Upstart and antibiotics

[Agastache]

I\'m no vet, so I\'ll ask you guys:

We all are aware of Upstart running a fever over the weekend. Would a trainer be inclined to use antibiotics on a horse that runs a fever or do you just let it runs it course?

And if Violette did use antibiotics on Upstart, is this a concern for horseplayers even though the Derby is 3 weeks out?

[covelj70]

it\'s a great question

normally you would as you wouldn\'t take the risk of the fever getting worse or staying around for longer.

It would be a great thing to confirm one way or the other

While he\'s a great horse, I never gave him much chance going the extra panel anyway and this episode seals the deal for me, antibiotics or no antibiotics, he missed a breeze and there is just no margin for error to win this race unless you tower over all of the others.

[mjellish]

I agree with Jim.  Antibiotics are the kiss of death when you are on a schedule and have to get a horse to give their best to win.  Remember Smooth Air?

Dunno if they treated Upstart or not.  But it\'s important and i\'ve been asking.  I don\'t have anyone close to these connections and have no way of knowing.

Anyone know?  It matters.

[miff]

Upstart has a sinus infection according to a NY trainer who spoke to Violette. Looking for 2 works at Palm Meadows before shipping to CD.Violette said Upstart never showed sickness,was and is full of himself.

Asked him to find out about how Upstart was treated with meds, infections usually mean antibiotics.Connections usually won\'t discuss or lie about illness/injury unless they scratch.

[covelj70]

thanks for the info

very helpful

missing a work this time of year is a non starter to run well in this race, especially against this crop of freak jobs

he will go out and breeze well the next few weeks and everyone will say he\'s fine but of course he can run 5f well, he\'s a great horse

the issue is that he needs to be perfect (And even then I don\'t think that\'s enough for him given he couldn\'t get by Materiality in Florida and he did the Electric Slide in the FOY).

[miff]

Jim,

Upstart real fast on TG and will
be a price with his bandwagon having emptied.Did not like his last two races much and don\'t think he\'s sitting on another big one.


Mike

[covelj70]

totally agree

and Violette\'s arguments about the track were ridiculous

1) they all ran on the same track
2) the horses he lost two in both instances had far less foundation that he did and so a deep tiring track should have played to his advantage

[ajkreider]

His numbers mean he doesn\'t have to run his best to hit the board.  Can\'t see leaving him out of the super completely at his odds.

[boston]

Sunday Silence was dead lame after a 2 mile gallop on the Saturday before the Preakness.

You can miss training as long as you have the correct horse and trainer!

[johnnym]

Miff; With everyone saying how bad the Gulfstream track was this year did that work in these horses favor or against?

[ajkreider]

International Star did most of his training at GP.  Horses like Frosted, Stanford, Prontico and Race Day shipped well after races over the track. Not so much for Ready for Rye or St. Quisy-whateverhisnameis. I wouldn\'t think its enough of a factor to play it either way.

[miff]

John,

Dull slow tracks are usually seen as legging a horse up, a positive.In the case of Upstart and Materiality they may have issues of over the top for Upstart and too fast too soon for Materiality.

Both reads tough given 5 weeks from their last race but do not like Upstart at 10f.

Mike

[joemama]

We probably won\'t be comparing Rick Violette to Charlie Whittingham anytime soon.

[miff]

Put a fork in him!

Mike Welsch

Upstart back on track

Kentucky Derby contender UPSTART returned to the track at Palm Meadows this morning for \"a little gallop\" according to trainer Rick Violette, three days after missing a scheduled work due to what has now been diagnosed as a sinus infection.
\"He\'s being treated for a sinus infection and he still has a little nasal discharge but we can train through that,\" said Violette. \"It\'s not like a respiratory infection, which would be more serious. As long as his temperature doesn\'t spike again, and so far it\'s been normal since Saturday, we should be able to put him back on a normal training schedule.\"
Violette said he plans to have Upstart begin galloping regularly on Wednesday, although he will wait before setting any definite time schedule for his next work.
If all goes well, Upstart will continue to train at Palm Meadows until shipping to Churchill Downs on Tuesday, April 28.

[pizzalove]

Where does the info come from that upstart ran a fever?  I missed that.  Also would like to know why distance is a concern for so many with this horses breeding.  Please let me know.  Thank you.