Over the final few weeks of the 2010 season I'm going to focus on races involving two-year-old colts and fillies at Aqueduct, Churchill, Hollywood (and Santa Anita when they kick into gear), and perhaps Woodbine. I'm going to specifically look at the races on the weekends but if there are some good Maiden Special Weights taking place during the week, I'll try to highlight those as well.
The main focus will be two-fold. First, to identify some of the well-regarded and well-bred starters in these races. Second, identify horses that put up impressive maiden performances, regardless of whether they are well-bred or not.
Without further ado, let's take a look at some of the juvenile action this weekend.
|
Day |
Race |
Track |
Race |
Dist. |
Surf. |
|
20-Nov |
4 |
AQU |
MSW |
8.5 |
Turf |
|
20-Nov |
9 |
AQU |
MSW |
8.5 |
Turf |
|
20-Nov |
3 |
CD |
30K MC |
8.5 |
Dirt |
|
20-Nov |
10 |
CD |
MSW (f) |
6.0 |
Dirt |
|
20-Nov |
4 |
HOL |
MSW |
6.5 |
Poly |
|
21-Nov |
5 |
AQU |
MSW |
8.0 |
Turf |
|
21-Nov |
4 |
CD |
MSW (f) |
8.0 |
Turf |
|
21-Nov |
7 |
CD |
MSW |
6.0 |
Dirt |
Below is a summary of the races and horses I'll be watching this weekend.
11/20: AQU-4, MSW, 8.5, Turf
The fourth at Aqueduct on Saturday is sort of a ho-hum Maiden Special for New York-breds on the turf with the exception of the lone first time starter, 6-Yankee Kitten, another Ken and Sarah Ramsey homebred from Kitten's Joy. This New York-bred is by a dam that has thrown three winners on the main track but nothing to speak of on the turf. We'll see whether the Kitten's Joy influence makes the difference in this one.
11/20: AQU-9, MSW, 8.5, Turf
The nightcap at the Big A is the second half of the state-bred Maiden Special grass event from earlier on the card. Two first time starters dot the entry box - 1-Ernie the Shoe (by Pollard's Vision) and 2-Mighty J (by Catienus).
11/20: CD-3, 30K MC, 8.5, Dirt
1-Roses for Kitten is another one of the many Ken & Sarah Ramsey homebred offspring of Kitten's Joy that has made their way to the track over the past couple of years. This colt is out of a Lemon Drop Kid mare (Honeymoon Baby) who has yet to throw a winner and who lost both of her two career sprint races. He's gets a tag for the debut effort, which probably doesn't speak incredibly highly as to the aspirations of the connections for this colt and he's drawn the rail, which won't make matters any easier. 5/1 on the morning line but that seems just a bit on the low side.
11/20: CD-10, MSW (fillies), 6.0, Dirt
There are some really well-bred fillies in the nightcap at Churchill Downs on Saturday, highlighted by the 2-Secret of the Sea, a daughter of Storm Cat that sold for $675,000 at the 2009 Keeneland September sale. Saturday's race will be her second career start after a disappointing start to her career on October 31st. She's out of a Dynaformer mare that did all her winning on the turf so it remains to be seen as to whether she'll do a whole lot on the main track. Another poor performance and I would think that D. Wayne Lukas would move her to the green.
Five first time starters will make their career bow in this race:
3-Itmakeshermean [Hennessy - Mean Imogene (Silver Deputy)]
5-Off and Running [Jump Start - Regale (Sefapiano)]
6-Class Song [Smart Strike - Theme Song (Dixieland Band)]
7-Pary Vow [Broken Vow - Beach Party (Boston Harbor)]
8-Rocket Shoes [Mr. Greely - Dying Burns (Deputy Minister)[
Two more firsters are on the AE list, including 14-Electric Boots, an intriguing daughter of Bellamy Road out of a Dynaformer mare (Lalka).
11/20: HOL-4, MSW, 6.5, Poly
The state-bred maiden races are running rampant this weekend as the fourth at Hollywood is another that is restricted to horses bred or sired within the state. Four first timers find their way into the field: 1-Mint Honor (Sharp Humor), 4-Nahem (Bertrando), 5-All de Victors (Decarchy), 6-Conflicted Traits (Suave).
11/21: AQU-5, MSW, 8.0, Turf
The Big A puts the state-breds away on Sunday and cards are really nice Maiden Special event for juvenile turf runners in the fifth race. The field features six nice looking first time starters:
1-Iscar [Bernardini - Crimson Palace-SAF (Elliodor-FR)]
2-Walker's Landing [Theatrical-IRE - Shakespearesister-GB (Chester House)]
3-Chinglish [War Front - Pete's Fancy (Peteski)]
7-Tag V Eye [Hennessy - Averlinsky (Stravinsky)]
8-Risker [Forest Wildcat - Risk (Wavering Monarch)]
10-Dixie Cowboy [Dixie Union - Jordyn Macoma (Dynaformer)]
Two first time starters appear to deserve extra special attention based on their breeding: 2-Walker's Landing and 1-Iscar. 3-Chinglish is another firster that could have a bit of talent first time out.
Walker's Landing is sired by Theatrical out of a mare that won the only two races of her career on the lawn. He gets a strong turf rider in Ramon Dominguez for the career debut and would seem to be well positioned for a nice start to his career.
Iscar is by Bernardini, a sire that has had a lot of success this season but who really hasn't had much of his offspring attempt to run on the grass. This colt is out of a Elliodor (FR) mare, Crimson Palace (SaF), was a Group 1 winner in South Africa and won the 2004 Grade 1 Beverly D. at Arlington Park. If Bernardini is going to sire his first winner on the grass, this colt might be it.
11/21: CD-4, MSW (fillies), 8.0, Turf
There doesn't appear to be a ton of big-time talent among the fillies in this one mile grass race at Churchill. 7-Lancet is by Arch, a decent grass sire, but her dam, Coracle, has yet to throw a winner in three tries. Coracle did all her winning on the grass, so you'd think that if she's going to have a winner, it's going to probably come on the green.
11/21: CD-7, MSW, 6.0, Dirt
It's a first time starter party in the 7th at CD on Sunday with eight colts scheduled to make their debut under the Twin Spires.
1-Street Swagger [Street Cry-IRE - Etiole (Atticus)]
2-Rocekt Zone [Suave - Skip a Beat (Skip Trial)]
3-Heiden [Flower Alley - Granny's Pride (Broad Brush)]
4-Aqtaar [Smart Strike - Ashraakat (Danzig)]
5-Smarter Than Ever [Smarty Jones - Ever Lasting (General Assembly)]
7-Distinctly [With Distinction - Cielo's Dance (Danzig)]
8-Houston Harbor [Rockport Harbor - Southern Tour (Tour d'Or)]
12-Unbridled Maker [Empire Maker - Cia (Slew City Slew)]
That's quite a list of first timers, many of which are by some really nice sires and some big names from the past few years. A wide-open race with a bunch of possibilities, it will be interesting to see if any of these juvenile can make a big splash first time out.