Prospect Watch: 6 exciting horses that debut this weekend

Any way you slice it, the upcoming racing week is going to be spectacular. The Belmont Stakes is one of 18 stakes slated to take place at Belmont Park June 3-6, including seven other prestigious Grade 1 events.

But the non-stakes action is almost as enticing. A bevy of competitive maiden special weights are on the agenda, not only at Belmont Park but at Churchill Downs as well. As if to celebrate this important weekend, an impressive roster of well-bred prospects will debut, including siblings to high-profile graded stakes winners Tacitus and Vequist.

Let’s review half a dozen of the most exciting unraced horses worth following:

Thursday

Churchill Downs Race 6: Maiden special weight (3-year-olds  and up, seven furlongs, 7:25 p.m. EDT)

#4 Maximus Aurelius

The Juddmonte Farms homebred Maximus Aurelius is one of the best bred horses in action this week. A son of three-time leading sire Tapit, the bay colt was produced by 2014 champion older mare Close Hatches, which makes Maximus Aurelius a full brother to 2019 Belmont Stakes runner-up and multiple Grade 2 winner Tacitus.

Only time will tell whether Maximus Aurelius can achieve the same level of success as his accomplished sibling, but at least he has put together a lengthy work tab in preparation for his debut, highlighted by a few bullet workouts at Payson Park. Churchill’s leading jockey, Tyler Gaffalione, takes the mount for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, so an encouraging debut could be in the offing.

Belmont Park Race 5: Maiden special weight (3-year-olds and up, 6 1/2 furlongs, 5:13 p.m. EDT)

#3 American Parade

One of the most expensive runners in action this week is American Parade, who brought a final bid of $975,000 when purchased as a yearling, Now under the care of Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey, American Parade has been breezing like clockwork in preparation for her debut, most notably cranking out a bullet half mile in :47 1/5 on May 18 at Belmont.

As a daughter of 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah out of the Indian Charlie mare Momentary Magic, American Parade has plenty of speed in her pedigree. Shug McGaughey isn’t really known for winning with first-time starters, but his 11 percent success rate with such runners is respectable, and hot jockey Jose Ortiz (a 22 percent winner at Belmont) is named to ride American Parade. We cannot know yet whether she can live up to her price tag, but there’s no reason to think American Parade will not run well on Thursday.

Belmont Park Race 7: Astoria Stakes (2-year-olds, 5 1/2 furlongs, 6:15 p.m. EDT)

#2 Mainstay

In 2020, trainer Robert Reid conditioned Vequist to win the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), the Spinaway (G1), and the Eclipse Award for champion 2-year-old filly. Now Reid is back with Mainstay, a half-sister to Vequist sired by the Australian-bred Group 1 winner Astern.

As a January foal, Mainstay has the potential to follow Vequist’s example and mature at an early age. Certainly she’s shown talent in the mornings, breezing a bullet half mile in :47 at Parx Racing before returning to clock five furlongs from the Parx starting gate in 1:00. Mainstay might be a maiden debuting in a stakes, but she can’t be counted out of contention.

Friday

Belmont Park Race 4: Maiden special weight (3-year-olds and up, seven furlongs, 2:24 p.m. ET)

#2 The Honorable One

It’s easy to understand why The Honorable One sold for $600,000 as a yearling. The Todd Beattie trainee is a son of champion Honor Code out of the Tiznow mare It Tiz, a multiple stakes winner who previously foaled Cotillion (G1) heroine It Tiz Well.

The Honorable One has been training at Penn National, where he clocked a bullet five furlongs in 1:00 on April 30. He is an 8-1 shot on the morning line for Friday, but hot jockey Joel Rosario has been named to ride, and counting The Honorable One out of the mix could be a mistake. On pedigree alone, the dark bay colt warrants respect.

#5 Cody’s Wish

Here’s another well-bred prospect. Cody’s Wish is a son of two-time Horse of the Year and elite sire Curlin out of the Tapit mare Dance Card, winner of the Gazelle (G1) and the dam of Westchester (G3) runner-up Endorsed.

This is a pedigree with plenty of stamina in the mix, so Cody’s Wish might not fire his best shot sprinting seven furlongs on debut. But then again, the Bill Mott trainee has shown flashy speed in the mornings, most notably blazing a bullet half mile in :47 4/5 at Payson Park. That’s a seriously quick move for the slow track at Payson, so don’t be surprised if Cody’s Wish outruns expectations on debut. The Godolphin homebred might be a good one.

Saturday

Belmont Park Race 1: Maiden Special Weight (2yos, 5 1/2 furlongs, 11:35 p.m. ET)

#4 Wit

Sold for a hefty $575,000 as a yearling, Wit hails from the first crop of foals sired by three-time Grade 1 winner Practical Joke, a talented sprinter/miler who already has sired one winner from two starters. The bottom half of Wit’s pedigree also is classy; he was produced by the Medaglia d’Oro mare Numero d’Oro, previously the dam of Longacres Mile Handicap (G3) winner Barkley.

There’s a solid amount of speed in Wit’s pedigree, and trainer Todd Pletcher strikes at a 20 percent rate with first-time starters, so all signs suggest Wit can fire a strong effort right out of the gate. Three-time champion jockey Irad Ortiz takes the mount, another encouraging sign.