LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner Golden Tempo completed his first workout over the Saratoga Race Course main track Sunday, another encouraging step in his return from the illness that interrupted his summer training.
Trainer Cherie DeVaux told the Daily Racing Form the colt lost weight and conditioning after becoming ill earlier this summer but has regained both while preparing for the Grade 1 Travers Stakes on Aug. 29.
"When he was sick, he did lose some weight and did lose some condition, but as soon as he started back galloping, he looked fantastic and gained any weight that he lost back and is not too heavy," DeVaux told the DRF. "He's got a propensity to get a little heavy, but he's really at a good spot right now physically."
With regular rider Jose Ortiz aboard, Golden Tempo breezed a half-mile in 48.51 seconds, his first timed work at Saratoga after previously training at Keeneland following his Belmont Stakes victory in June.
Golden Tempo worked inside stablemate Being Myself, covering his opening quarter-mile in 23.80 seconds before galloping out strongly. He was timed in 1:01.40 for five furlongs and 1:14.20 for six furlongs.
"A steady work, with a really nice gallop out, which is what we were looking for," DeVaux said. "[We will keep] increasing, tightening the screws on him a little bit each week. He responds to training really well."
DeVaux said the colt typically does his best work after the timed portion of his breeze.
"He works a half-mile, but it's usually the gallop out that's where the work is done for him," she said. "So, it's kind of build each week, ask a little bit more, and getting closer we'll just put him in maintenance mode."
DeVaux first acknowledged Golden Tempo's illness during a June 27 visit to Churchill Downs, telling reporters the colt had developed what she described as "a little kid sickness."
The Daily Racing Form later reported Golden Tempo showed signs of possible pneumonia, causing him to miss about 10 days of training and ruling him out of the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes. Instead, he’s training up to the $1.25 million Travers without a prep race.
Golden Tempo, a homebred for Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stable, won the Grade 3 Lecomte Stakes before finishing third in both the Risen Star and Louisiana Derby.
Dismissed at 23-1 in the Kentucky Derby, he rallied from last in the 18-horse field to defeat Renegade by a neck. After skipping the Preakness Stakes, he returned to Saratoga to win the Belmont Stakes by 1¼ lengths.
"I had a lot of confidence in him, but the conversation has always been, 'He's just going to have to improve,'" DeVaux said. "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."
DeVaux also praised Golden Tempo's temperament.
"He's like an old soul," she said. "Really quiet ... does his job, and then comes back. Jose was walking back and wasn't even holding onto the reins. He was hanging out, walking."
Golden Tempo is expected to continue working on Sundays at Saratoga, weather permitting, as he prepares for the Travers.
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