Hollywood Park: Fountain of Youth or Risen Star likely target for Violence

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – The unbeaten Violence, who shipped from New York to California to make off with the Grade 1 CashCall Futurity at Hollywood Park on Saturday, traveled to Florida on Sunday to begin preparations for his 3-year-old campaign, which is likely to begin with the Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park or the Risen Star at Fair Grounds, both on Feb. 23.

Trainer Todd Pletcher on Sunday said Violence had come out of the CashCall Futurity in “good shape.” He said Violence would be based at the Palm Meadows training center in Florida, where Pletcher keeps his elite runners at this time of year.

“He’ll have a couple of preps” before the Kentucky Derby on May 4, Pletcher said.

Violence received a 92 Beyer Speed Figure for the win.

Violence had defeated maidens at Saratoga and then won the Nashua at Aqueduct in his first two starts. The CashCall Futurity was his first race outside New York, and around two turns, but it was at his third different track. That adaptability is one reason he was sent west.

“He’s the kind of horse that has such a great disposition and good mind that we didn’t think shipping him east to west would bother him at all,” Pletcher said in the winner’s circle on Saturday.

Fury Kapcori, who finished second after attending a sharp early pace, “came out of the race perfect,” Jerry Hollendorfer, his trainer and co-owner, said Sunday morning. “He didn’t have everything ideal, and he still ran well. And Todd’s horse is awfully good. He’s still undefeated.”

Den’s Legacy, who finished third, did the best of the four runners sent out by trainer Bob Baffert, who also finished sixth with Carving, ninth with Really Mr Greely, and 11th and last with Title Contender.

Baffert said all four of his runners were in good condition on Sunday morning, even Title Contender.

“Title Contender got rank and shut down early,” Baffert said. “Really Mr Greely, it was too far for him. Carving, maybe he could have been fourth, but he got knocked around a little bit.

“Den’s Legacy, he ran a good race. Garrett,” Baffert said, referring to jockey Garrett Gomez, “thought maybe he should have stayed on the rail, but he swung out and ended up about six-wide. Maybe that would have made it closer for second. But he wasn’t going to beat the winner. The best horse won.”

Both Fury Kapcori and Den’s Legacy are expected to make their next starts at the upcoming Santa Anita meeting, which opens Dec. 26.