Fastest maidens: Improbable filly Maida tops 26 winners
The last seven days have produced an exceptional collection of 26 maiden winners earning HRN speed figures of 100 or higher, led by the impressive performance of Maida at Laurel Park. These first-time victors represent the most promising prospects in racing, showcasing the talent pipeline that could produce tomorrow's champions. The quality of performances across multiple tracks demonstrates the depth of young talent currently emerging in the sport.
From coast to coast, trainers are unveiling horses with significant potential, with several achieving triple-digit speed figures in their debuts. The geographic spread includes standout performances from Florida to California, with particularly strong showings at Gulfstream Park, Prairie Meadows and Laurel Park.
Elite trainers leading the maiden ranks
Antonio Sano demonstrated exceptional skill with first-time starters this week, producing two impressive winners at Gulfstream Park. His standout performer Insurmountable earned a 118 speed figure in a seven-furlong maiden special weight, and Oasis Prince posted 113 on the synthetic surface over a mile and 70 yards. The Venezuelan-born trainer's ability to have horses ready for peak performance in their maiden races continues to establish his reputation among the sport's top conditioners.
Mark Casse also contributed two winners, led by Special Session's 111 figure at Woodbine and Mobster's 103 at Churchill Downs. Single-horse standouts include several notable performances from established trainers, with Brittany Russell's Maida leading the way with the week's top figure of 122. Other impressive individual efforts came from Tanner Tracy's Classycowtownlady (117) and Coty Rosin's Sultry Kitten (116), both at Prairie Meadows.
Sire power driving success
The stallion influence on this week's fastest maiden winners reveals the continued strength of proven bloodlines. Constitution emerged as the week's most successful sire with two winners, Oasis Prince (113) and Special Session (111), showcasing remarkable consistency across different surfaces and distances. Jimmy Creed also produced two winners with Aggie's Creed (109) and Red Road Runner (104), demonstrating the veteran sire's continued relevance.
The diversity of successful sires ranges from established veterans to rising stars, with impressive individual performances from Improbable (Maida, 122), City of Light (Insurmountable, 118), and American Pharoah (Sultry Kitten, 116). This broad representation across different sire generations demonstrates the depth of quality bloodlines currently producing winners.
Maida, 122 HRN speed figure
Three-year-old filly Maida earned the week's top speed figure of 122 with her dominating victory at Laurel Park on Sunday. By Improbable out of the Grade 3-winning mare Eve Giselle, this Brittany Russell-trained filly overcame early trouble when she bore in at the start but still managed to win going away by 9 1/2 lengths in a six-furlong maiden special weight on dirt. Sheldon Russell guided the 6-5 favorite to victory for Goodfella's, with the filly's running comment noting she "bore in start, angled in early, rail, drew off, ridden out." The impressive margin of victory and speed figure suggest this filly could develop into a stakes prospect.
Insurmountable, 118
Three-year-old colt Insurmountable posted a 118 HRN speed figure for a convincing win at Gulfstream Park on Thursday by 3 3/4 lengths. By City of Light out of Shabby Chic, this Antonio Sano-trained colt overcame a bump at the start to win at 3-1 odds for owner Tami Bobo. Luis Fuenmayor guided the colt to victory in the seven-furlong maiden special weight on dirt, with his running style showing he "bumped start, off duel, 4 wide 1/4, led 1/8 left lead, driving." The combination of proven sire, strong figure and tactical racing ability suggests this colt could progress into stakes company.
Classycowtownlady, 117
Three-year-old filly Classycowtownlady earned a 117 HRN speed figure with a commanding nine-length victory at Prairie Meadows on Sunday. By Win Win Win out of Sing Lady Sing, this Tanner Tracy-trained filly justified heavy favoritism at 2-5 odds in a six-furlong maiden claiming race on dirt. Elvin Gonzalez rode for Double Down Racing, with the filly showing early speed as she "set pace, widened turn, 2wd into stretch, ang in, pulled awy." Despite competing in a maiden claiming event rather than a special weight, her impressive speed figure and dominant performance suggest significant ability.
Sultry Kitten, 116
Five-year-old mare Sultry Kitten posted a 116 HRN speed figure in her maiden score at Prairie Meadows on Saturday, winning by 2 3/4 lengths at 7-2 odds. By American Pharoah out of an stakes-performing mare, this Coty Rosin-trained mare carries the bloodlines of a Triple Crown winner and delivered with authority in a six-furlong maiden special weight on dirt. Her late arrival to racing suggests she may have had physical issues earlier in her career, but the strong performance indicates she could be a useful addition to the older horse division.
Spiced Up, 109
Three-year-old colt Spiced Up posted a 109 HRN speed figure in his debut on the turf at Belmont at Aqueduct on Thursday, winning by 1 1/4 lengths at 9-2 odds. By Quality Road out of an Unbridled's Song mare, this Bill Mott-trained colt carries the bloodlines of a proven sire who has excelled with turf horses. The colt showed tactical speed in the six-furlong maiden special weight, demonstrating the kind of versatility that Mott's stable is known for developing. With Quality Road's proven ability to sire successful grass horses and Mott's expertise with turf runners, Spiced Up appears well-positioned to develop into a useful horse on the lawn.
Additional standout performances
Several other horses posted notable figures this week, including Bigredsandribeyes with 115 at Los Alamitos for trainer Mike Puype, and the impressive duo of Oasis Prince (113) and Gearing Up (113). Chad Brown contributed Dragonite with 105 at Monmouth Park, while the week also featured strong performances from horses trained by established connections across multiple surfaces. These performances demonstrate the depth of talent emerging across the country from both established and developing barns.
Fastest firsters
| HRN Fig | Horse Name | Age | Sex | Sire | Date | Track | Surface | Distance | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 122 | Maida | 3 | F | Improbable | 6/22 | LRL | Dirt | 6 furlongs | Brittany Russell |
| 118 | Insurmountable | 3 | C | City of Light | 6/19 | GP | Dirt | 7 furlongs | Antonio Sano |
| 117 | Classycowtownlady | 3 | F | Win Win Win | 6/22 | PRM | Dirt | 6 furlongs | Tanner Tracy |
| 116 | Sultry Kitten | 5 | M | American Pharoah | 6/21 | PRM | Dirt | 6 furlongs | Coty W. Rosin |
| 115 | Bigredsandribeyes | 4 | G | Vino Rosso | 6/22 | LRC | Dirt | 1 mile | Mike Puype |
| 113 | Oasis Prince | 3 | C | Constitution | 6/20 | GP | Synthetic | 1 mile 70 yards | Antonio Sano |
| 113 | Gearing Up | 3 | C | Bravazo | 6/22 | CD | Dirt | 1 mile | Rusty Arnold |
| 111 | Special Session | 3 | C | Constitution | 6/22 | WO | Synthetic | 1 1/16 miles | Mark Casse |
| 110 | Meroney | 3 | G | Midshipman | 6/21 | EVD | Dirt | 6 furlongs | Jonas Gibson |
| 109 | Turino | 4 | F | Kantharos | 6/21 | GP | Synthetic | 1 mile 70 yards | Saffie Joseph, Jr. |
| 109 | Spiced Up | 3 | C | Quality Road | 6/19 | BAQ | Turf | 6 furlongs | Bill Mott |
| 109 | Aggie's Creed | 3 | C | Jimmy Creed | 6/22 | LS | Dirt | 6 furlongs | Mindy J. Willis |
| 108 | Otter Mischief | 3 | C | Maximus Mischief | 6/21 | PRX | Dirt | 6 furlongs | Guadalupe Preciado |
| 105 | Dragonite | 3 | C | Practical Joke | 6/21 | MTH | Dirt | 6 furlongs | Chad Brown |
| 104 | Red Road Runner | 3 | G | Jimmy Creed | 6/22 | ASD | Dirt | 5 1/2 furlongs | Michael Nault |
| 103 | Mobster | 5 | G | Uncle Mo | 6/21 | CD | Dirt | 7 furlongs | Mark Casse |
| 103 | Ante Meridiem | 3 | G | Timeline | 6/21 | PRM | Dirt | 5 1/2 furlongs | David D. McShane |
| 103 | Glad Von D | 3 | F | Coal Front | 6/21 | PRM | Dirt | 5 1/2 furlongs | Scott Corderman |
| 103 | Souper Williwaw | 3 | F | Hard Spun | 6/20 | MTH | Turf | 1 1/16 miles | Michael Trombetta |
| 102 | Silhoutte Cove | 3 | G | Warrior's Reward | 6/19 | PEN | Dirt | 6 furlongs | T. Bernard Houghton |
| 102 | Tapakena | 4 | G | Tapit | 6/22 | CD | Dirt | 6 1/2 furlongs | Genaro Garcia |
| 101 | Bobby Rock | 4 | G | Lent | 6/22 | HST | Dirt | 6 1/2 furlongs | Tammy Snow |
| 101 | Lupa (IRE) | 3 | F | Lope de Vega (IRE) | 6/21 | WO | Turf | 1 1/16 miles | Josie Carroll |
| 100 | Forever Greedy | 3 | G | Forever d'Oro | 6/21 | IND | Dirt | 1 mile 70 yards | Tianna Richardville |
| 100 | Militia | 3 | F | Army Mule | 6/20 | GP | Dirt | 6 furlongs | Steve Klesaris |
| 100 | Big Tankness | 3 | G | Uncle Lino | 6/19 | LRL | Dirt | 6 furlongs | Jamie Ness |