July 31, 2022 - Saratoga, Race 2, Msw, USD $105,000, 1 1/16M
1st Dam: Kamakura
2st Dam: Kotuku (GB)
2st Dam: Flagbird
Owner: Michael J. Ryan
Breeder: St. Croix Bloodstock (IRE)
Trainer: Horacio De Paz
Mike Ryan's Be Your Best (Ire) (Muharaar {GB}-Kamakura, by Medaglia d'Oro) came out swinging Sunday at Saratoga to garner the 'TDN Rising Star' moniker. Let go at 8-1 among a competitive-looking group of juvenile fillies, the Horacio De Paz trainee sat off the pace early and was hung a bit wide around the first bend. She traveled well down the backside, and caught the eye when making a three-wide move around the home bend into a six-furlong split of 1:14.29. Still going strongly out in the enter of the course in upper stretch, she powered away with big strides in the stretch to widen her advantage to 3 1/4 lengths and stop the clock in 1:43.97. Longshot Callie's Grit (Maclean's Music) held off favored Chad Brown-trained firster Free Look (Tapit) for second.
The winner's dam is an unraced full-sister to local dirt stakes winner and GSP Bay of Plenty as well as a half to GISP juvenile Fortify (Distorted Humor). Be Your Best's third dam is the European highweight and U.S. MGISP Flagbird (Nureyev), who produced the dam of GISW Little Belle (A.P. Indy) (in term the dam of Grade I-winning grasser Dickinson {Medaglia d'Oro}) and counted the likes of standouts Prospectors Delite, Runup the Colors and Top Account among her siblings. This is the super deep female family of Mineshaft, Tomisue's Delight, Revolutionary, etc.
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