Prospect Watch: Follow this quintet of first-time starters
Exciting times are ahead. The opening of Keeneland ushers in the return of 2-year-old racing, as well as the debut of a beautifully bred Triple Crown nominee.
Let’s highlight five of the most exciting youngsters in the entries:
Friday, April 7
Keeneland race 1: Maiden Special Weight (4 1/2 furlongs, 1:00 p.m. EDT).
No. 3 Bledsoe
2-year-old gelding
Pedigree: Iqbaal–Shrinking Violet, by Congaree
Purchase price: N/A
Trainer: Wesley Ward
The first race on opening day of the Keeneland spring meet is a classic maiden special weight for 2-year-olds dashing 4 1/2 furlongs on dirt, the type of event for which the meet is famous. Trainer Wesley Ward typically dominates these early-season juvenile sprints, and he can pick up a victory right off the bat with Bledsoe, a gelding he bred and owns. Sire Iqbaal is responsible for 37 percent winners from first-time starters per Brisnet stats, and dam Shrinking Violet won multiple stakes sprinting on turf, including the Monrovia (G2). Bledsoe has the pedigree to show speed and win from an early age, so chances are good he’ll visit the winner’s circle on Friday.
Oaklawn Race 5: Maiden Special Weight (1 1/16 miles, 3:50 p.m. EDT)
No. 4 Dixie Tap
3-year-old filly
Pedigree: Tapit–Checkupfromzneckup, by Dixie Union
Purchase price: $990,000
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Sold for just shy of $1 million as a yearling, Dixie Tap is a daughter of three-time leading North American sire Tapit out of Checkupfromzneckup, the dam of Dogwood (G3) winner Carribean Caper. Dixie Tap has put together a lengthy work tab in preparation for her debut and has hot jockey Francisco Arrieta named to ride, so there are several positives in her favor.
Saturday, April 8
Keeneland Race 2: Maiden Special Weight (seven furlongs, 1:05 p.m. EDT)
No. 10 Equivoque
3-year-old colt
Pedigree: Good Magic–Unreachable, by Giant’s Causeway
Purchase price: $240,000
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Triple Crown nominees are still debuting even at this late date, with Equivoque the latest to emerge in the entries. A son of 2017 Eclipse Champion Two-Year-Old Male Good Magic out of Unreachable, Equivoque is a half-brother to Lemon Pop, winner of the February (G1) in Japan earlier this year. Equivoque has several bullet workouts under his belt (including five furlongs in 1:01.94 seconds at Palm Beach Downs last week), so he looms as a win threat under four-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Irad Ortiz.
Santa Anita Race 4: Maiden Special Weight (6 1/2 furlongs, 4:30 p.m. EDT)
No. 6 Cavendish
3-year-old colt
Pedigree: Flatter–Bennett Jean, by Smart Strike
Purchase price: $140,000
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert is set to debut Cavendish. The stoutly bred colt is a son of Flatter (the sire of Baffert’s 2017 Eclipse Champion Three-Year-Old Male West Coast) out of a mare by Smart Strike, renowned as the sire of champions Curlin, Lookin At Lucky and English Channel. Cavendish breezed a fast half-mile from the Santa Anita starting gate in 46.6 seconds last month and looks ready to factor under Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez.
Oaklawn Race 7: Maiden Special Weight (six furlongs, 4:50 p.m. EDT)
No. 6 Saline River
3-year-old colt
Pedigree: Liam’s Map–The Vapors, by Congrats
Purchase price: N/A
Trainer: Brad Cox
A son of Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Liam’s Map, Saline River has shown speed in the mornings at Oaklawn. On March 5, he clocked five furlongs in a bullet 36 seconds. On March 26, he traveled five furlongs from the starting gate in a snappy 1:00.4 seconds. High-percentage trainer Brad Cox has won with 21 percent of his Oaklawn starters this meet, so don’t count Saline River out of the mix.