Prospect Watch: 5 young turf stars to follow at Gulfstream
While a bevy of stakes races led by the Grade 1 Florida Derby will dominate the Saturday headlines at Gulfstream Park, there are also two high-quality grass maiden races for 3-year-olds on the agenda, and they both are packed with promising prospects.
I dug through Saturday's entries to highlight a quintet of first-time starters worth following based on their illustrious pedigrees:
Gulfstream Park Race 1: Maiden special weight (1 mile on turf, 11:30 p.m. EDT)
#5 Fortified
A Triple Crown nominee sold for $200,000 as a juvenile, Fortified is a son of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah out of the Exchange Rate mare Counterparty, who placed second in the West Virginia Senate President’s Cup Stakes over the Mountaineer turf course.
Since American Pharoah is siring a surprising number of high-class turf horses (including 14 percent winners from first-time turf starters), it seems safe to conclude Fortified is bred top and bottom to excel on grass. He brings a promising work tab to the equation for trainer Cherie Devaux, who wins at a respectable 15 percent rate with first-time starters, so don’t be surprised if Fortified is a factor on debut.
#7 Going Beserk
Going Beserk is another runner boasting a pedigree packed with turf influences. He’s a son of grass champion and two-time leading sire Kitten’s Joy out of the stakes-placed Giant’s Causeway mare Anura, a mating that previously produced the turf stakes winners Empire Builder and Luck of the Kitten. The latter colt in particular was a high-class sort, finishing second in the 2014 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1).
A gelding trained by Ian Wilkes, Going Beserk brought $200,000 as a yearling. He already has breezed five times over the turf course at Palm Meadows, suggesting he’s getting started on his ideal surface. The only question is whether Going Beserk is cranked to win on debut, considering Wilkes strikes at just a 5 percent rate with first-time starters.
#10 Our Integrity
It’s interesting to see Our Integrity entered to debut on grass. Though he’s turned in several promising workouts over the Palm Meadows turf, including a snappy half mile in :48 1/5 on March 19, his pedigree suggests the main track will be his true forte. Sire Into Mischief is more widely known for siring dirt horses than turf runners, and dirt also was the preferred surface for Our Integrity’s stakes-winning half-siblings South Bend and He’s the Reason.
But we certainly can’t knock the work tab Our Integrity has compiled under the care of Brian Lynch. Into Mischief does sire 14 percent winners from first-time turf starters, so perhaps Our Integrity has the talent to outrun his pedigree and challenge in this deep turf race.
#11 War Bomber
Without a doubt, the most exciting prospect in the entries is War Bomber. A son of the elite and versatile stallion War Front, War Bomber was produced by Sun Shower, previously the dam of three-time Group 1-winning miler Excelebration, Tattersalls Gold Cup (G1) hero Lancaster Bomber and multiple Group 3 winner Mull of Killough.
War Bomber’s work tab isn’t overly flashy, but he’s taken a few spins over the Palm Meadows turf course and should be ready to give a good account of himself for Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse. John Velazquez is named to ride, and War Bomber is a January foal with a potential maturity advantage over his rivals, so I’m excited to see what this well-bred youngster can accomplish on Saturday.
Gulfstream Park Race 7: Maiden special weight for fillies (1 1/16 miles on turf, 2:27 p.m. EDT)
About 10 years ago, Keertana was among the better long-distance turf mares in North America, counting five Grade 3 wins and a third-place finish in the 2011 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf among her career highlights. She’s since enjoyed success as a broodmare, with her son Ticonderoga displaying a similar affinity for turf routes when rallying to victory in the Palm Beach (G3).
Keertana’s latest foal to reach the races is American Heiress, a beautifully bred daughter of American Pharoah. Sold for $675,000 as a yearling, American Heiress has shown speed in the mornings for trainer Todd Pletcher and picks up John Velazquez for her debut, so expectations will be high when this promising filly breaks from the starting gate.