Union Rags being ready to go for the Fountain of Youth Stakes
Unlike Hansen, Union Rags isn’t going to initiate his 2012 campaign as a 3-year-old with a start in the first stakes that the Gulfstream Park meet has to offer, though the rampant colt is not going to let a chance of a re-match with his Grade 1 Breeders' Cup tormentor, Hansen, slip by.
Hence, the Kentucky bred colt will come face to face with his evenly matched competitor in the Grade 2, $400,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes on 26 February, 2012, at Gulfstream Park.
Phyllis M. Wyeth and Chadds Ford Stable owned Union Rags turned in five furlongs ahead of the Fountain of Youth Stakes, over the fast main track at Palm Meadows on 24 January, covering the distance in 1 minute and 0.82 seconds.
The work out turned out to be the second fastest out of 28 on the same day over the same distance, and the move was commenced from the half mile marker to a furlong past the wire.
Michael Matz trained son of Dixie Union, out of mare Tempo by Gone West, newly turned 3-year-old colt, Union Rags had a pretty decent workout where he went his first eighth in 12.28 seconds, quarter mile in 24.22 seconds and from then on to the wire, he covered the distance in 24.11 seconds.
It was his third workout session since returning to trainer, Michael Matz at his Palm Meadows barn, but he wasn’t completely idle a month ago.
Instead the colt was in light training on a farm in Florida after his second place finish in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs.
"We're on line to run in the Fountain of Youth," Matz said. "He'll start working in company next week. I think the progression is kind of where I want it right now."
Union Rags was sweating profusely on the track in his recent workout.
"He always sweats, he's a big sweater," Matz said. "That's been him from the start. But he has a good disposition."
On the other hand, Union Rags’ arch-rival, Hansen, will make his 2012 debut in the $400,000 Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes and then take on Union Rags in the Fountain of Youth Stakes.
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