Prospect Watch: 7 exciting juveniles who debut Monday

The day after Christmas is shaping up as an action-packed day on the U.S. racing front. Fair Grounds and Santa Anita lead the charge by offering nine stakes and six stakes, respectively.

Each track also will host a high-quality maiden special weight for 2-year-olds. There’s a good chance we’ll see a future Kentucky Derby contender (or two, or three) debut, so let’s analyze the entries and highlight seven of the most promising first-time starters.

Monday

Fair Grounds race 5: Maiden special weight (six furlongs, 3:00 p.m. EST)

No. 3 Woodythebidspotter

Age: 2

Pedigree: Street Sense–Renda, by Medaglia d’Oro

Purchase price: $475,000

Trainer: Brad Cox

Here’s a promising pedigree. Woodythebidspotter is a son of Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense out of the Medaglia d’Oro mare Renda, winner of multiple stakes and previously the dam of Vosburgh (G1) and Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (G1) winner Rock Fall.

Woodythebidspotter sold for nearly half a million dollars as a yearling and has trained with some promise for two-time Eclipse Award-winning conditioner Brad Cox, most notably clocking five furlongs from the Fair Grounds starting gate in 1:00.4. It’s easy to understand why Woodythebidspotter is the 3-1 morning line favorite to win this maiden sprint.

No. 9 Silver Heist

Age: 2

Pedigree: Tapit–Silvery Starlet, by Unbridled’s Song

Purchase price: N/A

Trainer: Steve Asmussen

A son of three-time leading North American sire Tapit out of a mare by Unbridled’s Song, Silver Heist is bred to shine running one mile and farther. Indeed, dam Silvery Starlet is a half-sister to Cigar Mile Handicap (G1) winner El Corredor and Haskell Invitational Handicap (G1) winner Roman Ruler, so Silver Heist’s pedigree is packed with a combination of miler speed and classic stamina.

Silver Heist clocked five furlongs in a bullet 1:01 last Sunday and can’t be dismissed from consideration for hot trainer Steve Asmussen, who has gone 4-for-18 (22 percent) to start the Fair Grounds meet. This Whisper Hill Farm homebred might be a good one.

Santa Anita race 4: Maiden special weight (six furlongs, 3:30 p.m.)

No. 3 Faustin

Age: 2

Pedigree: Curlin–Hard Not to Like, by Hard Spun

Purchase price: $800,000

Trainer: Bob Baffert

It’s easy to see why Faustin sold for $800,000 earlier this year. The son of two-time horse of the year Curlin was produced by Hard Not to Like, a top-notch turf mare who won the Jenny Wiley (G1), Gamely (G1) and Diana (G1) during a decorated career.

Faustin has been cranking out blazing workouts in preparation for his debut. A bullet half-mile in 46.8 seconds from the Santa Anita starting gate … a near-bullet five furlongs in 59.2 seconds, also from the Santa Anita gate … half a mile in 46.6 seconds at Los Alamitos. It appears this gray colt might be something special for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert.

No. 4 Sonoran

Age: 2

Pedigree: Ride On Curlin–Awesome Sunrize, by Awesome Again

Purchase price: $230,000

Trainer: Bob Baffert

The second Baffert trainee in this field is Sonoran, a $230,000 2-year-old-in-training acquisition. He’s a son of Preakness runner-up Ride On Curlin out of a mare by Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Awesome Again, so Sonoran is bred to improve with maturity and thrive over classic distances.

Sonoran’s work tab isn’t as flashy as the one compiled by stablemate Faustin, but he did breeze a quick five furlongs from the Santa Anita starting gate in 59.2 seconds on Dec. 9. With Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez in the saddle, Sonoran warrants respect.

No. 5 Yellow Brick

Age: 2

Pedigree: Quality Road–A Little Bit Sassy, by More Than Ready

Purchase price: N/A

Trainer: Richard Mandella

There’s quite a bit of early-maturing blood in the pedigree of Yellow Brick. Sire Quality Road and dam A Little Bit Sassy both broke their maidens at age 2, as did Yellow Brick’s half-siblings Pizzazz and Sumter. There’s a lot of class in the mix as well. Quality Road won four Grade 1 races, A Little Bit Sassy won the Edgewood, Pizzazz nabbed the California Oaks and Sumter won both the Pasadena and Singletary.

Only time will tell whether Yellow Brick can emulate the successes of his closest relatives, but he’s been training nicely at Santa Anita, most notably clocking a swift six furlongs from the starting gate in 1:12.6. Don’t be surprised if Yellow Brick fires a strong shot on Monday, with even better to come down the road.

No. 7 Worcester

Age: 2

Pedigree: Empire Maker–Lil Super Bear, by Super Saver

Purchase price: $180,000

Trainer: Bob Baffert

The third and final Baffert trainee debuting in this field is Worcester, a son of Belmont winner Empire Maker out of a mare by Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver. That sounds like a pedigree geared toward success in the spring classics, though it’s worth noting Worcester’s dam, Lil Super Bear, was best as a sprinter, winning the six-furlong Permian Basin at Zia Park.

Worcester has shown speed in the mornings. Three of his five workouts at Santa Anita since Nov. 19 have been bullets, including a couple of five-furlong gate moves In 59.2 seconds apiece. With high-percentage jockey Juan Hernandez aboard, Worcester is a viable win threat.

No. 8 Quincy Market

Age: 2

Pedigree: Ghostzapper–Cotton Blossom, by Broken Vow

Purchase price: $300,000

Trainer: Tim Yakteen

A son of horse of the year and successful sire Ghostzapper, Quincy Market was produced by Cotton Blossom, an early-maturing filly who won the Schuylerville (G3) and placed in the Spinaway (G1) and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at age 2. Cotton Blossom also performed with success as a sophomore, winning the Acorn (G1).

Quincy Market sold for $300,000 as a yearling and has shown potential during morning training at Santa Anita, clocking half a mile in 47.2 seconds on Oct. 22 and the same distance in 47.6 seconds on Dec. 9. Don’t dismiss this bay colt from consideration.