Horses to Watch: Improving 4-year-old joins the list
New to the watch list
Catnip
Catnip brought his 2023 record to 3-for-3 in the 1 1/8-mile Monmouth (G3) Saturday, pressing and tracking a decent pace before getting shuffled back around the final turn. Catnip could have given up after falling 3 1/2 lengths off the lead at the eighth pole, but instead he re-rallied to prevail by half a length in 1:47.40.
Gelding Catnip seems to have made a world of difference, unlocking his full talent. There’s likely more to come from this improving Michael Stidham trainee.
Rhyme Schemes
After finishing sixth in his debut against a field containing next-out Tremont winner Gold Sweep, Rhyme Schemes was tons the best while adding blinkers for a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight on Thursday at Ellis Park. Setting fractions of 22.56 and 45.51 seconds did nothing to tire the son of Ghostzapper, who powered clear down the homestretch to dominate by 9 1/2 lengths.
Rhyme Schemes stopped the clock in a fast 1:02.82, missing the track record by only 0.51 seconds. His reward was a flashy 94 Beyer Speed Figure from Daily Racing Form, stamping this Norm Casse trainee as one of the most exciting 2-year-olds in training.
Recent Watch List winners
Goodnight Olive
Goodnight Olive, last year’s champion female sprinter, bounced back from a troubled third-place finish in the Derby City Distaff (G1) to win the seven-furlong Bed o’ Roses (G2) at Belmont in hard-fought fashion. The daughter of Ghostzapper settled in last place behind splits of 22.90 and 46.09 seconds, then finished up quickly (final three furlongs in about 35.97 seconds) to beat the talented Wicked Halo by a neck in 1:22.39.
Worth another try
Caramel Swirl
Put up a good fight against Goodnight Olive and Wicked Halo in the Bed o’ Roses, rallying to lead in mid-stretch before flattening out in the final furlong to finish third by one length. Caramel Swirl pulled 12 1/2 lengths clear of the fourth-place finisher and remains a talented player in the female sprint division.
Mirahmadi
The first start from Bob Baffert’s fast-working juvenile Mirahmadi was disappointing, as he finished second by 7 1/2 lengths in the Fasig-Tipton Futurity at Santa Anita. But Mirahmadi was conceding experience and broke a bit slowly, so I’ll give him another try next time and see if he can visit the winner’s circle. Perhaps a drop into maiden special weight company can get him a confidence-building victory.
Upcoming entries
American Rascal
Wesley Ward’s American Rascal was tons the best in his debut sprinting 4 1/2 furlongs at Keeneland, smashing his rivals by 10 1/2 lengths. The beautifully bred son of Curlin out of Lady Aurelia now looms among the favorites in Thursday’s first race at Royal Ascot, the Norfolk (G2, post time 9:30 a.m. EDT). Lady Aurelia was an early-maturing Ward trainee who won twice at Royal Ascot, including as a juvenile, so American Rascal has the pedigree to shine on this important stage.
Fandom
Another Ward-trained juvenile slated to race at Royal Ascot this week is Fandom, who trounced his debut in a 5 1/2-furlong turf maiden special weight at Keeneland by 6 3/4 lengths. The son of Showcasing is among the final entries for Tuesday’s second race at Royal Ascot, the Coventry (G2, post time 10:05 a.m.), in which he ranked as the fourth choice among British bookmakers.
Modern Games
Two-time Breeders’ Cup winner Modern Games is vying for favoritism in Tuesday’s first race at Royal Ascot, the Queen Anne (G1, post time 9:30 a.m. ET). The traditional opening race of the royal meeting has drawn a capable field, but Modern Games – fresh off a 1 1/2-length score in the Lockinge (G1) at Newbury – is shaping up as the horse to beat.
Twilight Gleaming
Ward’s Twilight Gleaming came up short in her first Royal Ascot attempt, finishing second in the 2021 Queen Mary (G2) as a juvenile. But the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint winner kicked off 2023 on a sharp note, nabbing Keeneland’s Giant’s Causeway by a decisive 1 1/2 lengths, and she has a shot to outrun her odds while crossing the pond for Tuesday’s third race at Royal Ascot, the King’s Stand (G1, post time 10:40 p.m.).
Which horses do you have your eyes on?
In this biweekly series, racing analyst Keeler Johnson shares promising horses from his handicapping watch list, reviewing runners who have recently caught his eye and previewing horses scheduled to run back in the near future.