Prospect Watch: Pletcher, Baffert unveil well-bred juveniles
The first week of August brings an impressive slate of maiden special weights for 2-year-olds at Saratoga, Del Mar and Ellis Park. The weekend in particular has come up strong with many promising youngsters slated to debut.
This week’s edition of Prospect Watch introduces you to seven of the best-bred newcomers.
Saturday
Saratoga race 1: Maiden special weight (1 1/16 miles on turf, 12:35 p.m. EDT)
No. 4 Agate Road
2-year-old colt
Pedigree: Quality Road–Yellow Agate, by Gemologist
Purchase price: $650,000
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Purchased for a hefty $650,000 as a yearling, Agate Road is a son of four-time Grade 1 winner and successful sire Quality Road out of Grade 1 Frizette winner Yellow Agate. Yellow Agate already has foaled one grass winner from two starters, and Agate Road has breezed a couple of times over the Saratoga training track turf course, so don’t count this bay colt out of the mix.
No. 6 Drilling for Gold
2-year-old colt
Pedigree: Twirling Candy–Danceforthecause, by Giant’s Causeway
Purchase price: $300,000
Trainer: Graham Motion
Drilling for Gold is slated to become the fifth starter produced by Danceforthecause, previously the dam of Canadian (G2) winner Rideforthecause and Northern Dancer Turf (G1) hero Say the Word. Those two graded-stakes winners both performed best on turf, and Drilling for Gold could head in the same direction after putting together a lengthy work tab at Fair Hill.
Saratoga race 2: Maiden special weight (six furlongs, 1:07 p.m.)
No. 1 Be You
2-year-old colt
Pedigree: Curlin–Jacaranda, by Congrats
Purchase price: $320,000
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Be You could be something special for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher. His sire is two-time Horse of the Year Curlin and his dam is early-maturing Tempted (G3) winner Jacaranda, so Be You is bred top and bottom to shine running long on dirt. Be You has turned in a handful of bullet workouts capped off by a half-mile from the Saratoga starting gate in 47.11 seconds, so don’t be surprised if he visits the winner’s circle under four-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Irad Ortiz Jr.
No. 4 Locked
2-year-old colt
Pedigree: Gun Runner–Luna Rosa, by Malibu Moon
Purchase price: $425,000
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
The second Pletcher trainee debuting in this field is Locked, a son of hot young sire Gun Runner. Brisnet statistics indicate that Gun Runner sires an excellent 17 percent winners from first-time starters, and Locked has put together a sharp work tab highlighted by a fast half-mile in 48.22 seconds from the Saratoga training track starting gate, so this $425,000 yearling acquisition has plenty of potential.
Del Mar race 1: Maiden special weight (six furlongs, 5:00 p.m.)
No. 3 Mission Beach
2-year-old colt
Pedigree: Curlin–Stoweshoe, by Flatter
Purchase price: $400,000
Trainer: Bob Baffert
A son of Curlin out of the stakes-winning sprinter Stoweshoe, Mission Beach sold for $400,000 as a yearling and enters off a blazing series of workouts at Los Alamitos, Santa Anita and Del Mar. He was particularly fast on July 24, traveling a bullet five furlongs from the Del Mar starting gate in 58.8 seconds, so victory is surely within reach for this promising Bob Baffert trainee.
No. 7 Dagger Ranch
2-year-old colt
Pedigree: Curlin–Indian Blessing, by Indian Charlie
Purchase price: N/A
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Baffert also will unveil Dagger Ranch, a beautifully bred son of Curlin out of Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies winner and two-time champion Indian Blessing. Indian Blessing has foaled five winners from five starters, and Dagger Ranch enters off a quick series of workouts culminating with five furlongs from the Del Mar starting gate in 59.8 seconds, so there’s a lot to like about this bay colt.
Sunday
Ellis Park race 4: Maiden special weight (six furlongs, 2:13 p.m.)
No. 6 Gettysburg Address
2-year-old colt
Pedigree: Constitution–Jojo Warrior, by Pioneerof the Nile
Purchase price: N/A
Trainer: Brad Cox
Gettysburg Address is a son of Florida Derby (G1) and Donn Handicap (G1) winner Constitution (the sire of early-maturing Belmont Stakes winner Tiz the Law) out of Summertime Oaks (G2) and Torrey Pines (G3) winner Jojo Warrior. This is a pedigree loaded with class and potential, so look for Gettysburg Address to produce a competitive run for hot trainer Brad Cox. A series of four consecutive five-furlong workouts at Churchill Downs should guarantee that fitness isn’t a meaningful concern.