Silesia Farm

5th-Keeneland, $106,535, Msw, 10-11, 2yo, f, 5 1/2fT, 1:03.17, gd, neck. MAP OF THE MOON (f, 2, Liam's Map--Malibu Pride, by Malibu Moon) became the latest in a string of long-price debut winners for this owner and trainer, scoring here at 9-1. The $200,000 Keeneland September grad was content to drop out to the latter third of the field as fellow firster Lady Jancis (Speighstown) and favored third-time starter Triskelion (Leinster) exchanged blows through an opening couple of furlongs in a strong :21.31. Asked to improve with a wide run...

Here we are, then, in what Oliver Hardy could only call "another nice mess." But let's disentangle this flourishing sapling Messier (Empire Maker) from the tentacles that may restrain him from a timely bloom on the first Saturday in May, and take a moment to celebrate not only the storied nursery that cultivated his family but also the alert grafting that now involves another farm in his future success. For this horticultural analogy permits only one classification of the spectacular GIII Robert S. Lewis S. winner--as a young maple. Messier...