Frosted, American Freedom fillies take first 2021 juvenile races
Lexington, Ky.
The start of Keeneland’s spring meet Friday brought the first two 2-year-old races of 2021.
Bohemian Frost dusted eight rivals in the day’s first race, drawing off to lead by as many as five lengths and winning by 3 1/2. The first juvenile winner of 2021 covered 4½ furlongs in 52.15 seconds and returned $5.80 as the 2-1 second choice in the betting.
Bohemian Frost is a daughter of three-time Grade 1 winner Frosted and is out of Speightstown mare Toast of Mayfair. Her dam is a half-sibling to 2017 Belmont Stakes hero Tapwrit and Ride a Comet, a Grade 2 winner.
Winning trainer John Ennis purchased Bohemian Frost for $42,000 last September as a yearling.
“That’s what I kind of like to do – buy them as yearlings and race them as 2-year-olds and try to get types like this,” Ennis said.
Bohemian Frost broke sharply under jockey James Graham, covered the first quarter-mile in 21.65 seconds and was never challenged. 4-5 favorite Dream Fly recovered from a slow start to finish second for trainer Wesley Ward, while Offaly Fast crossed third.
“I think she will get further in time,” said Ennis, who owns Bohemian Frost in partnership with 47 Roses and Sean Speck.
“She’s still maturing, but all the good horses need speed and she’s got it. She’s a filly to keep an eye on throughout the year.”
In the day’s third race, American Bound scored a 13-1 upset for trainer Joe Sharp and jockey Luis Saez in another 2-year-old sprint. She covered 4½ furlongs in 52.01 seconds, paying out $27.80.
American Bound became the first winner for 2021 first-crop sire American Freedom. The Grade 3 winner was second in both the 2016 Haskell Invitational (G1) and Travers Stakes (G1) for trainer Bob Baffert.
Breaking Friday from post No. 2, American Bound went out to the lead under Saez in an eight-filly field. She covered the first panel in 22.09 seconds, then held sway to win by 1½ lengths over runner-up Bode by You, who was 6¾ lengths clear of Midnight Pass in third.
Magniloquent, another Ward-trained favorite, tracked the early pace but lacked any stretch run. She finished seventh at 7-5 odds.