Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets winner Golden Tempo turned in his first workout at Saratoga Race Course on Sunday, breezing four furlongs in 48.51 seconds, according to NYRA clockers. Owned by Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stable, the colt's current objective is the Grade 1, $1.25 million DraftKings Travers for 3-year-olds on August 29 here.
With jockey Jose Ortiz aboard, Golden Tempo stepped onto the main track at approximately 7:00 a.m. before jogging clockwise along the far turn and backstretch. Working inside of Being Myself, Golden Tempo was clocked in 23 4/5 for his first quarter mile. He galloped out well ahead of his stablemate and was timed in 1:01 2/5 for five furlongs and 1:14 1/5 for six furlongs. Prior to today's move, all his workouts had occurred either in Kentucky or in Louisiana with the son of Curlin having trained at Keeneland from May until arriving at Saratoga last week.
"A steady work, with a really nice gallop out, which is what we were looking for," said trainer Cherie DeVaux. "[We will keep] increasing, tightening the screws on him a little bit each week. He responds to training really well. He works a half-mile, but it's usually the gallop out that's where the work is done for him. So, it's kind of build each week, ask a little bit more, and getting closer we'll just put him in maintenance mode."
Golden Tempo began his training last year at Ellis Park and Keeneland before joining DeVaux's string this winter at the Fair Grounds. He won on debut in a maiden special weight there in December before capturing the Grade 3 Lecomte and finishing third in the Grade 2 Risen Star and Grade 2 Louisiana Derby.
Dismissed at 23-1 in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby, Golden Tempo made an inexorable charge from last-of-18 to win by a neck. He bypassed the Grade 1 Preakness stakes before validating his Derby triumph with a 1 1/4-length score in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets on June 6 at Saratoga.
"I had a lot of confidence in him, but the conversation has always been, 'he's just going to have to improve,'" said DeVaux. "Not a horse who ever was right there, but we were confident that eventually he would get there. No plans ever work out, but this one did. Just by nature, he just looked like he would get better with time and with racing."
DeVaux praised Golden Tempo for his temperament.
"He's like an old soul," said DeVaux. "Really quiet...does his job, and then comes back. Jose (Ortiz) was walking back and wasn't even holding onto the reins. He was hanging out, walking."
DeVaux said Golden Tempo will breeze on Sundays at Saratoga going forward, weather permitting. She also provided an update on dominant Grade 1 Woody Stephens presented by Mohegan Sun winner Englishman, who currently is targeting the Grade 1, $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial, a seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds that will be contested on DraftKings Travers Day.
Englishman, owned by C R K Racing, breezed four furlongs in 47 2/5 on Tuesday at Keeneland and will remain based there until he ships to Saratoga the week of the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial, DeVaux said.
"The space works out a little bit just because he does so much [in his training]," DeVaux said. "So, he'll probably come back on Friday with a work, just give him nine days, 10 days in between. Then we will have a more regular schedule."
DeVaux said she is keeping Englishman at Keeneland to eliminate a possible variable in his training.
"He has only trained at two tracks, the Fair Grounds and Keeneland, and I keep it that way because it works," DeVaux said.
White Abarrio Breezes for Whitney
C2 Racing Stable, Gary Barber and La Milagrosa Stable's multiple Grade 1-winner White Abarrio breezed a sharp half-mile in 46.68 seconds, according to NYRA clockers, on Sunday over Saratoga Race Course's main track. The 7-year-old Race Day horse is working towards the local Grade 1, $1 million Whitney on August 8, a "Win and You're In" for the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic in October at Keeneland.
White Abarrio, with regular pilot Irad Ortiz, Jr. up, worked to the outside of Midtown Lights [47.11] and drew over one length clear of his workmate as they hit the wire.
"It was a good work. Irad was on him today because we wanted him to get a feel. They went quicker than ideal, but quicker the right way," Joseph, Jr. said. "The horse is happy. He came back well. Not much blow to him. We are happy with where we are at. We have one more easy work. He looks physically amazing right now, as far as his coat, demeanor and attitude. We're very thankful with where we are at."
White Abarrio is 27-11-3-3 overall with over $8.5 million in earnings. He won the 2023 Whitney and Breeders' Cup Classic when in the care of Rick Dutrow, Jr. Some notable scores for Joseph, Jr. include the 2022 Grade 1 Florida Derby, 2025 Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup and this year's Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap.
Ortiz, Jr. has been aboard White Abarrio for 13 of his last 14 starts.
"The goal of today's work was just to let Irad get a feel for him because he hasn't worked him since before the Pegasus," said Joseph, Jr. "Obviously, he's at a different level now than he was before the Pegasus. Today's work was to get a feel and get a stronger work in, now we'll back off next week."
White Abarrio was a last-out fourth over sloppy and sealed footing in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster on June 27 at Churchill Downs. He landed behind Whitney probables Magnitude, Baeza and Sovereignty, but connections are willing to draw a line through the effort.
"It's a complete throw out," said Mark Cornett, racing manager of C2 Racing Stable. "The horse was training brilliantly up to the race. The morning of the race, Saffie and I talked about scratching him because of the slop. Irad got off the horse after the race and the first thing he said was the horse hated the track, he knew it going around the first turn, so it's just a complete toss in our minds."
Cornett believed White Abarrio showed encouraging signs in Sunday's work.
"Irad said he felt as good as he ever has," Cornett said. "We're pretty excited the way he's traveling and moving into this race."
Built's Vanderbilt Win 'Icing on the Cake'
Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' Built exited his 2 1/2-length win in Saturday's Grade 2, $400,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt in good shape and will be shipped back to Churchill Downs, trainer Wayne Catalano reported via telephone Sunday morning.
In the six-furlong Vanderbilt for 4-year-olds and up, Built pressed the pace to the outside, took the lead turning for home, and drew clear to an easy score, giving jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. his fourth of what would be a record-tying six victories on Saturday. It also gave Catalano an extra reason to celebrate as he turned 70-years-old on Friday.
"Winning a Grade 2 in Saratoga, you could not ask for a better birthday present," said Catalano. "It's a great town and a great place. It really was the icing on the cake, no pun intended."
The Vanderbilt was the first graded stakes win for Built, who as a 2-year-old won the 2024 Gun Runner at 1 1/16 miles at the Fair Grounds. He has sprinted exclusively since December, winning three optional-claiming races and finishing fifth in the Grade 3 Bango on June 27 at Churchill Downs ahead of the Vanderbilt. Catalano said Built most likely will skip the Grade 1, $500,000 Forego, a seven-furlong event for 3-year-olds and up on August 29 at Saratoga.
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