Prospect Watch: 6 Sunday debuts you won't want to miss
A son of Beholder … half-siblings to Always Dreaming and Art Collector … and a $1.1 million auction acquisition. It’s safe to say a spectacular slate of well-bred horses will debut on Sunday, when racing resumes the day after Christmas.
Let’s highlight half a dozen of the most exciting newcomers entered to race across the country on Sunday.
Fair Grounds Race 4: Maiden special weight (six furlongs, 2:30 p.m. EST)
No. 10 Beyond Perfection
Age: 2
Pedigree: Curlin–Above Perfection, by In Excess
Purchase price: N/A
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Few broodmares can boast as impressive a production record as Above Perfection's. Her foals to date include Spinaway (G1) winner Hot Dixie Chick, Demoiselle (G2) heroine Positive Spirit and – most significantly – 2017 Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming.
It’s hard to say whether Beyond Perfection can live up to this lofty heritage, but as a daughter of elite sire Curlin (known for siring long-winded dirt stars), Beyond Perfection definitely has the pedigree to develop into a Kentucky Oaks type. She’s shown some speed in the mornings and picks up hot jockey Marcelino Pedroza for her debut, stamping Beyond Perfection as one of the most exciting fillies entered to race this week.
Fair Grounds Race 6: Maiden Special Weight (six furlongs, 3:31 p.m.)
No. 6 Setstone
Age: 2
Pedigree: Mastery–Native One, by Indian Charlie
Purchase price: $325,000
Trainer: Brad Cox
Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox has gone 4-for-12 (33 percent) debuting juveniles over the Fair Grounds main track since 2019, an impressive stat that suggests Cox’s unraced 2-year-old Setstone can challenge for victory on Sunday.
Sold for $325,000 as a weanling, Setstone has turned in a respectable series of workouts at Churchill Downs and Fair Grounds, including a quick half mile in 47.8 seconds. Hot jockey Florent Geroux (a 26 percent winner when teaming up with Cox) is named to ride the son of juvenile Grade 1 winner Mastery, stamping Setstone as a potential Road to the Kentucky Derby type.
No. 9 Legionnaire
Age: 2
Pedigree: Into Mischief–Distorted Legacy, by Distorted Humor
Purchase price: N/A
Trainer: Tom Drury
From top to bottom, Legionnaire is bred like an elite racehorse. Into Mischief is about to wrap up his third straight year as North America’s leading sire, while Distorted Legacy placed at the Grade 1 level and has already foaled Woodward (G1) winner Art Collector.
Tom Drury conditioned Art Collector through a productive sophomore season highlighted by a Blue Grass (G2) victory, and he’ll hope to score a similarly successful run with Legionnaire. Into Mischief sires an excellent 16 percent winners from first-time starters, and Legionnaire has been cranking out fast workouts, including a bullet half mile at Churchill Downs in 46.8 seconds. He looks ready to roll on debut.
Santa Anita Race 4: Maiden special weight (6 1/2 furlongs, 3:30 p.m.)
No. 1 Hopkins
Age: 3
Pedigree: Quality Road–Hot Spell, by Salt Lake
Purchase price: $900,000
Trainer: Bob Baffert
The first of two pricey Baffert trainees in this deep field, Hopkins is a son of versatile (and widely successful) sire Quality Road out of Hot Spell. The latter already has achieved success as a broodmare, foaling Bertram F. Bongard winner Saratoga Heater.
Hopkins has been an absolute rocket during morning training. His last five workouts have been five furlongs in 59.8 seconds, five furlongs in 59.6 seconds, four furlongs in 46.6 seconds, four furlongs in 46.4 seconds and four furlongs in 46.6 seconds. Three of those rapid workouts came from the starting gate, so it’s safe to say Hopkins has shown signs of serious talent. Although he’s getting started very late, Hopkins might be a stakes horse in the making.
No. 4 Q B One
Age: 3
Pedigree: Uncle Mo–Beholder, by Henny Hughes
Purchase price: N/A
Trainer: Richard Mandella
At long last, the wait is over. The first foal produced by four-time Eclipse Award champion and three-time Breeders’ Cup winner Beholder is ready to debut.
Q B One brings a royal pedigree to the table. In addition to boasting Beholder as his dam, Q B One is a son of champion juvenile and successful sire Uncle Mo, who counts Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist among his numerous Grade 1 winners.
Q B One has been breezing steadily since the end of September, capping off his schedule with five furlongs in 59.6 seconds, six furlongs in 1:13.8 seconds and six furlongs in 1:13.00 seconds. The Spendthrift Farm homebred carries the weight of high expectations, but he might just be capable of shouldering the load.
No. 6 Shaaz
Age: 3
Pedigree: Uncle Mo–Miss Ocean City, by Mineshaft
Purchase price: $1.1 million
Trainer: Bob Baffert
The second Baffert trainee is a son of Uncle Mo out of the Mineshaft mare Miss Ocean City, previously the dam of With Anticipation (G2) winner Azar. This is a stout pedigree geared toward success over classic distances, so we shouldn’t necessarily expect Shaaz to fire his strongest shot sprinting on debut.
On the other hand, Shaaz has put together an encouraging work tab at Santa Anita, including a bullet six furlongs in 1:12.8 last Sunday. Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez is named to ride, so dismiss this pricey auction acquisition at your own risk.