Photo: NYRA
Moving
into the second half of the year, juvenile race distances are lengthening. Later maturing babies are starting to appear
and overtake their more precocious counterparts. As we slowly gear up for the Breeders’ Cup,
let’s review the top two year olds from around the country. In this three-part series, we’ll focus on
stakes winners and notable stakes placed runners at the major tracks. This
week, we’ll start with the track where you can’t turn around without being stepped
on by a blue blooded baby. You can find more of this season’s two year olds on
the 2015
Kentucky Derby Contenders and 2015 Kentucky
Oaks Contenders lists.
SARATOGA
Race
record: 3-1-1-1 ($120,000)
Trainer:
Todd Pletcher
Owner: Siena
Farm LLC
Breeder: Siena
Farms LLC
Auction:
None
Pedigree: The homebred filly is a full sister
to multiple Grade 1 winner and sire TO HONOR
AND SERVE and a half to stakes
placed Elnaawi.
Their stakes winning miler dam is
a half to graded stakes winner INDIA and Irish stakes winner SING SOFTLY.
Second dam MISTY HOUR is also a stakes winner.
Angela Renee’s brother won up to 1 1/8 miles.
Outlook: After winning her 5 furlong maiden
in a sharp :57.90, Angela Renee was second to Cavorting in the Adirondack and
placed third behind Condo Commando after bumpy start in the Spinaway. At this point, she’s a nice filly, but not at
the top of her class. She has plenty of growing to do and is one to watch.
BIG TROUBLE (Tiz Wonderful - Silver Lullaby, by Najran)Race record: 2-2-0-0
($235,000)
Trainer: Tony Dutrow
Owner: Team D
Breeder: Columbiana
Farm
Auction: KEESEP12
$230K
Pedigree:
Big Trouble has a sprinter/miler pedigree. For the most part, his sire’s offspring are
best up to 1 1/16 miles. Big Trouble is a full brother to the stakes placed sprinter
Silver Lining John.
Their dam is a half to graded stakes winners SUNSHINE FOR LIFE
and TUBOK.
Big Trouble might go as far as 1 1/16 miles.
Outlook:
The precocious Big Trouble won his maiden in June at Belmont. He followed up with a desperate neck score
over a very troubled Mr. Z in the Sanford Stakes. Currently, it appears that Big Trouble is out
of action, as his last recorded breeze was on August 1.
CAVORTING (Bernardini - Promenade Girl, by Carson City)Race
record: 2-2-0-0 ($265,000)
Trainer:
Kiaran McLaughlin
Owner:
Stonestreet Stables LLC
Breeder:
Swettenham Stud
Auction: KEENOV13 $360K
Pedigree:
The well-bred Cavorting is s a daughter of the 2006 Maryland Champion
Older Mare Promenade Girl. This is the distaff family of the multiple graded
stakes winners ANOTHER REVIEW
(Californian S., etc.), DANCE COLONY
(Adirondack S. 2nd in Gazelle), Swaps hero BLUESKIESNRAINBOWS, and Santa Barbara Handicap heroine NO REVIEW. The fourth dam Dumfries is a blue hen.
Cavorting should handle up to 1 1/16 miles. After that, it gets iffy.
Outlook: After embarrassing just three other
fillies by 11 lengths in her debut, Cavorting took on winners in the Adirondack
Stakes. Sitting wide the entire way, the
daughter of Preakness hero Bernardini passed the well-bred Angela Rene and
listed stakes winner Wonder Gal on her way to a 1 ¾ length victory. Cavorting could face Fashion Alert in the Frizette
Stakes.
Race
record:2-2-0-0 ($243,600)
Trainer:
Rudy Rodriguez
Owner: Michael
Dubb, Bethlehem Stables & The Elkstone Group
Breeder: Spendthrift
Farm, LLC
Auction: KEESEP13 $72K
Pedigree:
Condo Commando is a half to the multiple graded stakes placed sprinter Checklist.
Their dam is a multiple graded stakes winner from 7F to 1 1/8 miles. The second
dam FISCAL
YEAR is also a stakes winner. Condo
Commando has a sprinter/miler’s pedigree.
1 1/16 miles may be as far as she’ll go, although she may place going
longer with maturity.
Outlook: Condo Commando got away with a
maiden claiming win in her debut. She was totally in command of the Grade 1
Spinaway, splish splashing to a 13 length victory. I expect the Frizette will be her
next start.
Race
record: 2-2-0-0 ($259,800)
Trainer:
Todd Pletcher
Owner: Favreau, Nancy, Psoinos, Kathy and Tabor,
Michael B.
Breeder:
WinStar Farm
Auction:
FTFMAR14 $750K
Pedigree: Competitive Edge is by the top
freshman sire and he is the first foal produced by his sprinter stakes placed
dam. Competitive Edge and his dam Magdalena's Chase own the only blacktype in
the first two generations of this female family. So why so expensive? Competitive Edge zipped
a furlong in :10 flat at the Fasig-Tipton March 2YO in training sale. The colt
has the pedigree to handle two turns.
Outlook:
Competitive Edge exploded onto the Saratoga racing scene with a ten
length win over maidens in his debut, getting six furlongs in an eye-catching
1:09.89, not bad, considering that the track record is 1:08 flat. For an encore, the son of Super Saver beat
winners in the Hopeful Stakes by 5 ¾ lengths, including Saratoga Special hero I
Spent It. I expect we’ll see Competitive
Edge installed as the favorite for the Champagne Stakes on October 4.
Race
record: 2-2-0-0 ($250,000)
Trainer:
Todd Pletcher
Owner:
George Bolton & Barry Hall
Breeder:
Mike Abraham & Jacob Nance
Auction: KEESEP13 $125k
Pedigree:
Fashion Alert is a half-sister to Santa Ynez Stakes (G-2) winner RENE’S TITAN, The dam is a full sister
to Roman's Run, who is UAE
stakes placed, plus she’s a half to G-2 winner BIG BAND SOUND and stakes winner SILVER PROSPECTOR. Fashion
Alert has the pedigree to successfully stretch out to 1 1/16 miles and could
also enjoy middle distances.
Outlook: Fashion Alert 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. A month later in the Schuylerville Stakes, the
Pletcher filly sat second before drawing off to a 1 ½ length victory over the
very well bred Take Charge Brandi. We’ll likely see Fashion Alert take on
challengers in the Frizette Stakes on October 4.
Race
record: 3-2-1-0 ($335,000)
Trainer:
Tony Dutrow
Owner:
Alex and JoAnn Lieblong
Breeder: Dixiana Farms LLC
Auction: FTFMAR14 $600K
Pedigree: I Spent It blazed a furlong in 9.4
at the Fasig-Tipton March 2YO in training sale. His dam is a half to the dam
Saratoga Special winner ZAVARTA,
plus she’s a half to Cocky, who placed in the San Raphael (G-2) and to a
Japanese stakes winning sprinter. This is the female family of multiple G-1
winner and sire DIXIE UNION. I Spent It has a blend of stamina and speed
in his pedigree. He may handle up to 1 1/16 miles, but that will probably be as
far as he’ll want to go. I expect that he could develop into a top
sprinter/miler.
Outlook: This son of Super Saver won a
contentious edition of the Saratoga Special. He was bullied by Mr Z in the
final stages of the race, but still put that rival away by 2 ¾ lengths. He was
no match for Competitive Edge in the Hopeful, but I Spent It still finished
nine lengths ahead of the third place runner, Sharm.
Race
record: 3-1-2-0 ($110,000)
Trainer:
Mike Maker
Owner: Kenneth
& Sarah Ramsey
Breeder: Katharine
M. Voss & Robert T. Manfuso
Auction: FTMSEP13 $85K
Pedigree: International Star is a half to stakes
winning sprinter FOOLS IN LOVE. This is the distaff line of multiple
graded stakes winner HALORY HUNTER
and his half brother, the Group 1 winner and sire VAN NISTELROOY. International Star is a winner over the lawn and
has placed in a dirt sprint. He could
develop into a miler over either surface.
Outlook: International Star had a more
eventful trip in the With Anticipation than his rival Startup Nation. The son of Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi
Pegasus was wide on both turns and had to check behind that rival in the stretch
of the race. By the time he got going again, it was too late. A DQ against Startup Nation was
disallowed. I expect we’ll see
International Star at Keeneland for one of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge races.
MR. Z (Malibu
Moon - Stormy Bear, by Storm Cat)Race
record:4-1-2-0 ($99,726)
Trainer:
D. Wayne Lukas
Owner: Zayat
Stables, LLC
Breeder: Richard
D. Maynard
Auction: FTKOCT13 $135K
Pedigree: Mr.
Z is a half brother
to the UAE stakes placed Ibn Al
Nafis. Their dam Stormy
Bear is a half to Champion Turf Horse CHIEF
BEARHEART, Hollywood Derby (G-1) winner EXPLOSIVE RED, stakes
winner RUBY RANSOM and the stakes
placed runners Memorized
and Sundown
Serenade. Other notable stakes winners in
this female family include the multiple graded stakes turf router STRUT THE STAGE
and Vosburgh hero PRIVATE
ZONE.
Mr. Z has a 4 x 4 Rasmussen Factor inbreeding to the blue hen Gold
Digger, who is Mr. Z’s fourth dam. Gold Digger is also the dam of Mr.
Prospector, Malibu Moon’s damsire. Mr. Z is fairly precocious, yet has the
pedigree to stretch out to middle distances.
Outlook: The tenacious, gritty Mr. Z had troubled trips
in the Sanford and Saratoga Special, yet still finished second in both
races. Instead of resting up for the
Champagne Stakes, Mr. Z was sent to Churchill to contest the Iroquois
Stakes. In his previous stakes attempts,
the colt sat off of the pace before making his run, but switched to lead the
pace in the Iroquois. That didn’t end well, as the colt tired to fifth place.
Mr. Z has shown ability and could develop into a very nice colt if he could get
a trouble-free trip. We might see him at
Keeneland and the Breeders’ Cup may be on the agenda.
Race
record:
Trainer:
Chad Brown
Owner: Klaravich
Stables, Inc. & William H.Lawrence
Breeder: Dell
Ridge Farm, LLC
Auction: KEESEP13
$175K
Pedigree: Partisan Politics’ dam won the 1
1/16 mile Valley View Stakes (G-3) and placed in two graded stakes at 1 1/8
miles over the lawn. The second dam AMERICA AMERICA is a multiple stakes winner
over dirt and turf at 1 1/16 miles. Partisan
Politics has the pedigree to handle middle distances.
Outlook: Partisan Politics had an eventful
trip in the P. G. Johnson Stakes, having to go wide and endure a game of bumper
cars before prevailing by 2 ½ lengths over a field of seven eager fillies. Racing
in the same silks, Partisan Politics and Start Up Nation swept the juvenile
turf stakes at Saratoga for Chad Brown. I expect we’ll see Partisan Politics in
the Jessamine stakes at Keeneland on October 9.
Race
record: 2-2-0-0 ($163,800)
Trainer:
Chad Brown
Owner: Klaravich Stables, Inc. & William H.Lawrence
Breeder: Spendthrift Farm
Auction: FTNAUG13 $95K
Pedigree: Startup Nation is
the first stakes winner for his freshmen sire, Temple City. Startup Nation’s dam is a stakes placed
sprinter. She’s half to a listed stakes winner. Startup Nation’s third dam INFINIDAD is multiple Grade 1 winner in
Chile and the U.S. Startup Nation has
the pedigree to go long on the turf. He
might also handle Polytrack.
Outlook: While his stable mate Partisan
Politics was relaxing after her modeling gig in the winners’ circle for the P.
G. Johnson Stakes, Startup Nation, was
not to be outdone. He captured the 1 1/16 mile With
Anticipation Stakes over the lawn, defeating a full field by 4 ½ lengths. There
are only two Breeders’ Cup Challenge races in North America for colts entering
the Juvenile Turf, the Summer Stakes at Woodbine and the Dixiana Bourbon
Stakes at Keeneland. I expect we may see
Startup Nation contest the later.
Race
record: 3-1-2-0 ($84,800)
Trainer:
Kelly Breen
Owner:
George & Lori Hall
Breeder: PTS Ranch, LLC
Auction: KEESEP13 $115K
Pedigree: Sunday Sonnet is a half sister to
multiple Grade 3 turf star PIANIST.
Her damsire was a leading sire in
England and Australia, while her second damsire was the Classic chef-de-race
and top turf horse NUREYEV. Sunday
Sonnet‘s dam is a half to multiple G-3 placed Stanislavsky.This
is the distaff family of Champion Irish Miler Prince of Birds. This
talented youngster has shown the ability to run over various surfaces. She
should develop into a nice two-turn runner.
Outlook: Sunday Sonnet was second to Angela
Renee in her debut. She came back to beat three other maidens over a sloppy
track before her runner-up finish in the P.G Johnson Stakes over the lawn. Sunday Sonnet has a variety of options, since
she has raced well over dirt, mud and turf.
Race
record: 4-1-1-0 ($68,983)
Trainer:
D. Wayne Lukas
Owner: Willis
D. Horton
Breeder: Charming
Syndicate
Auction: KEESEP13 $435K
Pedigree: Take Charge Brandi’s dam is a half sister
to Florida Derby winner TAKE
CHARGE INDY and multiple G-1 winner WILL TAKE CHARGE.
The second dam is multiple stakes winner, TAKE CHARGE LADY,
who is rapidly approaching blue hen status.
Take Charge Brandi should appreciate running two turns. By Giant’s
Causeway, the youngster might also take to the turf. Her half brother Siete C
(Unbridled’s Song) was first or second in in six starts over the lawn.
Outlook: After triumphing over a herd of
seven maiden fillies at Churchill in June, Take Charge Brandi was out-classed
by Fashion Alert in the Schuylerville Stakes. It was over seven lengths back to
the third place horse. Take Charge Brandi was four wide in the Adirondack and
most recently, the Pocahontas Stakes and was fifth is both starts. She should improve with maturity, and
possibly a surface switch.
WONDER GAL (Tiz Wonderful - Passe, by Dixie Union)Race
record: 2-1-0-1 ($95,000)
Trainer:
Leah Gyarmati
Owner:
Treadway Racing Stable
Breeder: Apache Farm LLC
Auction: OBSMAR13 $250K
Pedigree: Wonder Gal’s unraced dam is a half
to the multiple graded stakes winner SOCIAL
QUEEN. The second through fifth dams all own blacktype. Wonder Gal’s third dam is a half sister to
the multiple graded stakes winning veteran PERFECT
DRIFT. Wonder Gal has a
sprinter/miler pedigree.
Outlook: After winning her maiden in the
Lynbrook Stakes by 14 lengths over four other fillies at Belmont, Wonder Gal
raced along the rail and was in tight in the final stages of the Adirondack
Stakes, but held her position to finish third. This promising filly has raced
only twice and should improve through her three year old season.
Wednesday, we'll review the California stakes winners, followed by Gulfstream Park, Churchill, Arlingon and Woodbine.
