Top speed figures of 2023: 2-year-olds on dirt
Looking at the top speed figures of 2023, perhaps the most important category is 2-year-olds, who will be the contenders for the 2024 Kentucky Derby and classic races.
We're going to analyze the 2-year-olds in a couple of ways, based on the best Horse Racing Nation speed figures of the year for routes and sprints. For this analysis, routes are 7 1/2 furlongs or longer.
As one might expect, the fastest 2-year-old routers are familiar names: Locked, the Grade 1 Breeders' Futurity winner and third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile; Fierceness, the Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner; and Nash, the impressive maiden winner for trainer Brad Cox are the top three on the list.
In case you were wondering which trainers have the most 2-year-olds on this list, that would be Todd Pletcher with nine. He's followed by Brad Cox (seven), Kenny McPeek (six), Bob Baffert (six) and Bill Mott (five).
In terms of sires, the ones with the most individual runners include Gun Runner, with four, Into Mischief (four), Street Sense (four), Constitution (three), Good Magic (three), Speightstown (three) and Vino Rosso (three).
Top 100 speed figures of 2023 - 2-year-old dirt routes
| HRN | Horse | Trk | Date | Sire | Trainer | Race |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 109 | Locked | SAR | 9/1 | Gun Runner | Todd Pletcher | MSW |
| 106 | Fierceness | SA | 11/3 | City of Light | Todd Pletcher | Breeders' Cup Juvenile |
| 101 | Nash | CD | 11/12 | Medaglia d'Oro | Brad Cox | MSW |
| 99 | Sierra Leone | AQU | 12/2 | Gun Runner | Chad Brown | Remsen S. |
| 98 | Divieto | GP | 10/1 | Dialed In | Antonio Sano | Aventura S. |
| 98 | Muth | SA | 10/7 | Good Magic | Bob Baffert | American Pharoah S. |
| 98 | Drum Roll Please | SAR | 9/1 | Hard Spun | Brad Cox | MSW |
| 98 | Timberlake | BAQ | 10/7 | Into Mischief | Brad Cox | Champagne S. |
| 98 | Dornoch | AQU | 12/2 | Good Magic | Danny Gargan | Remsen S. |
| 97 | Muth | SA | 11/3 | Good Magic | Bob Baffert | Breeders' Cup Juvenile |
| 97 | Dornoch | KEE | 10/14 | Good Magic | Danny Gargan | MSW |
| 97 | No More Time | GP | 10/22 | Not This Time | Jose Francisco D'Angelo | MSW |
| 97 | Secret Chat | GP | 10/1 | Union Rags | Roderick Rodriguez | Aventura S. |
| 96 | Honor Marie | CD | 11/25 | Honor Code | Whitworth Beckman | Kentucky Jockey Club S. |
| 96 | Book'em Danno | AQU | 11/5 | Bucchero | Derek Ryan | Nashua S. |
| 96 | Copper Tax | DEL | 10/14 | Copper Bullet | Gary Capuano | Rocky Run S. |
| 96 | Generous Tipper | ELP | 8/28 | Street Sense | Kenny McPeek | MSW |
| 96 | Where's Chris | AQU | 11/5 | Twirling Candy | Rick Dutrow Jr. | Nashua S. |
| 96 | Locked | SA | 11/3 | Gun Runner | Todd Pletcher | Breeders' Cup Juvenile |
| 95 | Timberlake | SA | 11/3 | Into Mischief | Brad Cox | Breeders' Cup Juvenile |
| 95 | Moonlight | BAQ | 9/28 | Audible | Todd Pletcher | MSW |
| 94 | Self Sufficient | GP | 10/1 | Preservationist | Todd Pletcher | Aventura S. |
| 93 | Prince of Monaco | SA | 11/3 | Speightstown | Bob Baffert | Breeders' Cup Juvenile |
| 93 | Wine Me Up | SA | 10/7 | Vino Rosso | Bob Baffert | American Pharoah S. |
| 93 | Domestic Product | BAQ | 10/27 | Practical Joke | Chad Brown | MSW |
| 93 | Speedyness | LRL | 11/17 | Great Notion | Jamie Ness | AOC |
| 93 | Inveigled | GP | 12/9 | Enticed | Jane Cibelli | AOC |
| 93 | Real Men Violin | CD | 11/25 | Mendelssohn | Kenny McPeek | Kentucky Jockey Club S. |
| 93 | Locked | KEE | 10/7 | Gun Runner | Todd Pletcher | Breeders' Futurity |
| 92 | Parchment Party | CD | 11/9 | Constitution | Bill Mott | AOC |
| 92 | Drum Roll Please | AQU | 12/2 | Hard Spun | Brad Cox | Remsen S. |
| 92 | General Partner | BAQ | 10/7 | Speightstown | Chad Brown | Champagne S. |
| 92 | The Wine Steward | KEE | 10/7 | Vino Rosso | Mike Maker | Breeders' Futurity |
| 92 | Who Dey | MVR | 10/28 | Liam's Map | Thomas Drury Jr. | Best of Ohio Juvenile S. |
| 91 | Coach Prime | DMR | 11/10 | Quality Road | Bob Baffert | MSW |
| 91 | Lightline | IND | 9/14 | City of Light | Brad Cox | MSW |
| 91 | General Partner | SA | 11/3 | Speightstown | Chad Brown | Breeders' Cup Juvenile |
| 91 | Otello | AQU | 11/24 | Curlin | Christophe Clement | MSW |
| 91 | Stretch Ride | CD | 11/25 | Street Sense | Dale Romans | Kentucky Jockey Club S. |
| 91 | Real Men Violin | CD | 10/29 | Mendelssohn | Kenny McPeek | MSW |
| 91 | Liberal Arts | CD | 10/29 | Arrogate | Robert Medina | Street Sense S. |
| 91 | Track Phantom | CD | 11/25 | Quality Road | Steve Asmussen | MSW |
| 91 | Shadowy | MVR | 10/28 | National Flag | Timothy Hamm | Best of Ohio Juvenile S. |
| 91 | Speed Runner | AQU | 12/8 | Gun Runner | Todd Pletcher | MSW |
| 90 | Drum Roll Please | BAQ | 10/6 | Hard Spun | Brad Cox | MSW |
| 90 | Snead | FG | 11/23 | Nyquist | Brendan Walsh | AOC |
| 90 | Malarchuk | AQU | 12/8 | Nyquist | Chad Brown | MSW |
| 90 | J D Factor | AQU | 11/24 | The Factor | Rick Dutrow Jr. | MSW |
| 90 | Track Phantom | CD | 10/29 | Quality Road | Steve Asmussen | MSW |
| 89 | Dancing Groom | SAR | 8/19 | Vino Rosso | Antonio Sano | MSW |
| 89 | Searcy | OP | 12/9 | Good Magic | Brad Cox | MSW |
| 89 | First World War | CD | 11/9 | War Front | Brendan Walsh | AOC |
| 88 | Catching Freedom | CD | 11/9 | Constitution | Brad Cox | AOC |
| 88 | Great Opportunity | LRL | 12/3 | Connect | Brittany Russell | MSW |
| 88 | Django | KEE | 10/14 | Medaglia d'Oro | Kenny McPeek | MSW |
| 88 | Stronghold | CD | 10/1 | Ghostzapper | Philip D'Amato | MSW |
| 88 | Lagynos | CD | 11/9 | Kantharos | Steve Asmussen | AOC |
| 88 | Moonlight | AQU | 12/2 | Audible | Todd Pletcher | Remsen S. |
| 88 | Goldbrick | OP | 12/9 | Goldencents | Bret Calhoun | MSW |
| 87 | Break Out | GP | 10/22 | Good Samaritan | Antonio Sano | MSW |
| 87 | Hunt Ball | BAQ | 10/6 | Into Mischief | Bill Mott | MSW |
| 87 | Billal | AQU | 11/5 | Street Sense | Bill Mott | Nashua S. |
| 87 | Wynstock | SA | 10/15 | Solomini | Bob Baffert | MSW |
| 87 | Stretch Ride | KEE | 10/14 | Street Sense | Dale Romans | AOC |
| 87 | Sturdy | BAQ | 10/27 | Mitole | George Weaver | MSW |
| 87 | Northern Flame | CD | 9/15 | Flameaway | Kenny McPeek | MSW |
| 87 | Northern Flame | KEE | 10/7 | Flameaway | Kenny McPeek | Breeders' Futurity |
| 87 | Generous Tipper | KEE | 10/7 | Street Sense | Kenny McPeek | Breeders' Futurity |
| 87 | El Grande O | BAQ | 10/29 | Take Charge Indy | Linda Rice | Sleepy Hollow S. |
| 87 | Real Macho | GP | 11/25 | Mucho Macho Man | Rohan Crichton | MSW |
| 87 | Moonlight | CD | 10/29 | Audible | Todd Pletcher | Street Sense S. |
| 87 | Private Desire | AQU | 11/5 | Constitution | Todd Pletcher | Nashua S. |
| 86 | Resilience | CD | 10/1 | Into Mischief | Bill Mott | MSW |
| 86 | Blown Cover | IND | 10/25 | Gun Runner | Brad Cox | MSW |
| 86 | Thedingoateyobaby | DEL | 10/14 | Bernardini | Brittany Russell | Rocky Run S. |
| 86 | Regalo | LRL | 12/9 | Maximus Mischief | Brittany Russell | AOC |
| 86 | Dune Road | AQU | 12/8 | Speightstown | Carlos Martin | MCL |
| 86 | Justifreak | CD | 11/12 | Justify | Eddie Kenneally | MSW |
| 86 | Sea Streak | GP | 12/9 | Sea Wizard | Eddie Owens Jr. | AOC |
| 86 | Chisparrajos | GP | 12/9 | Blame | Fausto Gutierrez | AOC |
| 86 | Better Than Gold | DMR | 12/2 | Nyquist | Gary Mandella | MSW |
| 86 | Lat Long | KEE | 10/14 | Liam's Map | Kenny McPeek | MSW |
| 86 | One Sharp Cookie | GP | 11/25 | Sharp Azteca | Saffie Joseph Jr. | MSW |
| 86 | Informed Patriot | CD | 10/29 | Hard Spun | Steve Asmussen | Street Sense S. |
| 86 | Be You | SA | 10/7 | Curlin | Todd Pletcher | American Pharoah S. |
| 85 | Resilience | CD | 11/12 | Into Mischief | Bill Mott | MSW |
| 85 | Imagination | DMR | 12/2 | Into Mischief | Bob Baffert | MSW |
| 85 | Raguel | CD | 11/25 | Justify | Brendan Walsh | MSW |
| 85 | Sierra Leone | AQU | 11/4 | Gun Runner | Chad Brown | MSW |
| 85 | Ice Express | IND | 11/10 | Keen Ice | George Leonard III | MSW |
| 85 | Tapalo | DMR | 12/2 | Tapiture | John Sadler | MSW |
| 85 | Footprint | CD | 11/9 | Dialed In | Kenny McPeek | AOC |
| 85 | Real Men Violin | CD | 9/15 | Mendelssohn | Kenny McPeek | MSW |
| 85 | B D Saints | BAQ | 10/29 | Laoban | Linda Rice | Sleepy Hollow S. |
| 85 | Workislife | IND | 10/25 | Speightster | Marcus O'Donnell | MSW |
| 85 | Lagynos | CD | 11/25 | Kantharos | Steve Asmussen | ALW |
| 85 | Noted | MTH | 8/26 | Cairo Prince | Todd Pletcher | Sapling S. |
| 85 | Eliminate | BAQ | 10/27 | Curlin | Todd Pletcher | MSW |
| 85 | Kitty Hawk | CD | 11/12 | Not This Time | Victoria H. Oliver | MSW |
| 85 | Cash Only | CD | 11/19 | Street Sense | William Walden | MCL |
Next let's take a look at the fastest 2-year-old sprints in terms of HRN speed figures. Although some of the names from the above list are on here, there are also other names of runners who may be less developed at this point.
The top two names should be familiar in Rhyme Schemes, a son of Ghostzapper who won the Saratoga Special (G2) for Norm Casse, and Nysos, who recently won the Bob Hope Stakes (G3) at Del Mar for trainer Bob Baffert.
Trainers with the most individual runners on this list include Brad Cox and Steve Asmussen, with eight each, and Bob Baffert with seven.
In terms of sires, the ones represented with the most runners include Into Mischief, with five, Good Magic (four), Speightstown (four), Justify (three), Nyquist (three) and Omaha Beach (three).
Top 100 speed figures of 2023 - 2-year-old dirt sprints
| HRN | Horse | Trk | Date | Sire | Trainer | Race |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 106 | Rhyme Schemes | ELP | 6/15 | Ghostzapper | Norm Casse | MSW |
| 105 | Nysos | DMR | 11/19 | Nyquist | Bob Baffert | Bob Hope S. |
| 105 | Air of Defiance | KEE | 10/18 | Quality Road | Brad Cox | MSW |
| 103 | General Partner | SAR | 9/2 | Speightstown | Chad Brown | MSW |
| 103 | Book'em Danno | MTH | 9/9 | Bucchero | Derek Ryan | Smoke Glacken S. |
| 103 | Fierceness | SAR | 8/25 | City of Light | Todd Pletcher | MSW |
| 102 | Prince of Monaco | DMR | 8/13 | Speightstown | Bob Baffert | Best Pal S. |
| 102 | Stovall | DED | 11/9 | Half Ours | Samuel Breaux | ALW |
| 101 | El Capi | AQU | 12/2 | Maclean's Music | Rick Dutrow Jr. | MSW |
| 101 | Gold Sweep | BEL | 6/11 | Speightstown | Steve Asmussen | Tremont S. |
| 101 | Booth | KEE | 10/7 | Mitole | Steve Asmussen | MSW |
| 100 | Heartland | DMR | 7/29 | Justify | Bob Baffert | MSW |
| 100 | Just Steel | SAR | 8/5 | Justify | D. Wayne Lukas | MSW |
| 100 | Private Desire | BAQ | 9/16 | Constitution | Todd Pletcher | MSW |
| 100 | Be You | SAR | 8/5 | Curlin | Todd Pletcher | MSW |
| 100 | Knightsbridge | CD | 11/4 | Nyquist | Bill Mott | MSW |
| 99 | Book'em Danno | BAQ | 10/8 | Bucchero | Derek Ryan | Futurity S. |
| 99 | Mystik Dan | CD | 11/12 | Goldencents | Kenny McPeek | MSW |
| 99 | Uncle Heavy | PRX | 10/23 | Social Inclusion | Robert Reid Jr. | MSW |
| 99 | Twilight Dancer | PRX | 10/23 | Tapiture | Scott Lake | MSW |
| 98 | Nysos | SA | 10/21 | Nyquist | Bob Baffert | MSW |
| 98 | Awesome Road | ELP | 8/27 | Quality Road | Brad Cox | MSW |
| 98 | Hurricane Nelson | BAQ | 9/16 | Khozan | Christophe Clement | MSW |
| 98 | Sea Streak | MTH | 9/9 | Sea Wizard | Eddie Owens Jr. | Smoke Glacken S. |
| 98 | Bentornato | GP | 10/21 | Valiant Minister | Jose D'Angelo | FL Sire Affirmed S. |
| 98 | Dewy's Beast | CNL | 7/27 | The Big Beast | Kelsey Danner | MSW |
| 98 | Guanare | AQU | 11/30 | Runhappy | Rick Dutrow Jr. | SOC |
| 98 | Otto the Conqueror | CD | 10/29 | Street Sense | Steve Asmussen | AOC |
| 98 | Carbone | CD | 11/19 | Mitole | Steve Asmussen | MSW |
| 98 | Valentine Candy | OP | 12/8 | Justify | Steve Asmussen | Advent S. |
| 98 | Risk It | SAR | 8/19 | Gun Runner | Steve Asmussen | MSW |
| 97 | Timberlake | ELP | 7/21 | Into Mischief | Brad Cox | MSW |
| 97 | Copper Tax | DEL | 9/1 | Copper Bullet | Gary Capuano | ALW |
| 97 | Slider | DMR | 9/9 | Jimmy Creed | John Sadler | MSW |
| 96 | Dive Bomber | SAR | 9/2 | Omaha Beach | Brad Cox | MSW |
| 96 | Glengarry | PRM | 9/30 | Maximus Mischief | Doug Anderson | Iowa Cradle S. |
| 96 | Copper Tax | LRL | 11/11 | Copper Bullet | Gary Capuano | James F. Lewis III S. |
| 96 | Magical Mark | DED | 11/9 | Good Magic | Karl Broberg | ALW |
| 96 | Jubawithatwist | CT | 11/25 | Juba | Kristy Petty | West Virginia Futurity |
| 96 | Whatchatalkinabout | FL | 10/16 | Dialed In | Wesley Ward | NY Breeders' Futurity |
| 95 | Prince of Monaco | DMR | 9/10 | Speightstown | Bob Baffert | Del Mar Futurity |
| 95 | Muth | SA | 6/18 | Good Magic | Bob Baffert | MSW |
| 95 | Crushed It | OP | 12/8 | Dialed In | Brad Cox | MSW |
| 95 | Legalize | CD | 11/25 | Constitution | Cherie DeVaux | MSW |
| 95 | Texas Town | OP | 12/8 | Speightstown | Chris Hartman | MSW |
| 95 | Just Steel | CD | 11/25 | Justify | D. Wayne Lukas | Ed Brown S. |
| 95 | Little Ni | DEL | 10/20 | Mohaymen | Eddie Owens Jr. | MSW |
| 95 | Copper Tax | DEL | 9/27 | Copper Bullet | Gary Capuano | ALW |
| 95 | Inveigled | LRL | 11/11 | Enticed | Jane Cibelli | James F. Lewis III S. |
| 95 | Slider | DMR | 7/29 | Jimmy Creed | John W. Sadler | MSW |
| 95 | Nyquist Frequency | KEE | 10/18 | Nyquist | Jordan Blair | MSW |
| 95 | Boy Magic | DEL | 8/24 | Good Magic | Jorge Delgado | MSW |
| 95 | Bentornato | GP | 9/9 | Valiant Minister | Jose D'Angelo | FL Sire Dr. Fager S. |
| 95 | Rhyme Schemes | SAR | 8/12 | Ghostzapper | Norm Casse | Saratoga Special S. |
| 95 | Normandy Hero | KEE | 10/7 | Omaha Beach | Rodolphe Brisset | AOC |
| 94 | Goodlookinjustice | IND | 10/26 | Street Boss | Aaron West | ALW |
| 94 | Muth | DMR | 8/13 | Good Magic | Bob Baffert | Best Pal S. |
| 94 | Molly's Town | IND | 8/17 | Mo Town | Genaro Garcia | ALW |
| 94 | Bolt of Aurum | LRL | 11/11 | Bolt d'Oro | Jorge Duarte Jr. | James F. Lewis III S. |
| 94 | Drewmania | DED | 11/15 | St Patrick's Day | Lonnie Briley | MSW |
| 94 | Locked | SAR | 8/5 | Gun Runner | Todd Pletcher | MSW |
| 94 | Spirit's Mischief | KEE | 10/20 | Into Mischief | Wesley Ward | MSW |
| 93 | Ultra Power | LRC | 9/24 | Curlin | Bob Baffert | MSW |
| 93 | Notice of Action | PRX | 10/25 | Hoppertunity | Bobbi Anne Hawthorne | AOC |
| 93 | Sea Streak | BAQ | 10/1 | Sea Wizard | Eddie Owens Jr | MSW |
| 93 | Inveigled | LRL | 10/5 | Enticed | Jane Cibelli | MSW |
| 93 | Mattingly | GP | 10/21 | Bucchero | Joe Orseno | FL Sire Affirmed S. |
| 93 | The Wine Steward | BEL | 5/28 | Vino Rosso | Mike Maker | MSW |
| 93 | Going Up | CNL | 8/5 | Mineshaft | Ron Potts | Hickory Tree S. |
| 93 | Valentine Candy | KEE | 10/7 | Justify | Steve Asmussen | AOC |
| 93 | Lucky Jeremy | CD | 10/29 | Lookin At Lucky | Bill Morey | MSW |
| 92 | Gabarra | CT | 10/20 | Air Force Blue | Anthony Farrior | MSW |
| 92 | Knicks Storm | KEE | 10/18 | Dialed In | Ben Colebrook | MCL |
| 92 | Mirahmadi | DMR | 9/10 | Into Mischief | Bob Baffert | Del Mar Futurity |
| 92 | Alder | ELP | 8/20 | Hard Spun | Brad Cox | MSW |
| 92 | Rocketeer | KEE | 10/26 | Curlin | Brad Cox | MSW |
| 92 | Hurricane Nelson | GP | 10/21 | Khozan | Christophe Clement | Fla. Sire Affirmed S. |
| 92 | Agoo | KEE | 10/22 | Munnings | Whitworth Beckman | MSW |
| 92 | Circle P | LRL | 12/2 | Speightster | Flint Stites | Maryland Juvenile S. |
| 92 | Googol Joke | FG | 11/24 | Practical Joke | Ignacio Correas IV | MSW |
| 92 | Frosty View | DED | 11/9 | Frosted | Joel Berndt | ALW |
| 92 | Bentornato | GP | 8/12 | Valiant Minister | Jose D'Angelo | Proud Man S. |
| 92 | Okie Smoke | RP | 12/7 | Caleb's Posse | Juan Padilla | MSW |
| 92 | Phantom Speed | FG | 11/24 | Arrogate | Michael Stidham | MSW |
| 92 | Stronghold | ELP | 8/27 | Ghostzapper | Philip D'Amato | MSW |
| 92 | Normandy Hero | ELP | 8/12 | Omaha Beach | Rodolphe Brisset | MSW |
| 92 | Merit | GP | 11/4 | Mastery | Saffie Joseph Jr. | MSW |
| 92 | Carpis | FG | 12/9 | Star Guitar | Sam David Jr. | MSW |
| 92 | Bye Bye Liam | CD | 10/29 | Bolt d'Oro | Steve Asmussen | MSW |
| 92 | El Magnifico | CD | 11/25 | Street Sense | Steve Asmussen | MSW |
| 91 | Pastor T | DMR | 8/12 | Into Mischief | Bob Baffert | MSW |
| 91 | Orange Diablo | CD | 10/29 | Union Rags | Brad Cox | MSW |
| 91 | Honor Marie | CD | 10/29 | Honor Code | Whitworth Beckman | AOC |
| 91 | E J Won the Cup | DMR | 9/9 | Omaha Beach | Doug O'Neill | MSW |
| 91 | Baxley | HAW | 9/3 | Klimt | Larry Rivelli | MSW |
| 91 | Stolen Magic | AQU | 11/17 | Good Magic | Linda Rice | MSW |
| 91 | El Grande O | BAQ | 9/24 | Take Charge Indy | Linda Rice | Bertram F. Bongard S. |
| 91 | The Wine Steward | ELP | 7/2 | Vino Rosso | Mike Maker | Bashford Manor S. |
| 91 | Bowstreet | CD | 10/29 | Into Mischief | Paulo Lobo | MSW |
| 91 | Roar Ready | GP | 11/11 | Do the Roar | Ruben Sierra | MSW |