Future Turf Stars

Ten young fillies are ready for an auspicious start to their turf careers in the sixth race at Belmont on June 29. Two are by first crop sires and one is a full sister to a champion.

From the distaff family of Devil’s Bag, Saint Ballado and Rahy, ALAURA MICHELE (Arch -Isobel Baillie, by Lomitas) makes her first start for the Mott barn. She gained valuable racing experience in a dirt sprint contest at Churchill in May. The dark bay has a pedigree heavy with turf influences and blue hens (superior females) including the Champion Glorious Song, who is the dam of Champion Turfer Singspiel and his half brother, the prominent stallion Rahy. Glorious Song is a full sister to Champion Juvenile Devil’s Bag and top sire Saint Ballado. Alaura Michele has the conservative work pattern typical of Mott trainees.

A daughter of first crop sire Discreet Cat, CAT GIRL (Discreet Cat - Famous Story, by Rahy) worked a bullet over the sloppy main track in early June. So far, Famous Story's offspring are showing dislike for the turf. Cat Girl’s 3/4 sister Famous Rose and half brother Terwada did poorly in their attempts over the lawn.

In the upcoming 2011 Guide to Freshmen sires, I noted that in the last 10 years, Discreet Cat’s sire Forestry has produced only 12 stakes winners over the grass, the highest placed are Grade 3 runners. Discreet Cat’s damsire Private Account sired top class turf runners as a sire and as a broodmare sire. He could pass his attributes to Discreet Cat. Otherwise, Discreet Cat's lineage is strongly dirt based. A few turf horses crop up four and five generations back, but that's typical in just about every pedigree. He will get the occasional turf winner, but the majority of his progeny will be best over dirt.

LADY GOLD (Master Command - Goldleafed Mirror, by Gold Alert) is a daughter of deceased first crop sire Master Command. The chestnut son of A.P. Indy was a multiple Grade 2 and 3 winner from 1 1 1/6 to 1 1/8 miles. He had a phenomenal distaff family. His dam is a full sister to the top turf mare La Gueriere (dam of G-1 winner Icon Project and also granddam of Munnings). She’s also a half-sister to stakes winners, Al Mamoon and sire Lost Soldier. This distaff family also produced the top mare and l'Arc de Triomphe heroine Allez France. Master Command’s offspring may need time to develop, but they should be proficient over all surfaces. Lady Gold’s first three dams are all sturdy listed stakes horses. Her dam won allowance sprint races over the lawn.

ISRA (Easing Along - Constant Companion, by Relaunch) is a full sister to Champion Turf Mare Together Forever. All four of her siblings to race have won. Three won their maiden in their first attempt, but they all started in the fall of their two year old season. An interesting note, both sisters to race are stakes horses, while the colts haven’t earned blacktype.

TIANA (Offlee Wild - Creme de La Creme, by Vettori) has a distaff family loaded with turf influences and she’s a half sister to a French listed stakes winner. Her sire on the other hand, has produced just four winners over the lawn in the past year. Tiana has been working well, but the Dutrow barn is 0 for 7 with first time turf runners.

WILD AND WINDBLOWN (Broken Vow - Doyenne, by Deputy Minister) carries the bloodlines of English Triple Crown hero Nijinsky and Canadian Horse of the Year Deputy Minister. Her sire is a strong producer of turf winners. Wild and Windblown is a half sister to Miss Preakness Stakes heroine Time’s Mistress. Her second dam is a Grade 3 winner over the turf. The Badgett barn has a good 20% win rate with debut turf starters.

Switching barns after an average debut over the dirt at Calder, ZOOMING ALONG (Freud - If You Do, by Country Pine) has a pedigree littered with turf stars, such as Roberto, Ribot, Blushing Groom and Storm Bird. Her sire, a full brother to Giant’s Causeway, is a fixture on the New York leading sire list. Zooming Along’s dam is a half sister to Sister Swank, a Grade 3 winner over the lawn.

GIVING ME FITZ (Seattle Fitz - Banana Dance, by West by West) has been working fairly slow and the Contessa barn is 0 for 13 with first time turf runners. One of Giving Me Fitz’s half siblings won over the lawn and her sire Seattle Fitz is descended from a top family of turf runners.

LUNA STORM (Tales Not Told - Skipping Stone, by Smart Strike) made up a few lengths over the speed favoring Monmouth dirt course to grab fourth place money in her debut just two weeks ago. She’s by an obscure unraced son of Tale of the Cat out of an unraced Sword Dance (by Nijinsky) mare. His first crop races this year. Luna Storm is a half sister to the good turf mare Skipping Town. Her dam and second dam are both stakes horses.

SELECTIONS:

Experience and race fitness in a field of maidens can be a key point. Three fillies have experience over dirt. Alaura Michele, Luna Storm and Zooming Along. Luna Storm is turning around in two weeks.

ALAURA MICHELE

ZOOMING ALONG

ISRA

WILD AND WINDBLOWN

Flash In The Pan

On Saturday, June 25, Flashy Bull (Holy Bull – Iridescence, by Mt. Livermore) became the first freshman sire to get a stakes winner when his daughter Flashy Lassie won the Grade 3 Churchill Downs Debutante Stakes. Flashy Lassie sat near the back of the pack while following ridiculously fast fractions of :21:57 and :45 set by Culotte and Shocktime. Flashy Lasiie made her move in the stretch and won by a widening length, getting six furlongs in 1:10.89 (video).

Flashy Lassie is not only the first graded stakes winner for her sire, she also holds the distinction as his very first winner. The Chestnut filly was a real bargain, selling for $4,000 at the Fasig Tipton October Yearling Sale. She has a stamina oriented pedigree and should really kick into gear going two turns.

Let’s take a closer look at her sire Flashy Bull.

As a juvenile, Flashy Bull was one of his sire’s more precocious offspring. Flashy Bull made his initial start in June 2005 at Belmont, placing fourth in a five furlong maiden sprint. It took the pretty gray horse four more tries to win his maiden. He finally got the job done in October in a 1 1/16 mile contest, towering over his opponents by over five lengths. Flashy Bull placed in the Remsen Stakes in his final start of his two year old season.

As a three year old, Flashy Bull was third, but moved up to second after the disqualification of Corinthian in the Fountain Of Youth. Flashy Bull was out of the money in other Triple Crown Events, the Holy Bull, Florida Derby and Kentucky Derby. Flashy Bull got back to his winning ways in his fourth season, winning the William Donald Schaefer Handicap and Stephen Foster Handicap, both held at 1 1/8 miles.

So what can we expect from Flashy Bull’s first crop of 96 foals? So far, Flashy Bull has sired three winners from five runners. His sire Holy Bull gets the intermittent precocious juvenile, but overall, Holy Bull's offspring need time to mature. He has 12% two year old winners from 14 crops to race. Holy Bull’s best son at stud, Macho Uno has a steady 15% lifetime juvenile winners.

Sons of Holy Bull have enjoyed brief success as early sires. Last year another son of Holy Bull, Kentucky Derby winner Giacomo, created a buzz early in the season when three of his daughters won in March and April, vaulting him to the top of the First Crop Sire list. Once the dust settled, Giacomo slid down the sire lists and now has 7% lifetime juvenile winners. Another son of Holy Bull, Bravo Bull, also sires just 7% two year old winners.

Flashy Bull has a solid distaff family. His dam Iridescence won her maiden in her second try. She won or placed in half of her ten starts, but was out of the money in two stakes races. Iridescence bore six foals of racing age, five raced and all were successful on the track. Besides Flashy Bull, Iridescence produced his half brother dual stakes winner Pink Viper (by Smoke Glacken).

The talent in this distaff family skipped a generation, as Iridescence’s dam Orient Pearl, by Champion Turf Horse Manila, was untalented both on the track and in the breeding shed. Jumping back a generation, Flashy Bull’s third dam A Status Symbol (by Exclusive Native) won a stakes race and placed in three others, including a Grade 3 event. Only two of her foals were stakes placed, but her daughter Ball Chairman (by Secretariat) is the dam of Canadin Champion Turf Horse Perfect Soul (by Sadlers’ Wells). Flashy Bull’s fourth dam Queen Louie (by Crimson Satan) was a Champion Juvenile Filly in Canada.

Flashy Bull’s damsire Mt. Livermore (by Blushing Groom) was a top sire and win-early speed was the name of the game for many of his offspring. He produced Champion two year old filly Eliza (the grand dam of FL Derby winner Dialed In), two-time champion sprinter Housebuster, champion sprinter Orientate, Two Canadian Horses of the Year, Mt. Sassafras and Peaks and Valleys, and Canadian Champion older mare Mountain Angel.

As a broodmare sire, Mt. Livermore figures prominently on the national Broodmare Sire List. In the last ten years, his daughters have produced 45 stakes winners that have been victorious over a variety of surfaces and distances.

The key to Flashy Bull’s success at stud could be the Holy Bull/Blushing Groom bloodline cross. Holy Bull’s best son at stud Macho Uno and Flashy Bull share similar breeding. Macho Uno’s damsire is Blushing Groom. That horse is the sire of Flashy Bull’s sire, Mt. Livermore. From just 11 starters, Holy Bull has sired seven winners, one stakes winner and one stakes placed runner from Mt. Livermore mares. Going back a generation, Holy Bull has only three foals and two starters out of Blushing Groom mares, but of those two winners, one, Macho Uno, became a Grade 1 winner.

If Flashy Bull’s offspring can sustain their winning ways throughout the year, their sire could possibly rival Holy Bull’s best son at stud, Macho Uno.

A Shocking Debutante

For over 200 years, aristocratic fillies have won the Churchill Downs Debutante Stakes. The roll call of winners include Alcibiades, Bewitch, Furl Sail, Hollywood Wildcat, Silverbullitday, Chilukki, and Cashiers Dream, who set a 5 ½ furlong record of 1:02 2/5. Fillies that didn’t win the Debutante but later went on to championship seasons are Countess Dianna and Rachel Alexandra. One youngster, Shockwave, is already a stakes winner and the favorite in this year’s edition of the Churchill Downs Debutante Stakes.

Victorious in two starts by a combined 22 lengths and already a stakes winner, SHOCKTIME (Langfuhr - Red Thread, by Devil His Due) is the deserved morning line favorite. The Lone Star Park invader is the first foal for her unraced dam. Her dam is a full sister to the durable stakes placed gelding Itsallboutthechase, and that’s it for blacktype in this distaff family.

You could have claimed TIPPY TOES (D’Wildcat - Procedure, by Quiet American) twice for $50K. She’s a half sister to the juvenile stakes winner Midst. Her second dam Aquire was a track record setter at Keeneland. Hollywood Prevue hero Your Tent Or Mine is part of this distaff family.

Drawing the one post, FIVE STAR MOMMA (Five Star Day - Momma In Law, by Nureyev) won her 5 ½ furlong debut in 1:05 2/5. Her dam won three of seven starts and she’s a full sister to the Group 3 winner England’s Rose. There’s some precocity in this distaff family, as her second dam placed in the Hollywood Starlet. Five Star Momma has strong turf breeding and may eventually find her way to the lawn.

QUEEN TEUTA (Theatrical - Queens Plaza, by Forestry) showed improvement from her first to second start. Her dam won the Grade 2 Sorority Stakes. Queen Teuta’s third dam Jeano was a dual winner of the Doubldogdare Stakes and she’s the grand-dam of 2005 Champion Two Year Old Filly Folklore.

The only maiden in the group, MY DUE PROCESS (Henny Hughes - Easy Action, by Crafty Prospector) almost got it done last time out, but was caught at the wire by a head. She worked back a bullet after that race and is bred top and bottom for precocious speed. Her half brother Kong’s Revenge placed in the Futurity (G-2). Their dam was a stakes placed juvenile and she is a half sister to Santa Ysabel (G-3) heroine Itty Bitty Pretty and the multiple stakes winning sprinter Greeley’s Conquest.

FLASHY LASSIE (Flashy Bull – Lemon Pop Lassie, by Lemon Drop Kid) destroyed $20K maiden claimers by nine lengths in her debut. Her first crop sire has three winners from five starters. She’s the first foal produced by her dam. Lemon Pop Lassie is a half sister to a stakes winner and two stakes placed runners, all fillies.

CULOTTE (Sky Mesa - Normandy's Nell, by Mt. Livermore) has speed throughout her pedigree and proved it galloping to a five length win, getting 4 ½ furlongs in a strong :51 3/5. She’s the first foal for her dam who was unplaced in five attempts. Normandy's Nell is a half sister to Del Mar Oaks (G-1) heroine Famous Digger.

SELECTIONS:

SHOCKTIME owns the only black type in the field. How good are the fillies she beat at Lone Star? FLASHY LASSIE should love the extra distance and she worked a strong five furlongs. TIPPY TOES has shown the ability to win off of the pace. With a race full of drag racers, she could be passing them all at the end. Add the trainer/jock combo of Pletcher/Leparoux and morning line odds of 12-1 and she looks very attractive. CULOTTE demolished Queen Teuta last time out and came back to work very well.

#6 SHOCKTIME

#3 TIPPY TOES

#7 CULOTTE

#5 FLASHY LASSIE

Blue-Blooded Babies Equal Double Digit Payouts

Well-bred maidens making their debuts can often reward their backers with double-digit payouts. So far this year, astute handicappers were rewarded with payouts on Evita’s Sister ($24.00) a full sister to Grade 1 winner Evita Argentina, Lava Girl ($32.00) a half sister to the multiple Grade 1 winning hero Lava Man, and Power World ($30.00) a half brother to Grade 2 winner Santa Catarina.

Well bred babies facing the starter on Saturday, June 25 include the following:

Calder - Race 2 MSW - QUEEN DRAMA (Burning Roma – Riveting Drama, by Notebook) is a full sister to Little Drama and half sister to Big Drama. Little Drama placed second in his initial start, a Maiden race in mid-June 2010. He got the job done the following month in the Frank Gomez Memorial Stakes. Queen Drama has been working well, including a last breeze bullet from the gate. She’s in the barn of Little Drama’s trainer, David Fawkes.

Churchill Race 8 MSW - SARK - is a son of first crop sire English Channel, the 2007 Turf Champion. Sark's dam November Snow won from sprint to classic distances at the top level of racing. She recorded victories in the Test (G-1), Alabama (G-1) and Rare Perfume (G-2), and placed in the Ballerina (G-1), Go For Wand (G-1) and Turfway Breeders' Cup (G-2). Unfortunately, November Snow's record as a broodmare is poor. From twelve foals, she has produced one with blacktye, November Slew, who placed in the Sorrento (G-2). Only four other foals are winners. Two of her daughters have produced stakes horses, including the Carter Handicap (G-1) hero Morning Line. Sark may eventually wind up an underachiever, but we'll give the Wayne Lukas trainee the benefit of the doubt and hope he's the breakthrough stakes winner for his dam. Sark is trying turf for the first time.

Colonial Downs Race 6 MSW - CEE'S MY LADY (Malibu Moon - Cee's Irish) Her dam needed 4 starts to win her maiden, but beforehand, was 2nd twice, including a stakes race. She went on to win a few listed stakes including the Sunland Park Oaks and placed 3rd in the Hollywood B.C. Oaks. (G-2). Cee's Irish won over dirt and placed in turf stakes. The first 3 dams and the 5th dam are all blacktype. Cee's My Lady's trainer Will Phipps is doing well at Colonial this year.

Pleasanton - Race 5 MSW - MILANIA (Bernardini - Keeper Hill, by Deputy Minister) is the first daughter produced from her dam. Keeper Hill is a multiple Grade 1 winner and counts the Kentucky Oaks, Las Virgenes and Spinster amongst her victories. Milania’s first three dams are stakes horses and the fillies are better on the track than their male conterparts in this family. Milania is inbred to the good producer Killaloe, dam of the top sire Fappiano. Killaloe is Milania’s fourth dam and she is also the grand-dam of Quiet American, the broodmare sire of Bernardini. Keeper Hill needed 4 starts to win her maiden, but she was in the money in her previous 3 starts. Milania should definitely prefer running two turns, but like her dam, could place in the money here, especially since she's had 5 gate drills. Her trainer is Jerry Hollendorfer.

VICTORIA STAKES

The Victoria Stakes, named for Queen Victoria, has been contested since 1903. Notable winners include Nearctic, Champion Two Year Old in Canada and sire of the incomparable Northern Dancer, Kentucky Derby hero George Smith, Belmont Stakes Champ Faireno, plus Champion Canadian Juveniles Sound Reason Deputy Minister and Cash Deposit. Champion Sprinter Kodiak Kowboy Won in 2007 and Sunny’s Halo, the 1983 Kentucky Derby Champ, was second in the Victoria stakes.

This year’s edition of the Victoria Stakes includes a full brother to last year’s victor, plus a half brother to a track record setter.

GIN JOINT (Macho Uno – Phils Pill, by Cozzene) was much the best in his second start after a slow beginning in his debut. The pretty gray colt is a half brother to the stakes placed Happy Clapper. On his distaff side, Gin Joint is inbred to the foundation mare Portage, as she is his fourth dam and Portage is also the fourth dam of Cozzene, Gin Joint’s sire. Portage, through her daughters, produced a dynasty, including the Champions TM Opera O, Dubai Millennium, and Bianconi, G-1 winner and broodmare of the year Fall Aspen, Cozzene, Dixie Union, top Maryland sire, Allen’s Prospect and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile/Preakness hero Timber County.

STARK RAVIN MAD (Bring The Heat – Harper N Abby, by Outflanker) won his debut at Arlington Park by a dominating six lengths. He’s bred to be precocious and his full brother Madman Diaries won the Victoria Stakes last year before winning the Sapling (G-3).

THREEANDDONEDAN (Dance With Ravens – So Smashing, by Two Punch) won his debut over a sloppy Pimlico track and has been firing bullets like a machine gun. His sire is a son of the Canadian Champion Dance Smartly, a half sister to prominent sire Smart Strike. Dance With Ravens is a half brother to Champion Canadian filly Dancethruthedawn and Queens Plate hero Scatter The Gold. Threeanddonedan is a half brother to Colleen Stakes winner and track record setter Six Pack Shelly.

BOLIVAR (Flashy Bull – Paris Sky, by Skywalker) makes his debut in the Victoria Stakes after recording only five works, although the last two were from the gate. His first crop sire has two winners from four starters. Bolivar is a half brother to stakes placed Proud Kentuckian, who faced the starter 26 times and won or placed in 16 attempts. Trainer Kelly Callaghan has a 20% win rate with first time runners.

FIREFALL (Bring The Heat – Highdollargirl, by Helmsman) flashed two furlongs in his debut at Gulfstream in April. He has a speed over stamina pedigree. Firefall’s sire gets 24% two year old winners and his offspring are speedy win early types, while his damsire Helmsman was best between 1 1/8 and 1 ¼ miles and his second damsire Skywalker won the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Firefall’s less precocious full sister needed five starts to win her maiden. She recently got the job done in a five furlong maiden claiming event at Woodbine in April. There is little blacktype in this distaff family.

SAFRACTION (Saffir - Attraction Fatale (Dauphin Fabuleux) raced off the pace and won his debut in a state-bred maiden event at Woodbine, getting 4 ½ furlongs in a brisk :51 3/5 seconds. He is the first winner for his first crop sire. Saffir has only eight foals in his initial crop and from four starters; he is represented by one winner and three offspring that have placed. Saffir was a $1.8 million dollar yearling son of Unbridled out of a stakes winning Storm Cat mare. Saffir faced the starter six times, winning twice, both sprint events, once over the lawn. Safraction’s damsire was 1984 Canadian Horse of the Year and Safraction’s dam won two listed sprint events. She’s produced nine starters, eight winners and her son Saratoga Prince is a stakes placed sprinter.

DISTINCTLY DONOVAN  (With Distinction – Hopi, by Cox’s Ridge) won his debut in April at Aqueduct. His second-crop sire gets sprinter/milers although his best runner Decisive Moment placed in the Spiral Stakes at 1 1/8 miles. Although Distinctly Donovan’s dam won once in eight tries, all four of her offspring to race are winners. She’s a full sister to G-3 winner Pima, dam of G-2 hero Bosque Redondo. Another full sister is stakes placed and a half sibling is a stakes winner. The Salzman barn has an eye catching 19% win rate with the maiden to stakes race angle.

BANNER BILL (Rockport Harbor – Temporada, by Summer Squall) sat three lengths off the lead then was up in time to win his debut over the Woodbine Polytrack. He’s a half brother to the listed stakes winner No Third Chance and another half sibling, Stormy Afternoon, is stakes placed. All six of his half siblings to race are winners. Banner Bill’s second dam Lemhi Go won the La Prevoyante Invitational (G-2), the Arlington Matron Handicap (G-3) and Sabin Handicap (G-3).

SELECTIONS:

How the track is playing: 55 races have been run this meet at five furlongs with an overwhelming 51% won on the front. 22% have been taken by one run stalkers.

STARK RAVIN MAD earned a legitimate 108 speed figure in his debut at Arlington Park. He appears to be emulating his speedy full brother Madman Diaries. He’s published a steady diet of three furlong moves, including a bullet last breeze. THREEANDDONEDAN has a history of speed in his family and his works are the best of the field. The only concern is the dirt to Poly move. His sire has only one winner in the last year over Polytrack. GIN JOINT is the most experienced horse in the field with two starts under his girth. He showed improvement and can continue to move forward. SAFRACTION and BANNER BILL have demonstrated the ability to sit off of the pace and win. FIREFALL is the morning line favorite and represents the barn of Wesley Ward who has been hitting with 28% starters this meet at Woodbine. Firefall has been working sharply at Keeneland.

#2 STARK RAVIN MAD
#3 THREEANDDONEDAN
#6 SAFRACTION
#1 GIN JOINT - longshot

Back To The Future

The most precocious two year olds of 2011 are making their appearance at tracks across the country. It seems fitting that the first major stakes races for juveniles will be held on the weekend of the Belmont Stakes, the last Classic race for three year olds. Starting the juvenile – to – classic cycle once again.

The first major competition for the babies, the Cinderella and Willard L. Proctor Memorial Stakes will be held in California on June 11 and 12, respectively
.

The Cinderella Stakes was initially held in 1950. In the 1980’s and 1990’s it was sporadically contested, but the race has been consistently run since 2000. In the last ten years, more than half of the winners continued on to win other stakes races throughout their careers. Two, Golden Ballet and River’s Prayer, became Grade One winners. Additionally, fillies that have placed in the Cinderella have also developed into stakes runners, including the Test and Acorn Stakes heroine, Champagne D’Oro.

Seven two year old fillies are scheduled to face the starter in the Cinderella Stakes at Hollywood Park on Saturday, June 11. Five of the fillies already have a start or two under their girths.

The Cinderella includes offspring from the initial crops of two sires, Silent Name and Awesome Gambler. Walter Solis trains both fillies.

SILENT SUE (Silent Name – Cold Porridge, by Tiffany Ice) has started twice, beating Cinderella contender Bluegrass Story by a ½ length in their last race. She’s a daughter of first crop sire Silent Name. The son of Kentucky Derby hero and legendary sire Sunday Silence out of a daughter of Danehill, Silent Name raced in France for two years before conquering Grade 2 foes over the California turf and Polytrack. Silent Name has a strong distaff family and his first five dams all have blacktype. His third dam Sweet Revenge was victorious in the Alcibiades, Adirondack, Astarita and Schuylerville Stakes as a two year old and her best daughter, Blushing Away, is Silent Name's second dam. Silent Name has two starters. The distaff families will be the key to how the offspring of Silent Name perform. Some of his offspring will be precocious win early types while others will need time and distance.

Silent Sue’s damsire Tiffany Ice, a son of Icecapade, won the Sanford Stakes at two, and became a leading Oregon sire. Cold Porridge, the dam of Silent Sue, was a hardy racemare. She faced the starter 70 times with a 10-13-12 record. She produced sound offspring, including Liepers Fork, a multiple stakes winner in Indiana who started 75 times, and Offlee Swift, also a multiple stakes winner in Indiana. Silent Sue’s trainer Walther Solis gets 13% winners with the maiden to stakes race angle.

The second Solis trainee, WILLA B AWESOME (Awesome Gambler – Cause I’m Tricky, by Nineeleven) won a statebred maiden race at first asking in late April. The new California sire Awesome Gambler, a son of Coronado’s Quest out of a Deputy Minister mare, won the 1 1/8 mile Alydar Stakes and placed in the Gateway to Glory Stakes. He’s had five starters, but Willa B Awesome is his only winner. Most of Awesome Gambler’s offspring will need a few races under their girths and will grow into their talent.

Nineeleven, Willa B Awesome’s damsire is a son of Phone Trick. He won once in eleven starts and stands in California. Willa B Awesome’s half sister Got Tobe Rio placed twice in stakes races as a juvenile. Her immediate distaff family is modest, but the two time Champ Alysheba is descended from this family. Willa B Awesome worked a brilliant five furlongs for the Cinderella.

Neither Silent Sue or Willa B Awesome have inbreeding in the first five generations.

Jerry Hollendorfer, the perennial leading trainer at Golden Gate, has entered a promising filly by the name of KILLER GRACES (Congaree – Heatherdoesntbluff, by Old Trieste). The beautiful Chestnut finished second by a desperate nose in her debut on May 1, but defeated Silent Sue by 1 ¼ lengths. Killer Graces’ sire was at his best as a miler, but he won the Hollywood Gold Cup at 1 ¼ miles, which was his only victory at the distance in three attempts. He’s become a useful regional sire and is one of the top studs standing in New York. Killer Graces’ damsire Old Trieste was a miler in the Grade 2 division. He was a solid California sire, producing Grade 1 winners Silver Train and Sinister Minister. He’s the damsire of last year’s Arlington-Washington Futurity champ Major Gain. Killer Graces is a half sister to the juvenile stakes placed runner Rockin Heather. The second and third dams were stakes horses, but otherwise, there is little blacktype in this immediate distaff family. Killer Graces does trace back to two notable blue hens, Co-Champion Two Year Old Filly Regal Gleam and the foundation mare La Troienne. Killer Graces has posted back-to-back bullet moves at Hollywood.

GOGI (Swiss Yodeler – Self Taught, by Cee’s Tizzy) just missed in her debut, but came back a month later to win by an commanding 3 ½ lengths. The pretty gray filly has one of the most precocious pedigrees in the field. Her sire won the Willard Proctor as a juvenile and he is known as a top California producer of early speed. Damsire Cee’s Tizzy is also a top California sire and is best known for producing Tiznow. Gogi has eight full siblings. All but one has started, but none have won more than three times in double digit starts. Gogi’s second dam won a listed stakes, but like most of the other fillies in the Cinderella, there is little blacktype in the immediate families. Trainer Mike Harrington has only 8% win rate this Hollywood meet, but he wins with 17% of his maidens-to-stakes runners.

MISS AMBITION (Touch Gold – Adios Meadowlake, by Meadowlake) won at first asking in a maiden claiming race on May 21. She has a stamina over speed pedigree. Her sire won the 1997 Belmont Stakes and her damsire won the Arlington –Washington Futurity. Miss Ambition’s full sister Happy Touch failed to win in four attempts. Miss Ambition is descended from a minor branch of, Alanesian, the dam of Boldesian. The blue hen is Miss Ambition’s fifth dam. Trainer Peter Miller gets a strong 20% wins with last time maidens making their stakes debuts.

Three fillies make their racing debuts in the Cinderella.

The first, POR QUE TE QUIERO (A.P. Indy – Sensation, by Dixie Union), has been working steadily at Santa Anita. Her pedigree isn’t particularly precious and she may find the 5 ½ furlongs of the Cinderella a touch short; However her dam won her maiden at the same distance by 11 lengths over two eventual stakes winners and she also took the Astarita Stakes (G-2) by five lengths as a two year old, so there’s certainly the chance that Por Que Te Quiero has the same precocious talent as her dam. The Guillot barn has a 10% win rate with first time runners, but only a 2% rate with listed stakes runners.

CHLOE W (El Corredor – Fair and Lively, by Lively One) posted a strong four furlong move in her last breeze. Her sire was a multiple Grade 1 sprinter/miler and a half brother to the precocious Roman Ruler. Chloe W’s damsire balances the pedigree with a touch of stamina. He was mostly a Grade 2 – 3 type winning stakes between 1 1/6 miles and 1 1/8 miles, but he did earn Grade 1 status with a victory in the 1 ¼ mile Swaps Stakes. His daughters have produced a few listed stakes winners in the US, but the stallion has been standing in Japan since 1998. Two out of four of Chloe W’s half siblings are winners and one ¾ brother won two of 14 starts. Her second dam Aromcor was a stakes winner and three of her daughters produced minor stakes winners, so there’s some quality in the family. Trainer Eric Kruljac is 6% with his first time starters.

WILD TRUFFLES (Offlee Wild – Lady Truffles, by Candi’s Gold) has been working steadily at Hollywood Park. Her sire was the leading freshman sire of 2009. Most of his progeny are best as juveniles and in his first year at stud, Offlee Wild sired his leading money winner, She Be Wild, winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. Wild Truffles is the first foal for her dam, Lady Truffles, who won the Cal Cup Juvenile Fillies. Lady Truffles is a half sister to Rose Catherine, who was second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. The Powell barn is 5% with first time starters.

SELECTIONS

How the track is playing: Thirteen races have been held at 5 ½ furlongs this meet. 31% of the winners wired the field. The rest of the wins have been divided fairly evenly between mid-pack runners and front runners.

Typical of early two year old runners, most of the field have scored their victories on the front end in comparable times. Willa B Awesome has shown the ability to come from off of the pace and if the front runners exhaust themselves in a speed duel, she’ll be mowing them down in the lane. Killer Graces has the best works in the field and her trainer conditioned the Champions Lost In The Fog and Blind Luck. Silent Sue showed improvement between her first two races. She’s capable of moving forward. Two newcomers that could play a part in the outcome of the Cinderella are Por Que Te Quiero and Wild Truffles. Por Que Te Quiero’s dam was a very talented and precocious mare and there’s quality breeding. The distance might be too short for Por Que Te Quiero, but she could be running late. Wild Truffles has the unfortunate outside post. Horses making their first start tend to break outwards from the last post and can lose valuable lengths. Wild Truffles has a strong distaff family and her sire’s offspring are very quick.

#1 Willa B Awesome
#3 Killer Graces
#5 Silent Sue
#6 Por Que Te Quiero - longshot

Willard L. Proctor Memorial Stakes

The Willard L. Proctor Memorial Stakes is the male counterpart to the Cinderella. Like the Cinderella, the Willard L. Proctor Memorial has been run sporadically since 1953, but has been run consistently since 2000. Overall, the winners and place finishers of this race haven’t fared as well in subsequent races as their female counterparts, but the race has produced the major sire Swiss Yodeler, Champion Sprinter Squirtle Squirt and last year’s multiple Grade 1 winner J P’s Gusto. This year, six two year old colts are set to contest the race, on June 12.

MAJESTIC CITY (City Zip – It’ schemestrybaby, by Meadowlake) earned a triple digit speed figure in his debut three weeks ago. Not surprisingly, he has one of the most precocious pedigrees in the field. Majestic City’s sire and damsire were juvenile stakes winners, while his third damsire Pleasant Tap, offers a touch of stamina. Majestic City is the first foal for his dam It’ schemestrybaby, who won only once in 24 starts. She’s a half sister to the stakes placed She’s Running. The immediate distaff family is light on blacktype, but Majestic City’s third dam produced the international turf horse Golden Pheasant, winner of the Arlington Million and Japan Gold Cup. The City Zip/Meadowlake cross has produced Trishmeister, a stakes winner going 1 1/8 miles over the lawn and the stakes placed sprinter/miler Little Miss Zip. Majestic City’s trainer Peter Miller has a strong 20% win rate with last out maidens moving into stakes races.

JOYZEY BILLY (Momentum – Ravina, by Rahy) won a statebred maiden race by a desperate nose in his debut. He was sold and moved to the barn of Cliff Sise, where he’s logged two fairly slow works. Joyzey Billy’s sire won the Grade 3 Native Diver going 1 1/8 miles and was multiple Grade 1 placed between 1 1/8 miles and 1 ¼ miles. Damsire Rahy was a Group 3 sprinter in England and won a Grade 2 at a mile in the US. He’s an excellent broodmare sire, and his daughters have produced the Grade 1 winners After Market, Life At Ten, Megahertz and Ruthererienne. Joyzey Billy’s dam one once in six attempts in England. Although well bred, none of her half siblings nor her dam have blacktype. Joyzey Billy has strong turf attributes from Nureyev, his second sire, Rahy (a son of Blushing Groom) his damsire, and Nijinsky, Joyzey Billy’s second damsire, so he may eventually wind up on turf.

CAST A DOUBT (Wildcat Heir – Casting Pearls, by Fusaichi Pegasus) signaled all systems go with a bullet four furlong breeze two works back. He has precocious speed top and bottom in his pedigree. Cast A Doubt’s sire has been one of the leading producers of win-early juveniles for the last three years. Likewise, his damsire has sired the notable juveniles, Roman Ruler, Premier Pegasus and Riveting Reason. Cast A Doubt’s dam won her only start. She’s a half sister to Barbara Fritchie (G-2) heroine Harissa. There’s other minor blacktype scattered throughout this family and the English Champion Three Year Old and Epsom Derby winner Benny The Dip is part of this distaff family.

SWORDSMANSHIP (First Samurai – Lacy Gray, by Unbridled’s Song) has been working consistently over the Santa Anita dirt. His second crop sire produced last year’s Schuylerville Stakes winner Le Mi Geux. Swordsmanship’s full sister Zazzle needed six attempts to win her maiden, and placed third once. Swordsmanship’s dam is a half sister to a couple of minor stakes winners and this immediate family produced She’ll Heir, last year’s Cinderella Stakes winner, Pan American Stakes winner Bearpath, Grade 3 winner Wild Hope, and the multiple stakes winner D’Wild Ride. The Kitchingman barn has a respectable 25% win rate with ungraded stakes and is vicorious with 13% of their first time starters.

ANNE’S SEVEN CATS (Mambo Train – Culture Clash, by Petionville) is a filly taking on colts in her first race. This isn’t uncommon and this year’s Willard Proctor is shaping up as a weaker race than the Cinderella. Anne’s Seven Cats’s sire won the Turf Paradise Derby and placed in two stakes at 1 1/8 miles. The son of Kingmambo stands for a private fee in Arizona and his first crop hits the racetracks this year. Anne’s Seven Cats damsire was a graded stakes winner from 6 furlongs to 1 1/8 miles, including the Ohio and Louisiana Derbies. Anne’s Seven Cats is the second foal from her dam. Culture Clash, who won once in four tries. The second dam, Antonia Bin (by Sadler’s Wells) placed once in two tries. She hasn’t produced anything of note, but she is a full sister to the Irish Champion Juvenile and prominent sire El Prado. Additionally, the third dam, Lady Capulet, won the Irish One Thousand Guineas. Anne’s Seven Cats is inbred to the blue hen Special through the half siblings Nureyev and Fairy Bridge. Anne’s Seven Cats has strong turf breeding through her second sire Kingmambo, second damsire Sadler’s Wells and her second dam Lady Capulet. If she doesn’t take to the Cushion Track or dirt, Anne’s Seven Cats may do well over the lawn. The Metz barn is 0 for 27 with first time starters.

TRUCO LATINO (Silver Train – Dewey’s Trick, by Mazel Trick) finished a distant seven lengths behind Majestic City in their debut. His second crop sire is off to a good start at stud. His best juvenile is the very swift J J’s Lucky Train. Damsire Mazel Trick is a Grade 2 sprinter/miler. His daughters have produced the Grade 1 winner Check the Label and Grade 3 winners Early Robusto and Summer Soiree. Truco Latino is the first foal for his dam, who has a good 20 -4-4-3 race record. She won her debut at Hollywood Park at first asking and she placed in two listed stakes over the Turfway Polytrack. Dewey’s Trick is a half sister to Moccasin winner Classic Olympio and stakes winner Mister Felipe. The Delon Barn hits with 4% of second time runners and has only a 9% win rate over Cushion Track. They are victorious with 15% of listed stakes winners.

SELECTIONS:

Majestic City is the favorite based upon his brilliant debut. Even if he regresses slightly, he can still win. Cast A Doubt owns one of the most precocious pedigrees in the field and a series of strong works. Joyzey Billy has experience and can move forward off of his first race. His latest works aren’t inspiring, but he has proven to have some talent.

#2 Majestic City
#5 Cast A Doubt
#3 Joyzey Billy