HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. -- Upstart strutted into the winner's circle, took a look around at the people in the stands and seemed to be basking in the moment.
That didn't surprise his trainer.
"He's a bit of a punk," trainer Richard Violette said. "He's pretty cocky."
Violette can deal with a little attitude from Upstart if he keeps performing like he did Saturday at Gulfstream Park .
Upstart, a son of Flatter, pulled away with ease in the stretch and coasted to a victory in the $400,000 Grade II Holy Bull, one of the early races where horses earn points that will determine the field for the Kentucky Derby. It was the third victory in five outings for Upstart, who responded perfectly when jockey Jose Ortiz told him it was time to move.
Upstart earned 10 points with the victory to move into third place with 16 points in the Road to the Derby standings.
Upstart took advantage of some slower than expected early fractions and finished the 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.61, returning $6.20 for the victory. Frosted -- ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., the winning jockey's brother -- went off as the 3-2 favorite but finished second, 5 1/2-lengths back, and Bluegrass Singer was third.
Upstart has never finished worse than third and that was in last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile, the race that suggested he would be a factor on this year's Triple Crown trail. His next start could come in the Fountain of Youth or the Florida Derby, both at Gulfstream, or the Gotham at Aqueduct.
Violette, who serves as president of the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, said he would have no issue with going to Aqueduct even though the track has been reeling from a recent stretch of 12 equine deaths in 22 racing days, which prompted the New York Racing Association to announce emergency measures and new policies earlier this month.
"There is nothing wrong with the racetrack. Period," Violette said.
Still, it wouldn't be a surprise if Upstart remained at Gulfstream for the foreseeable future -- especially since he likely is already on the cusp of having enough points to get into the Kentucky Derby field.
"We'll see how he bounces off this and follow his lead," Violette said.
In other stakes races for 3-year-olds at Gulfstream on Saturday: Birdatthewire, a 12-1 shot, pulled off an upset and paid $26.80 in the Grade II $200,000 Forward Gal, for fillies and contested over seven furlongs. Barbados ($3.40) held off X Y Jet at the line to win the Grade III $150,000 Hutcheson, run at 7 furlongs. Consumer Credit ($5.60) beat Quality Rocks by a length in the Grade III $100,000 Sweetest Chant, a mile-long race on the turf for fillies. In the finale, Dubai Sky ($12.60) nipped Courtier -- both horses are trained by Bill Mott -- in a photo finish to win the $100,000 Kitten's Joy Stakes on the turf.
SANTA ANITA
Clem claims Cup
ARCADIA, Calif. -- Long shot Mischief Clem won the $250,000 California Cup Derby for 3-year-olds by a head in a photo finish at Santa Anita.
Ridden by Kent Desormeaux, 11-1 shot Mischief Clem ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.82 and paid $25.60, $9.60 and $13.40. The colt has finished third or better in five of his six career starts.
The California Cup doesn't provide horses any points in the Road to the Derby standings, but it was a race won by California-bred California Chrome last year on his way to winning the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes .
Pulmarack returned $7.40 and $10.80 at 8-1 odds. Kluszewski, a 13-1 shot named for former major league slugger Ted Kluszewski, paid $14.80 to show.
Acceptance, the 1-2 favorite, finished fourth.
Sports on 01/25/2015