Insights on the American Racing Scene for July 31

3rd-MTH, $45K, Msw, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 12:54 p.m. EDT
While the sophomore stars will square off later on this card, an extremely strong-looking group of juveniles could offer a glimpse into the future here. The Todd Pletcher stable sends out a pair of locally based runners in Third Day (Bernardini) and Lemonist (Lemon Drop Kid). The former was a $150,000 KEESEP yearling who blossomed into a $575,000 OBS March juvenile after a :21 flat breeze without blinkers. Her dam Onebadkitty (Street Cry {Ire}) was a debut-winning juvenile on the Hollywood synthetic, and a Cal-bred stakes winner routing on the grass. Wertheimer homebred Lemonist is out of and GSP router Pitamakan (Danzig). Chad Brown also gets in on the action with Woodford Racing's You're to Blame (Distorted Humor). The $400,000 KEESEP acquisition is out of MSW and MGSP Bon Jovi Girl (Malibu Moon), a half to champion and $5.4-million earner Gio Ponti (Tale of the Cat). Joe Orseno has a pair of pricy entrants of his own on behalf of DJ Stable, with Joe Bravo named to ride both. Archvillain (Archarcharch) went for $100,000 at Keeneland, and $335,000 at this year's OBS April sale following a :10 flat move. Dam Wild Forest Cat (D'wildcat) was a neck second in the 2009 GIII Debutante S. at two, and was responsible for last year's GSW and GISP juvenile Toews On Ice (Archarcharch). Blue Buff (Unbridled's Song), another $400,000 Keeneland yearling, is a half to MSP Dypsy (Broken Vow) out of a half to GSW Clamorosa (Seattle Dancer). Our War Eagle (Unbridled's Song) breaks from the outside gate for Eddie Plesa, Jr. and Live Oak Plantation. He was a $300,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling, and brought the same figure at Fasig-Tipton Florida after a green :10 2/5 move. TJCIS PPs

7th-SAR, $83K, Msw, 2yo, f, 6f, 4:25 p.m. EDT
Conditioner Christophe Clement may not be best known for speedy 2-year-olds on the dirt, but he has a pair of intriguing newcomers signed on here. Shel Evans went to $1-million to scoop up WARRIOR HALL (War Front) at last year's Keeneland September sale. The granddaughter of MGSW Atelier (Deputy Minister) hails from the highly coveted female family of Courtly Dee. Clement will also saddle the wide-drawn Montrachet (Broken Vow), a nice pinhook from $87,000 at Keeneland September to $450,000 Fasig-Tipton Florida 2-year-old after a fast-finishing :10 2/5 breeze. Her dam Stellar (Grand Slam) cost $700,000 as a KEEAPR juvenile, and was a debut winner and second in the GII Adirondack S. over this surface. Stellar's half-brother Gygistar (Prospector's Music) won the GI King's Bishop S. at this venue. Todd Pletcher-trained Succeeding (Smart Strike) hails from one of the biggest families in the stud book. Her dam is stakes-winning juvenile Cascading (A.P. Indy), a half-sister to Grade I-winning 2-year-old Streaming (Smart Strike). The dark bay's third dam is none other than Better Than Honour (Deputy Minister), the dam of GI Belmont S. winners Rags toRiches (A.P. Indy) and Jazil (Seeking the Gold), et al. Pletcher will also be represented by Lights of Medina (Eskendereya), whose second dam was a two-time Group 1 winner in Chile. Blind Pool (Awesome Again), a $125,000 KEENOV weanling, is a grandson of GISW Dream of Summer (Siberian Summer), who is responsible for Grade I-winning millionaire Creative Cause (Giant's Causeway) and MGSW Destin (Giant's Causeway), a narrow second in this year's GI Belmont S. and a competitor in Saturday's GII Jim Dandy S. TJCIS PPs

3rd-DMR, $63K, Msw, 2yo, f, 5 1/2f, 6:09 p.m. EDT
AMERICAN CLEOPATRA (Pioneerof the Nile), the full-sister to last year's Horse of the Year and Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, makes her much-anticipated debut for owner/breeder Zayat Stables and Bob Baffert. Ahmed Zayat sold dam Littleprincessemma (Yankee Gentleman) carrying another Pioneerof the Nile colt in 2014–the same season American Pharoah earned champion 2-year-old colt honors. While American Cleopatra sports a fairly nondescript worktab, Baffert's other trainee Jeweled (Sidney's Candy) has been burning up the track in the mornings. The $190,000 KEESEP yearling, who hails from the family of GI Kentucky Oaks winner Summerly (Summer Squall), most recently posted a :58 4/5 (1/52) bullet from the gate here July 25. The Ruis family will be represented by Union Strike (Union Rags), a half to MGSW millionaire Handsome Mike (Scat Daddy). She was a $170,000 KEENOV weanling, $130,000 KEESEP RNA and $375,000 OBS April juvenile after a :10 flat breeze. TJCIS PPs