Prospect Watch: Check out these 6 debuts at Ellis Park
Ellis Park has scheduled an impressive slate of maiden special weights across the final two days of June and the first two days of July, including several competitive contests for 2-year-olds.
Let’s check out the entries and highlight half a dozen of the best-bred runners scheduled to debut.
Thursday
Ellis Park race 1: Maiden special weight (five furlongs, 12:45 p.m. EDT)
No. 5 Can Group
2-year-old colt
Pedigree: Good Samaritan–Blue Gallina, by Street Sense
Purchase price: $100,000
Trainer: Mark Casse
After posting bullet half-mile workouts in 47 seconds from the starting gate and 47.6 seconds at Ellis Park, Can Group appears to have speed and talent. That’s not very surprising since his half-sister Flat Out Speed won eight of her nine starts, including the Iowa Oaks (G3) and five other stakes. Under red-hot jockey Tyler Gaffalionem a 28 percent winner at Ellis this year, Can Group is a win threat for Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse.
No. 6 Gottaneedforspeed
2-year-old colt
Pedigree: Accelerate–Healthy Addiction, by Boston Harbor
Purchase price: N/A
Trainer: Michael McCarthy
A son of champion and Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Accelerate out of Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap (G1) winner Healthy Addiction, Gottaneedforspeed is a half-brother to Vanity (G1) winner My Sweet Addiction. There’s a lot of class in Gottaneedforspeed’s pedigree, and he enters off fast workouts at Churchill Downs, including a bullet half-mile from the starting gate in 47.8 seconds, so the future looks bright for this bay colt.
Friday
Ellis Park race 5: Maiden special weight (five furlongs, 1:18 p.m.)
No. 5 Playback
2-year-old filly
Pedigree: Into Mischief–Blue Prize, by Pure Prize
Purchase price: N/A
Trainer: Paulo Lobo
One of the best-bred horses slated to debut this week is Playback, a daughter of four-time leading North American sire Into Mischief out of a Blue Prize, winner of the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) and twice victorious in the Juddmonte Spinster (G1). Playback enters off a bullet five-furlong workout at The Thoroughbred Center and has the pedigree to be something special for Paulo Lobo, a 22 percent winner at Ellis this year.
Saturday
Ellis Park race 4: Maiden special weight (six furlongs, 2:13 p.m.)
No. 2 Edified
2-year-old colt
Pedigree: Tapit–For Royalty, by Not for Love
Purchase price: $650,000
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Edified has the potential to be something special for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen. The son of three-time leading North American sire Tapit was produced by Mountaineer Juvenile Fillies winner For Royalty, previously the dam of La Brea (G1) heroine Constellation and Phoenix Gold Cup Handicap winner Truth Seeker. Edified has put together a lengthy work tab at Keeneland and Churchill Downs and is worth watching based on his flashy pedigree and $650,000 purchase price.
No. 6 Django
2-year-old colt
Pedigree: Medaglia d’Oro–Day of Victory, by Victory Gallop
Purchase price: N/A
Trainer: Kenny McPeek
In a bit of an oddity, one of Edified’s rivals in this maiden sprint is Django, a half-brother to Madison (G1) winner Finley’sluckycharm, a five-time graded-stakes winner who finished second behind Edified’s half-sister Constellation in the La Brea (G1). There’s a mix of speed and stamina in Django’s pedigree, but his bloodlines are definitely slanted toward improving with maturity, so don’t be surprised if he saves his best for next year and beyond.
Sunday
Ellis Park race 6: Maiden special weight (seven furlongs, 3:18 p.m.)
No. 7 Arro Smash
3-year-old gelding
Pedigree: Arrogate–Hennesey Smash, by Roll Hennessy Roll
Purchase price: $360,000
Trainer: Philip Bauer
There’s lots of potential in the pedigree of Arro Smash. Sire Arrogate was a champion who counted the Breeders’ Cup Classic, Dubai World Cup (G1) and Pegasus World Cup (G1) among his signature victories. His dam Hennesey Smash has foaled three stakes winners, including Thoroughbred Club of America (G2) winner Slammed. Arro Smash enters off a bullet half-mile workout in 47.6 seconds at Churchill Downs and can’t be dismissed from win consideration for trainer Philip Bauer, a 19 percent winner with first-time starters, according to Brisnet stats.