Prospect Watch: Blackberry Wine's back in maiden company

On a Saturday including a pair of 2020 Kentucky Derby prep races, just as many eyes figure to be focused on Bob Baffert’s spectacular debut winner Charlatan, who is entered in a one-mile allowance optional claiming race at Santa Anita Park.

The flashy son of Speightstown will draw a lot of attention, but he’s not the only up-and-coming prospect entered to race this weekend. At Gulfstream Park and Oaklawn, a bevy of promising youngsters will take the stage in quality maiden special weight events.

Let’s dig in and review eight of the most noteworthy names:

Gulfstream Park Race 1: Maiden Special Weight (6 furlongs, 12:45 p.m. ET)

#7 Ima Pharoah

The most exciting maiden prospect of the day has to be Ima Pharoah, a Triple Crown-nominated son of American Pharoah. Produced by the Dixie Union mare Im a Dixie Girl, this Charles Fipke homebred is a half-brother to Mor Spirit, dominant winner of the 2017 Metropolitan Handicap (G1). Under the care of trainer Todd Pletcher, Ima Pharoah has turned in seven workouts at Palm Beach Downs, most notably five furlongs in 1:01.04 on Feb. 22. Pletcher has been hot this winter, American Pharoah sires 15% debut winners, and Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez has the mount. Ima Pharoah should give a good account of himself on Saturday.

#9 U S S Colton

This son of Speightstown hails from a highly productive family. His dam, the Honor Grades mare Honor Bestowed, has already produced three stakes winners: Maryland Sprint Handicap (G3) winner Taqarub, Riskaverse Stakes winner Defiant Honor and Noble Damsel (G3) winner Recepta. The latter two were both sired by Speightstown, making them full siblings to U S S Colton, and because both were are their best on grass, don’t be surprised if U S S Colton eventually follows suit as a classy turf miler. In the meantime, he’s been training forwardly enough over the Gulfstream main track for trainer Ralph Nicks, clocking a half mile in :47.80 on Jan. 29.

Gulfstream Park Race 8: Maiden Special Weight (1 mile, 4:18 p.m. ET)

#7 Extraordinary

Owned by the high-profile partnership of WinStar Farm, China Horse Club and Stonestreet Stables, Extraordinary faced a tough field in his Feb. 8 debut at Tampa Bay Downs. The son of Speightstown didn’t have the cleanest break and made a mild mid-race move before tiring to finish fourth behind future Tampa Bay Derby (G3) third-place finisher Texas Swing and next-out maiden winner Giocare. Saturday’s field should be a bit easy for Extraordinary, who was produced by the four-time graded stakes-winning Pulpit mare Fiftyshadesofhay. Jose Ortiz will guide the $750,000 yearling purchase for trainer Rodolphe Brisset, who wins at a 21% rate with second-time starters.

#8 Rag Tag

Trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by John Velazquez, Rag Tag has shown plenty of promise in his first two starts. Runner-up in a Keeneland maiden race last spring, Rag Tag ran even better when returning from a 10-month layoff on Feb. 15 at Gulfstream. Stretching out to a mile over a sloppy track, Rag Tag tracked a quick pace before settling for second place behind late-running winner Attachment Rate, who returned to finish a game third in the Gotham (G3). Perhaps the third time will be the charm for Rag Tag, a $130,000 yearling purchase owned by Calumet Farm.

Oaklawn Park Race 5: Maiden Special Weight (1 1/16 miles, 3:40 p.m. ET)

#3 Boating Party

Purchased for $300,000 as a yearling, Boating Party wasn’t disgraced in his debut traveling 1 1/16 miles at Oaklawn last month, tracking the pace before weakening in the final furlong to finish sixth. Time and experience could work wonders for this stoutly-bred son of Curlin, who was produced from the Tapit mare Cassatt, winner of the 2014 Monmouth Oaks (G3). Trainer Steve Asmussen wins at a 22% rate with second-time starters, and Asmussen’s go-to jockey Ricardo Santana is slated to stay in the saddle.

#5 What a Country

What a Country may have sold for just $37,000 as a yearling, but this gelded son of Verrazano has a reasonably classy pedigree. His dam, Broken Silence, was a stakes-placed runner who has proven successful as a broodmare, foaling Silverbulletday Stakes winner Stronger Than Ever. Trainer Gary Hartlage strikes at just a 9% rate with first-time starters, but What a Country has posted some solid stamina-building workouts at Oaklawn, culminating with seven furlongs in 1:27 3/5 last Saturday. What a Country also clocked five furlongs in a bullet 1:00 3/5 at Churchill Downs in the fall, suggesting he might have the speed and talent to outperform expectations on debut.

#9 Blackberry Wine

Here’s something you don’t see every day. Blackberry Wine has crossed the wire first in two races and even competed in the first division of the Risen Star Stakes (G2) last month, but he was recently disqualified from his two victories due to positive post-race tests. Now he’s entering Saturday’s race as a 0-for-7 maiden. All technicalities aside, Blackberry Wine boasts a clear class advantage in the 1 1/16-mile event. Joe Sharp stablemate Sycamore Run has already taken this route. He was a debut winner who competed in the Lecomte (G3), then dropped back into maiden company after being disqualified from his initial victory to romp by 5 1/4 lengths.

Oaklawn Park Race 11: Maiden Special Weight (6 furlongs, 6:55 p.m. ET)

#9 Never Say Can’t

From top to bottom, Never Say Can’t is bred to be a classy stakes horse. A daughter of the Grade 1-winning sprinter Majesticperfection (already the sire of Kentucky Oaks winner Lovely Maria), Never Say Can’t was produced by the Canadian Frontier mare No Such Word, a five-time stakes winner who counted the 2010 Gazelle Stakes (G1) as her most significant triumph. No Such Word was a homebred racing for Brereton C. Jones, and the same goes for Never Say Can’t, who has turned in a solid string of workouts at Oaklawn for trainer Larry Jones. She’s flashed some speed, most notably going a half mile from the starting gate in :47 2/5 on Feb. 4. A sharp effort should be in the offing.