Upstart ready for 1st start of the year

[rhagood]

Upstart to Return in Oaklawn's Razorback

Thursday, March 10, 2016| Lauren King

Ralph Evans and WinStar Farm's Upstart (Flatter) is set to make his 4-year-old debut in the GIII Razorback H. at Oaklawn Park Mar. 19, trainer Rick Violette Jr. confirmed Thursday.

Runner-up to Daredevil (More Than Ready) in the 2014 GI Champagne S. and a wide-trip third to Texas Red (Afleet Alex) in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile, the handsome dark bay was the smashing winner of the GII Holy Bull S. to kick off his classic campaign. Controversially disqualified from the victory in the GII Fountain of Youth S., the New York-bred could not reel in loose-on-the-lead Materiality (Afleet Alex) and settled for second in the GI Florida Derby. Effectively eased home in the GI Kentucky Derby, Upstart was third to future Horse of the Year American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) in the GI William Hill Haskell Invitational S. and fourth to Keen Ice (Curlin) in the GI Travers S. He was most recently a distant fifth behind Frosted (Tapit) in the GII Pennsylvania Derby Sept. 18, and though he had trained with vim and vigor of late, was forced to miss the GII Gulfstream Park H. Mar. 5.

"I was a couple of weeks behind," Violette said. "This looks like a pretty good spot. It's a lot of money, it's a good race, a good place to run. We'll find out if he likes the race track and if we want to head back for the [$750,000 GII Oaklawn] Handicap [Apr. 16]."

[miff]

Typical of Upstart, he\'s reported to be training lights out and looking great. Has to answer if he can run anymore,was awful last few starts.

[Silver Charm]

Glad to se him back. I was wondering where he was and its odd he isn\'t running here at Gulfstream. Many times 3YO\'s who liked it here who went sour late at 3 came back down for the following season and found their old form. Harlans Holiday is a great example. Hoping for the best

[ringato3]

Please Mike.

Don\'t remind me.  Welsch anointed Upstart before more than 1 big race late last year as training better than anybody.  

Suspect he will run well, but won\'t be betting anything on him.  One can only go to the well so many times on a horse...

Rob

[miff]

Rob,

Horses that look great and work great normally adds up to good races.Upstart has disappointed in his last few so he may be \"deceased\" so to speak. Got me last year once after making a mini run in Haskell then bombing next out.

Have to see field, may be a spot to attack.

Mike

[rhagood]

Agree this could be the race to take a stand, surface is a little tricky and local horses with track preference often prevail in some the lesser stakes.
If he runs well and comes out ok the Oaklawn Handicap on Arkansas Derby day might be a wager or a use in horizontals just as a toss may be in order on the 19th for the same.

The stakes schedule that day:

Saturday, March 19 - $350.000 Razorback Handicap (G3) - 4-year-olds & up, 1 1 /16 miles

Saturday, March 19 - $350,000 Azeri (G2) - Fillies and mares, 4-year-olds & up, 1 1 /16 miles

Saturday, March 19 - $900,000 Rebel (G2) - 3-year-olds, 1 1/16 miles