Upstart Flashes His 'A' Game in Saturday Breeze

Lambholm South Holy Bull (G2) winner Upstart breezed a sharp five furlongs in 59.55 seconds Saturday morning at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream Park's satellite training facility in Palm Beach County. The workout was the 3-year-old ridgling's final serious tune-up for next Saturday's $1 million Besilu Stables Florida Derby (G1).

"That was cool," trainer Rick Violette said through a broad smile. "It was exceptional. It's what good horses do."

Upstart was prompted by a stablemate to his outside for three-eighths of a mile before drawing off powerfully through the stretch under exercise rider Vicki King.

"It was just to kind of get him on the bridle and let him know that today was serious. It was to get his game face on, and he certainly did," said Violette, whose 3-year-old star worked from the half-mile pole to an eighth of a mile past the finish line. "We work a lot past the wire. His last eighth was 11-and-4."

The workout was his third since a first-place finish in the Besilu Stables Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream on Feb. 21, when he finished 2 3/4 lengths clear of Itsaknockout, only to be disqualified by the stewards for interference with the second-place finisher. On Jan. 24, Upstart captured the Holy Bull by 5 1/4 lengths going away.

"The way he breezed this morning, he should be pretty close to his 'A' game in the Florida Derby," said Violette, whose Florida Derby contender turned in the fourth-fastest clocking of 24 recorded at the distance Saturday.

Upstart had established himself as a Triple Crown prospect during his 2014 season, in which he scored a pair of victories over New York-bred rivals at Saratoga before finishing second in the Champagne (G1) at Belmont and a troubled third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) at Santa Anita.

Eh Cumpari Breezes, 'Possible' for Return to Dirt in Florida Derby

Palm Beach Stakes (G3) winner Eh Cumpari breezed five furlongs in 1:02.40 over the main track at Palm Meadows Saturday morning.

Trainer Michael Dilger left open the possibility that the 3-year-old son of Elusive Quality could make a return to dirt in the Florida Derby.

"It's possible. We'll make a decision this weekend. We have until Tuesday," Dilger said. (The Post Position Draw for the 64th Florida Derby is scheduled to take place in Gulfstream's Walking Ring Tuesday at 5 p.m.)

In his career debut on Nov. 8 at Aqueduct, Eh Cumpari broke his maiden on a 'good' main track in an off-the-turf maiden test, in which he closed from 11th. After finishing off the board in the Remsen (G2) three weeks later, Eh Cumpari debuted on turf at Gulfstream on Jan. 24, when he finished a solid fifth after racing wide from his outside post position. He rebounded to capture the 1 1/16-mile Palm Beach on turf by a neck.

Following the Palm Beach, Dilger expressed an interest in giving Eh Cumpari another chance to prove himself on dirt. The $1 million Florida Derby would offer him a lucrative opportunity to make the surface switch.

"It's a lot of prize money. It's not to be sneezed at -- it's a million bucks. It'll be a tough race," Dilger said. "There isn't that kind of prize money (on turf) until July or August."

Source: Gulfstream Park Press Release