Prospect Watch: 7 promising debuts at 3 tracks
A half-sister to 2019 Horse of the Year Bricks and Mortar ranks among the most exciting horses slated to debut during the second week of June, also known as Belmont Stakes week.
Let’s check out the entries around the country and highlight seven promising first-time starters worth watching:
Thursday
Belmont Park race 1: Maiden special weight (five furlongs on turf, 3:05 p.m. EDT)
No. 8 Kodiac Wintergreen
2-year-old filly
Pedigree: Kodiac–Humble And Proud, by Pivotal
Purchase price: N/A
Trainer: Rusty Arnold
One of the best-bred horses slated to debut this week is the filly Kodiac Wintergreen, an Irish-bred daughter of accomplished sire Kodiac out of Humble And Proud, previously the dam of Sword Dancer (G1) winner Glorious Empire, Lester Piggott Gladness (G3) heroine Goldana and two-time stakes-winning sprinter Love Reigns. The latter filly was an early-maturing juvenile, so Kodiac Wintergreen has the potential to win from an early age.
No. 10 Smooth Waves
2-year-old filly
Pedigree: English Channel–Evil Kitten, by Kitten’s Joy
Purchase price: $90,000
Trainer: Mike Maker
There’s a lot to like about the pedigree of Smooth Waves. English Channel and Kitten’s Joy have been the dominant North American sires of turf horses over the last dozen years or so, and the mating of English Channel and Evil Kitten has already produced Virginia Derby (G3) winner English Bee. Five furlongs is likely shorter than Smooth Waves wants to run, but watch out if this well-bred filly stretches out in distance down the road.
Horseshoe Indianapolis race 7: Maiden special weight (7 1/2 furlongs on turf, 5:16 p.m.)
No. 5 Beyond Oscar
2-year-old filly
Pedigree: Oscar Performance–Beyond the Waves, by Ocean Crest
Purchase price: N/A
Trainer: Jonathan Thomas
Beyond Oscar hails from a remarkably productive female family. The daughter of Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner Oscar Performance was produced by Beyond the Waves, whose four previous stakes-winning foals include 2019 horse of the year Bricks and Mortar. Bricks and Mortar was a late-maturing turf standout who won five Grade 1 grass prizes, including the Breeders’ Cup Turf.
Beyond Oscar was entered to debut in a 5 1/2-furlong sprint at Keeneland, but she scratched when the race was rained off the turf. Thursday’s contest at Horseshoe Indianapolis might be a better fit since it’s taking place over 7 1/2 furlongs, a distance surely more suitable for a half-sister to Bricks and Mortar.
Friday
Gulfstream Park race 2: Maiden special weight (4 1/2 furlongs, 1:36 p.m.)
No. 5 Epona’s Hope
2-year-old filly
Pedigree: Adios Charlie–Alotofappeal, by Trippi
Purchase price: $295,000
Trainer: Edward Plesa Jr.
Purchased for $295,000 earlier this year, Epona’s Hope is a daughter of Jerome (G2) winner Adios Charlie out of Aspen Mountain, whose previous foals include OBS Sophomore winner King Cab, Pegasus (G3) and Smarty Jones (G3) runner-up Talk Logistics and Ack Ack (G3) third-place finisher Schivarelli. Epona’s Hope has been cranking out sharp workouts at Gulfstream and looks ready to factor on debut.
Saturday
Belmont Park race 1: Maiden special weight (six furlongs on turf, 11:20 a.m.)
No. 12 Advance Attack
3-year-old filly
Pedigree: Bolt d’Oro–Aspen Mountain, by Chief Seattle
Purchase price: $450,000
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
It’s no wonder that Advance Attack sold for $450,000 as a 2-year-old in training. He’s a son of two-time Grade 1 winner Bolt d’Oro out of Aspen Mountain, who already has foaled Shoemaker Mile (G1) winner and Kentucky Derby participant Bolo, Hudson Handicap winner Build to Suit and Greenwood Cup (G3) third-place finisher Let Me Go First. Bolt d’Oro is proving successful as a sire of turf horses, and Bolo secured his signature victory on grass, so debuting over the inner turf course at Belmont should suit Advance Attack just fine.
Gulfstream Park race 2: Maiden special weight (4 1/2 furlongs, 1:19 p.m.)
No. 1 Catch a Tiger
2-year-old gelding
Pedigree: Mitole–Eenie Meenie, by Uncle Mo
Purchase price: $210,000
Trainer: Mark Casse
A $210,000 yearling acquisition, Catch a Tiger has shown speed in the mornings for Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse. On June 1, he clocked a fast half-mile from the Palm Meadows starting gate in 47.75 seconds. StatsMaster data reveal Casse has gone 7-for-33 (21 percent) debuting juveniles over the Gulfstream dirt since 2021, so the stage is set for Catch a Tiger (a son of Champion Male Sprinter Mitole) to produce a competitive showing Saturday.
Sunday
Gulfstream Park race 9: Maiden special weight (seven furlongs, 4:54 p.m.)
No. 1 Beachland
3-year-old filly
Pedigree: Liam’s Map–Snow Cone, by Cryptoclearance
Purchase price: N/A
Trainer: Ralph Nicks
A daughter of Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Liam’s Map, Beachland was produced by Snow Cone, a two-time stakes-winning turf router best known for foaling Salute With Honor, winner of the Durham Cup (G3) on synthetic at Woodbine. There’s no telling which racing surface will prove most suitable for Beachland, but he’s breezed fast on dirt at Gulfstream, most notably clocking a bullet half-mile from the starting gate in 47.49 seconds, so it would appear the local dirt track is to his liking.