Prospect Watch: Lukas, Sadler debut $1 million+ juveniles
As August transitions into September, the racing action at Saratoga and Del Mar brings a multitude of competitive maiden special weights for juveniles. Among the notable names in the entries are two horses who sold for more than $1 million as yearlings.
Let’s check out eight of the best-bred youngsters slated to debut.
Thursday
Saratoga race 2: Maiden special weight (one mile, 1:44 p.m. EDT)
No. 4 Paradise Lane
2-year-old filly
Pedigree: Quality Road–Paradise Woods, by Union Rags
Purchase price: N/A
Trainer: Bill Mott
There’s lots of class in the pedigree of Paradise Lane. She’s a daughter of four-time Grade 1 winner Quality Road out of two-time Grade 1 winner Paradise Woods, who is in turn a daughter of Belmont Stakes winner Union Rags. Paradise Lane is the first foal produced by Paradise Woods, and after posting a couple of bullet workouts over the Saratoga training track she’s well worth following.
Friday
Saratoga race 5: Maiden special weight (one mile, 3:26 p.m.)
No. 10 Tornado Road
2-year-old colt
Pedigree: Quality Road–Checkupfromzneckup, by Dixie Union
Purchase price: $1.15 million
Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas
Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas is debuting Tornado Road, who sold for $1.15 million as a yearling. A half-brother to Dogwood (G3) winner Carribean Caper, Tornado Road has shown promising speed over the Saratoga training track, clocking five furlongs in 59.8 seconds, so don’t count this well-bred son of Quality Road out of the mix.
Saturday
Saratoga race 6: Maiden special weight (1 1/16 miles on turf, 3:26 p.m.)
No. 5 Zverev
2-year-old colt
Pedigree: Oscar Performance–Balance, by Thunder Gulch
Purchase price: $330,000
Trainer: Cherie DeVaux
It’s safe to say Zverev is bred to be a star. Oscar Performance won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, and Balance is a three-time Grade 1-winning half-sister to 2010 horse of the year Zenyatta. Zverev’s pedigree offers potential for running long on turf, and 10 timed workouts since June 22 should have him fit for his debut.
Saratoga race 7: Maiden special weight (seven furlongs, 4:00 p.m.)
No. 5 Justifiably So
2-year-old colt
Pedigree: Justify–Be My Prospect, by Forest Wildcat
Purchase price: $375,000
Trainer: Nick Zito
Two-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Nick Zito conditions Justifiably So, a son of Triple Crown winner Justify out of Be My Prospect, previously the dam of Santana Mile winner Cat Burglar. It’s been a while since Zito last conditioned a high-profile horse, but Justifiably So has shown speed in training, clocking a half-mile from the Saratoga starting gate in 47.46 seconds, so perhaps this chestnut colt can send Zito back to the spotlight.
No. 7 Enlighten
2-year-old colt
Pedigree: City of Light–Legal Tender, by Giant’s Causeway
Purchase price: $450,000
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher conditions Enlighten, a son of Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner City of Light out of a mare by three-time leading North American sire Giant’s Causeway. Enlighten clocked a bullet five furlongs at Saratoga in 1:01.55 last Sunday and is slated to be ridden by four-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., so there’s a lot to like about this bay colt.
Del Mar race 3: Maiden special weight (six furlongs, 5:30 p.m.)
No. 1 Mc Vay
2-year-old colt
Pedigree: Constitution–Dothraki Sea, by Union Rags
Purchase price: $1.25 million
Trainer: John Shirreffs
A $1.25 million yearling acquisition, Mc Vay is a son of Florida Derby (G1) winner and successful young sire Constitution. He enters off sharp five-furlong workouts at Del Mar, including a gate move timed in one minute, so hopes are surely high for Mc Vay. Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith has the mount.
No. 4 Wine Me Up
2-year-old colt
Pedigree: Vino Rosso–Deanaallen’skitten, by Kitten’s Joy
Purchase price: $300,000
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Hailing from the first crop of foals sired by champion and Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Vino Rosso, Wine Me Up was produced by Deanaallen’skitten, a two-time stakes winner running long on turf. Wine Me Up has shown speed in the mornings at Del Mar, most notably clocking five furlongs from the starting gate in 59.6 seconds, and has Del Mar’s leading jockey Juan Hernandez named to ride. Don’t be surprised if this Bob Baffert trainee visits the winner’s circle.
No. 8 Beneficial
2-year-old ridgling
Pedigree: Malibu Moon–Marietta, by Machiavellian
Purchase price: $375,000
Trainer: Bob Baffert
The second Baffert runner debuting in this field is Beneficial, a son of Malibu Moon, who sired 2013 Kentucky Derby winner Orb, out of Iowa Oaks (G3) and Arlington Oaks (G3) winner Marietta. Beneficial clocked a quick half-mile from the Del Mar starting gate in 47.6 seconds on Aug. 13 and can’t be underestimated with high-percentage jockey Flavien Prat in the saddle.