maidens

Last week's maiden races produced yet another budding Juddmonte star plus a potential Royal Ascot candidate. 5--MOVIE NIGHT, CD 2, 5-16, 6f Beyer Speed Figure- 84 (video) (f, 3, Speightstown--Savvy Star, by Medaglia d'Oro) O/B-WinStar Farm (Ky); T-Will Walden; J-Luan Machado. As she charged to the quarter pole with an eye-catching rally, her second start looked eerily similar to her runner-up debut at Keeneland--sloppy track and all. But she caught a much softer field last week and stormed away by eight lengths at 3-5 odds with a Beyer one point...

1st-SA, $65K, Msw, 3-5yo, 6f, 4:00 p.m. ET. Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has an uncoupled entry with 3-year-old Sir Davis (Justify) and 4-year-old Pecos River (McKinzie). The former was a $450,000 Keeneland September grad, while the latter went for $750,000 at the 2024 OBS March sale. Out of MSW Lovely Syn (Freud), Sir Davis is a half-brother to MSW Love in the Air, who was purchased by Japan's Dr. Masatake Iida for $425,000 during the 2023 Keeneland November sale while in foal to Life Is Good. As for...

3rd-CD, 120K, Msw, 2yo, f, 7f, 1:56 p.m. The second of two 'Stars of Tomorrow' days at Churchill Downs features a card loaded with promise. In a battle of homebred heavyweights, POWERED BY FAMILY (Quality Road) debuts for St. Elias Stable and West Point Thoroughbreds. Out of GI Personal Ensign winner Icon Project, who RNA'd at the Tattersalls December Mare Sale for 1,450,000gns in 2015, the filly is a half to GSW Fashion Business (GB) (Frankel {GB}). Out of a Grade I winner herself, Icon Project is a half-sister to...

SARATOGA SPRING, NY - Since racing began here in the 1860s, Saratoga has been a career launching pad for 2-year-old maidens. It should not be a surprise that the tradition continued last summer. Dozens and dozens of young horses destined for greatness picked up their first victories at the Spa. A very short list of those standouts includes: The filly Ruthless, winner of the inaugural running of the GI Belmont Stakes Aristides, who won the first GI Kentucky Derby Maskette Zev Triple Crown winner Gallant Fox Tom Fool Sword Dancer...

SARATOGA SPRINGS--Travers Weekend has been good to Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher. And not just because he has won the GI Travers Stakes twice--with Flower Alley in 2005 and Stay Thirsty in 2011. The annual blockbuster weekend on the Saratoga Race Course schedule is also known for the 2-year-olds. And Pletcher has had some good ones that have debuted at Midsummer Derby time. On Saturday, it was Tip Top Thomas (Volatile) that emerged as a horse to watch in the future when he won the day's seventh race, a...

6th-SAR, $100k, 2yo, f, 1 1/16mT, post time: 4:03 p.m. ET Klaravich Stable paid $410,000 at last year's Keeneland September Sale for COMPETITIVE MARKET, whose pedigree reads all dirt, being a daughter of Horse of the Year and GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner Authentic out of Cajun Delta Dawn (Kantharos), who took two-thirds of the Florida Stallion Stakes in 2016 and was runner-up in that year's GIII Delta Downs Princess Stakes. The main-track form runs through the entire family, as Cajun Delta Dawn is a half-sister to SW Mom'z Laugh...

2nd-Saratoga, $105,945, Msw, 7-13, 2yo, f, 5 1/2f, 1:05.14, ft, 6 lengths. SUGAR HI (f, 2, Twirling Candy--Laughing Matters, by Medaglia d'Oro) tipped her hand for trainer Bill Mott early off a series of quick drills and was subsequently slammed down from her 8-1 morning line into the 2-1 favorite's role for the first 2-year-old maiden race of the 2023 Saratoga meet. Picked up for just $180,000 out of last year's Keeneland September Sale, the bay broke with intent from her outside draw and was up to press the pace...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Friday's Observations features a half-brother to a Group 1 winner. 12.35 Fontainebleau, Mdn, €27,000, unraced 2yo, f, 9fT Jeff Smith's hitherto unraced SPELLBINDER (GB) (Camelot {GB}) is a homebred half-sister to MGSW G1 Prix Ganay placegetter Norse King (Fr) (Norse Dancer {Ire}). In common with that sibling and several...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Wednesday's Observations features a half-sister to dual group winner Sacred (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}). 1.15 Newmarket, Mdn, £10,000, 3yo, f, 7fT ENSHRINE (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}) is a half-sister to Sacred (GB) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}), whose three runs for Cheveley Park Stud and William Haggas last term resulted...