Prospect Watch: 7 well-bred youngsters debut at 2 tracks
The number of high-profile maiden special weights taking place this Saturday is impressive. The races at Aqueduct and Churchill Downs are especially noteworthy because the entries are packed with well-bred youngsters seemingly destined for bright futures.
We’ll highlight seven of the most notable newcomers in this week’s edition of Prospect Watch.
Saturday
Aqueduct Race 5: Maiden special weight (6 1/2 furlongs, 1:46 p.m. EST)
No. 3 Equal Protection
Age: 2
Pedigree: Maclean’s Music–Appearance, by Harlington
Purchase price: $430,000
Trainer: Chad Brown
A son of Maclean’s Music (who previously sired Preakness winner Cloud Computing), Equal Protection is slated to become the fourth starter for Appearance, who has thus far produced three winners from three starters. Sold for $430,000 as a yearling, Equal Protection has put together a long work tab for hot trainer Chad Brown, capped off with a half-mile over the Belmont Park training track in 48.82 seconds. This Klaravich Stables colorbearer might be a good one.
No. 4 Index Fund
Age: 2
Pedigree: Good Magic–Fantasy Forest, by Forestry
Purchase price: $225,000
Trainer: Chad Brown
Sold for $225,000 as a yearling, Index Fund is a son of champion 2-year-old male Good Magic out of the Forestry mare Fantasy Forest, whose most accomplished runner to date is Challenger (G3) and Pimlico Special (G3) winner Last Judgment. Index Fun has posted a quartet of bullet workouts over the Saratoga training track, including a half-mile from the starting gate in a swift 47.85 seconds, so don’t be surprised if Index Fun wins his debut under three-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Irad Ortiz.
No. 5 Litigate
Age: 2
Pedigree: Blame–Salsa Diavola, by Mineshaft
Purchase price: $370,000
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Litigate is bred top and bottom to run long and improve with maturity, considering sire Blame won the Breeders’ Cup Classic and dam sire Mineshaft nabbed four Grade 1 wins racing 1 1/8 miles or farther. But Litigate nevertheless has shown serious speed during morning training, most recently clocking a half-mile from the Belmont training track starting gate in a near-bullet 46.20 seconds. If Litigate lives up to his swift workouts, he’ll soon earn back his $370,000 purchase price.
No. 9 Slip Mahoney
Age: 2
Pedigree: Arrogate–Got Lucky, by A.P. Indy
Purchase price: $150,000
Trainer: Brad Cox
It’s safe to say Slip Mahoney brings a stamina-oriented pedigree to the table. Sire Arrogate thrived running 1 1/4 miles, winning the Breeders’ Cup Classic, Dubai World Cup (G1) and Travers (G1). Dam Got Lucky – a daughter of Belmont Stakes winner and stamina influence A.P. Indy – won the 1 1/8-mile Spinster (G1).
This is also a pedigree geared toward late maturity, so Slip Mahoney isn’t bred to thrive sprinting as a juvenile. But the abundant speed Slip Mahoney has shown in training (highlighted by a half-mile in 46.22 seconds from the Belmont training track starting gate) indicates he can’t be dismissed from win consideration on Saturday. Keep in mind, Arrogate is the sire of Cave Rock and And Tell Me Nolies, both Grade 1 winners sprinting as juveniles this year.
Churchill Downs race 5: Maiden special weight (six furlongs, 3:01 p.m.)
No. 4 Without a Song
Age: 3
Pedigree: Medaglia d’Oro–Serena’s Cat, by Storm Cat
Purchase price: N/A
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Without a Song is getting off to a late start, considering his 3-year-old year is almost over. But the son of successful sire and stamina influence Medaglia d’Oro has the pedigree to make up for lost time. His dam is Serena’s Cat, whose three previous stakes-winning foals include champion older dirt male Honor Code and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf runner-up Noble Tune. Without a Song breezed a bullet five furlongs in 1:00.8 seconds at Ellis Park last month and warrants watching for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.
Churchill Downs race 6: Maiden special weight (6 1/2 furlongs, 3:31 p.m.)
No. 11 Lark’s Mischief
Age: 2
Pedigree: Into Mischief–Miss Besilu, by Medaglia d’Oro
Purchase price: N/A
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
A son of three-time leading North American sire Into Mischief, Lark’s Mischief was produced by the beautifully bred Miss Besilu, a half-sister to horse of the year Saint Liam and United Nations (G1) winner Funtastic. Miss Besilu was talented enough to place third in the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) and Alabama (G1), so Lark’s Mischief has some stamina in his pedigree to balance Into Mischief’s speed. The bay colt has turned in several quick half-mile workouts at Ellis Park and Churchill Downs, so the stage is set for an encouraging debut.
Churchill Downs race 8: Maiden special weight (6 1/2 furlongs, 4:33 p.m.)
No. 3 Event Detail
Age: 2
Pedigree: City of Light–Breaking Beauty, by Into Mischief
Purchase price: $600,000
Trainer: Paulo Lobo
One of the priciest juveniles debuting this week is Event Detail, who sold for $600,000 as a weanling. A son of Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner City of Light, Event Detail has been training steadily at the Thoroughbred Center, most recently clocking a half-mile over a sloppy track in 49.8 seconds. None of his workouts have been eye-catchingly fast, but it’s worth noting trainer Paulo Lobo has gone 5-for-20 (25 percent) with first-time starters this year, and 50 percent of those runners finished in the top three.