belmont training track in :50.21 (1/3) in his return to the worktab Sept. 20.

“It was fine; [trainer] Todd [Pletcher] said it was good and he was very pleased with it,” Walden said of Theory's breeze. “It's the first time he had breezed in four weeks. It went very nicely and he was full of run.”

Theory, a $120,000 KEESEP yearling, was acquired by the budding WinStar/China Horse Club partnership for $335,000 at the OBSAPR sale. Produced by the stakes-placed mare Gem Sleuth (Officer), he is a half-brother to stakes winner Roman Officer (Roman Ruler). Kenny Troutt's operation also stands his promising freshman sire Gemologist, who carried WinStar's colors to a win in 2012 GI Wood Memorial S.

“Theory's very talented,” Walden concluded. “Watching horses work at Todd's leading up to the [Saratoga] meet and with him having a lot of 2-year-olds up there, he was always in the top one or two. For him to come out and win like he did, we were extremely excited not only for the horse, but also because he's by Gemologist.”