Summer
racing at Saratoga and Del Mar is just around the corner. Both meets highlight
the juvenile races as this year’s crop of two year olds take their first steps towards
the Breeders’ Cup and ultimately, next year’s Triple Crown. The very early precocious types already have
a start or two under their girth and a couple own stakes wins. Join Horse
Racing Nation as we unveil the 2015 Kentucky Derby Contenders and the 2015 Kentucky Oaks Fillies.
Horse
Racing Nation is the only website in the world that offers up to the minute
news and an ever expanding wiki of Thoroughbred race horses. You, our members, can add horses, update data,
read and comment on news, view race data, videos and vote for their favorite
runners. The amount of data on the 2015
Kentucky Derby and Oaks lists is totally dependent upon the Horse Racing Nation
community. As part of this community,
you can help expand the database by adding and voting for two year olds to the
Wiki as you spot them. Learn how to use the Wiki. To vote for your
favorites, click on the horse’s name and vote. Horses will move up and down the power rankings as you, and other members
vote. Discover more about the Power Rankings and Voting.
This
year’s crop of two year olds is very promising. Full and half siblings to Curlin, Stardom Bound, Emollient, Royal Delta, Super Saver, Shackleford, plus the highly anticipated sons of superstar Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra
are all part of the class of 2014.
Not
only are Rachel Alexandra’s son Jess’s Dream and
Zenyatta’s son Cozmic
One currently in training, Zenyatta’s nemesis Blame is one of a group
of well-accomplished Freshmen Sires whose babies will be featured in coming
months. Other Freshmen Sires include Champions
Lookin at
Lucky, Midshipman,
Summer Bird,
Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver and the shuttling Australian stallion All American.
Track
record setter Quality
Road has already sired a stakes winner, Hootenanny. They bay colt, out of a Hennessy mare, won
his debut at first asking at Keeneland in April. After finishing third over a
sloppy track in the Rollicking Stakes on Preakness day, the Wesley Ward trainee
targeted the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot. Hootenanny led for most of the five furlongs,
then powered home a 3 ½ length winner.
The
pretty gray Governmentshutdown,
a gelded son of Exchange Rate, showed maturity in only his third start in the Rollicking
Stakes. The John Robb trainee was checked and had to steady before sweeping by
them three wide to win the five furlong race by 3 ¾ lengths.
Meanwhile, Fashion Alert,
a half-sister to Santa Ynez Stakes (G-2) winner Rene’s Titan, skipped the
maiden races and went straight for the blacktype. The daughter of Old Fashioned
made all of the pace in the Astoria Stakes. Although the Pletcher trained miss
raced greenly, Fashion Alert made short work of her opponents in the 5 ½
furlong race, winning by 4 ¾ lengths.
Watch for this quality filly at Saratoga.
This
weekend offers an opportunity to see more babies in action. Today at Belmont, the Tremont Stakes features
Shrewd Move,
the spectacular 18 length maiden winner.
Tomorrow, six fillies will contest this year’s edition of the Debutante
Stakes at Churchill Downs. Sunday at
Santa Anita, Homer
Matt, a son of Freshman Sire Majesticperfection,
faces six rivals in the Santa Anita Juvenile Stakes, including the highly
regarded Wake Up
Nick, a 9 ¼ debut winner. Homer Matt
is a half-brother to Canadian Champion Two Year Old Fillies Biofuel and Tu
Endie Wei.
Well-bred maidens making their
debuts can often reward their backers with double-digit payouts. Throughout
the summer, I’ll seek out the best and
brightest of this next generation on the new Horse Racing Nation feature, “The
Kiddie List. The Kiddie List will cover
the best workers and blue bloods breezing four furlongs and farther. I’ll spotlight the major tracks and
occasionally the places such as Fair Hill training center. Due
to the enormous number of juveniles, some of these names may show up only once
or twice.
