Upstart Launches 3YO Campaign in Holy Bull

Ralph M. Evans' New York-bred Upstart is slated to embark on his much-anticipated 3-year-old campaign Jan. 24 in the $400,000 Lambholm South Holy Bull Stakes (gr. II) at Gulfstream Park.

The ridgling son of Flatter   concluded his 2014 campaign with a gritty third-place finish behind Texas Red and Carpe Diem in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) Nov. 1 at Santa Anita Park. Trained by Richard Violette Jr., he signaled his readiness for the 1 1/16-mile stakes for 3-year-olds during a sharp six-furlong breeze in 1:12.30 at Palm Meadows Training Center Jan. 18.

"We needed to do something a little quick. They need to be ready, even if they're not ready to have one of the best races of their life, but they've got to be fit enough so they don't go out there and get exhausted and take 10 steps backward instead of 10 steps forward," Violette said. "We let him roll a little bit. It looked like he was still in an open gallop. He cooled out good. He was good this morning, so it's all systems go."

Upstart prepped for his promising Juvenile showing with a second-place finish behind favored Daredevil in the Champagne (gr. I) at Belmont Park after making a five-wide run. In the Juvenile, he broke a step slowly from his outside post position, made a five-wide bid on the far turn, and was nosed for second money after being bumped in the stretch.

"He ran a really good second and was kind of up against it in the Champagne. He confirmed his quality and he just got nailed for second in the Breeders' Cup despite not having a whole lot in his favor. He's underlining that he's a significantly good horse," Violette said. "Certainly, he belongs in the elite of the 3-year-olds this year, as long as he proves it. He's more than just a nice New York-bred; he's a nice horse."

Upstart clearly established his superiority over his fellow New York-bred rivals in his first two starts at Saratoga Race Course last summer. He overcame traffic in his 5 1/2-furlong debut to draw off to a 5 1/4-length victory on Aug. 15 before returning nine days later to capture the $196,000 Funny Cide at 6 1/2 furlongs by a length.

"We knew he had a whole lot of talent. I don't know that we knew he would be this good," Violette said. "I don't run horses back quickly. The way he came out of his first race, it kind of set us up for the fall by getting that second race into him."

Violette has noticed a physical change in Upstart as he prepares for his 3-year-old debut.

"He's filled out. He was a little big leggy as a 2-year-old. I don't think he's gotten any taller, but there's a little more muscle to him; he's a little bit squarer. He looks more like an older horse than a baby now," Violette said. "He's pretty sharp and confident, without being mean. He has a really nice eye. He's pretty correct. He's a pretty clever horse."

Upstart, who'll be ridden again by Jose Ortiz, is expected to vie for favoritism in the 10-horse field with Kiaran McLaughlin trainee Frosted, who is coming off a most impressive runner-up finish in the Remsen Stakes (gr. II) at Aqueduct Racetrack on Nov. 29.

Frosted broke from the far outside No. 13 post position and raced wide while stalking the pace on a day when the track favored inside runners. The son of Tapit   came up a half-length short of catching rail-running Leave the Light On.

"He ran huge. He had the 13 hole, the track was a conveyor belt, and he was unlucky to lose. He's a very nice horse," said McLaughlin, whose trainee drew the rail post position.

Frosted launched his career with a pair of runner-up finishes in sprints at Saratoga and Belmont Park before graduating on Oct. 30 at Aqueduct while stretching out to a mile.

"He's been training great. He's doing great," said McLaughlin, who awarded the return mount aboard Godolphin Racing's colt to Irad Ortiz Jr.

Hall of Fame trainer Nick Zito entered Frammento in the Holy Bull, hoping to score his fourth success in the important prep for the $1 million Besilu Stables Florida Derby (gr. I), which will be run March 28. Frammento finished second in a Dec. 17 Gulfstream allowance behind Bluegrass Singer, who came back to win the $100,000 Mucho Macho Man on Jan. 3.

"I thought he ran a good race, especially after the other horse came back to win the Mucho Macho Man," Zito said. "That's all we were looking for—something good. The track was lightning fast that day, and the other horse showed what kind of horse he was in his next race."

Frammento, a son of Midshipman  , finished fourth after a slow start in a Saratoga allowance on Aug. 30 before graduating in a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight test at Keeneland on Oct. 4. He finished fourth in a first-level optional claiming allowance at Churchill Downs before making his promising start in the one-turn mile Gulfstream start.

"I loved him the first time out. It was a weird first time out. He actually could have won the first time out, but he won his second time out at Keeneland. He had another good race at Churchill and he had another good race at Gulfstream. He's been consistent, and for me, that's all I want," said Zito, who saddled Holy Bull winners Dialed In (2011), Suave Prospect (1995) and Go for Gin (1994).

Marcus Vitali-trained Bluegrass Singer has been entered in both the Holy Bull and the $150,000 Hutcheson (gr. III), a seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds. Bluegrass Singer has won three of four starts over the Gulfstream main track, including his 4 1/2-length triumph over Frammento and his front-running score in the $100,000 Mucho Macho Man. Javier Castellano will have the mount if the gelded son of Bluegrass Cat starts in the Holy Bull.

Godolphin Racing is slated to be represented in the Holy Bull by First Down, as well as Frosted. The Tom Albertrani-trained First Down got the better of Frosted in his debut, getting the jump on his stablemate with a four-wide move and holding on for a half-length victory at Belmont on Sept. 20. The son of Street Sense   finished a troubled fourth in the Nashua (gr. II) at Aqueduct on Nov. 2 in his only other start. He will be treated with Lasix for the first time and will be ridden by Rajiv Maragh in the Holy Bull.

Dale Romans-trained Keen Ice, who finished a distant third in the Remsen (gr. II); George Weaver-trained High Noon Rider, who finished third in the Springboard Mile at Remington Park in his 2014 finale; Decision Day, the winner of the Coronation Futurity at Woodbine last time out; and Dom the Bomb, a two-time stakes winner for Illinois-breds who is also entered in the Hutcheson; and stakes-placed Juan and Bina were also entered.

The Holy Bull is worth points of 10-4-2-1 to the top four finishers on the road to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I)