Union Rags breezes from the gate for Fountain of Youth

Union Rags worked with assistant Peter Brett in the saddle (Adam Coglianese Photography) Grade 1 Champagne star Union Rags was sent to the track at Palm Meadows Training Center Sunday morning for his final workout for next Sunday’s Grade 2 Fountain of Youth. The Michael Matz-trained three-year-old colt broke from the starting gate and breezed four furlongs in :48 4/5 shortly after 7 a.m. (EST). “He did it easy and galloped out fine. He’s ready to go,” Matz said. “Other than running in a race, he’s as ready as he could possibly be.” Union Rags, who captured the Grade 2 Saratoga Special prior to the Champagne last season, hasn’t run since suffering his first loss in four career starts in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs on November 5, when his wide stretch drive fell a head short of catching victorious Hansen. His trainer designed the gate workout, as well as other schooling sessions in the starting gate, to stoke the competitive spirit in the son of Dixie Union.

“We’ve stood him a couple times in the gate. We wanted to pop him out today
and we’ll stand him in the gate again on Thursday, and then he should be ready
to go,” Matz said. “He’s going to be running against horses that have been
racing and he hasn’t raced since November. He’s a big, quiet horse, so I thought
a little reminder wouldn’t hurt.”

Union Rags is expected to meet the undefeated Todd Pletcher-trained duo of
Algorithms and Discreet Dancer, both of whom are two-time winners at the
Gulfstream meeting, in the Fountain of Youth. Julien Leparoux will be aboard
Union Rags for the first time, replacing Javier Castellano, who opted to ride
Algorithms in the 1 1/16-mile prep for the Grade 1 Florida Derby at Gulfstream
on March 31.

Matz’s longtime assistant Peter Brett was aboard Union Rags Sunday morning,
subbing for Leparoux, who rode Daddy Nose Best to victory in the Grade 3 El
Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields Saturday night and whose return flight
wasn’t scheduled to land until 8:15 a.m.

“He said if I wanted to make it at 9, he’d try to make it,” said Matz, who
decided to go ahead with the workout as planned. “I said, ‘If you want to gallop
him, come up any time to gallop him.”