Prospect Watch: Baffert, Ward unveil well-bred youngsters
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Although the upcoming Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks programs at Churchill Downs are understandably drawing most of the attention right now, we can’t let the opening week of May pass by without highlighting the many competitive maiden special weights taking place at tracks across the country.
Promising 2-year-olds and 3-year-olds are slated to debut at Belmont Park, Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita, so let’s dig into the entries and introduce seven names you need to know.
Thursday
Belmont Park race 1: Maiden special weight (five furlongs, 1:00 p.m. EDT)
2-year-old filly
Pedigree: Quality Road–Lastofthsummerwine, by Sky Mesa
Purchase price: N/AT
rainer: Wesley Ward
Princesa Celina brings a lovely pedigree to her debut. The daughter of four-time Grade 1 winner Quality Road was produced by Lastofthsummerwine, previously the dam of Play the King (G2) winner Conquest Panthera, Miss Preakness (G3) and Matron (G3) winner Happy Like a Fool, and Animal Kingdom winner Hawaiian Noises. Princesa Celina has trained with promise and looks ready to romp for trainer Wesley Ward, who is renowned for his success saddling early-season juvenile sprinters.
Gulfstream Park race 2: Maiden special weight (4 1/2 furlongs, 1:09 p.m.)
2-year-old filly
Pedigree: Awesome of Course–Garter Belt, by Anasheed
Purchase price: N/A
Trainer: Ralph Nicks
Stilleto Heels has the pedigree to win from an early age. She’s a daughter of Awesome of Course, the sire of 2010 champion 2-year-old filly and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Awesome Feather. And her dam is Garter Belt, which means Stilleto Heels is a full sister to Florida Derby (G1) runner-up Shivaree and two-time stakes winner Twotwentyfive A. Both Shivaree and Twotwentyfive A matured early enough to win stakes as juveniles, and Stilleto Heels may be poised to do the same.
Friday
Santa Anita race 6: Maiden special weight (six furlongs, 6:49 p.m.)
3-year-old colt
Pedigree: Nyquist–Nella Vetrina, by Bernardini
Purchase price: $700,000
Trainer: Bob Baffert
A Triple Crown-nominated son of Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist, Truehood sold for a lofty $700,000 as a yearling. He was in training last summer at Los Alamitos and Del Mar but disappeared from the work tab in August and didn’t return until March. Since then, the Bob Baffert trainee has cranked out a half-dozen workouts capped off by five furlongs from the Santa Anita starting gate in 59.8 seconds, suggesting Truehood has talent.
3-year-old colt
Pedigree: Classic Empire–Mighty Renee, by Maria’s Mon
Purchase price: $210,000
Trainer: George Papaprodromou
A son of 2016 champion 2-year-old male and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Classic Empire, Captain Choochies was produced by Mighty Renee, previously the dam of Bing Crosby (G1) and Triple Bend (G2) winner American Theorem, Sorrento (G3) heroine Mighty Caroline, Oak Tree Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Mighty Renee, and Tom Ridge and Laurel Futurity winner Cyclogenesis. Captain Choochies was nominated to the Triple Crown and is worth following based on his deep pedigree alone.
3-year-old colt
Pedigree: Constitution–Coquihalla, by Elusive Quality
Purchase price: $300,000
Trainer: Bob Baffert
The second Baffert trainee in this promising field is Stavros, a son of Constitution, who sired Belmont Stakes winner Tiz the Law, out of the Elusive Quality mare Coquihalla. Stavros has posted eight timed workouts since March 5, including a swift half-mile in 47 seconds on Sunday, so the stage is set for a competitive debut. The fact Constitution sires 18 percent winners from first-time starters according to Brisnet stats adds to the appeal.
3-year-old colt
Pedigree: Mastery–Xtra Spice, by Quality Road
Purchase price: $210,000
Trainer: Michael McCarthy
Michael McCarthy is winning with 18 percent of his first-time starters this year, the highest win percentage he’s accumulated in that category since the start of his career. That bodes well for Del Mar Jerry, a son of Los Alamitos Futurity (G1) winner Mastery. This Triple Crown nominee blazed half a mile from the Santa Anita starting gate in 46.8 seconds last Friday and is shaping up as a promising colt with a bright future.
Saturday
Belmont Park race 7: Maiden special weight (6 1/2 furlongs, 3:48 p.m.)
3-year-old colt
Pedigree: Always Dreaming–Lantern Glow, by Mineshaft
Purchase price: N/A
Trainer: Jorge Abreu
There’s a lot to like about the pedigree of Honor King. He’s a son of Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming and a half-sibling to Leave the Light On, who matured early enough to win the Remsen (G2) at age 2. Trainer Jorge Abreu wins at a 20 percent rate with horses debuting in maiden special weights, according to Brisnet stats, and Honor King clocked a swift half-mile from the Belmont training track starting gate in 47.77 seconds last month, so there’s a chance Honor King will vie for victory on Saturday.
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