Willie B in the Willard L Proctor?

With the Triple Crown contests in the history books, the new crop of two year old colts are taking the first baby steps of their careers in the Willard L. Proctor Memorial Stakes at Hollywood Park. This year's winners may be the last in the race series, which began in 1953.

Some distinguished colts had their beginnings in this stakes race. In just the second edition of the WL Proctor, a colt named Swaps finished third. He would continue on to win the Kentucky Derby and be named Horse of the Year. One of the top sprinters and sires of his time, Fleet Nasrullah won in 1957. His offspring went on to produce King's Bishop, Ancient Title, Flying Paster and other top runners. Other victors of the WL Proctor top California sire Swiss Yodeler and Champion Sprinter Squirtle Squirt.

In 2011, Willard Proctor Memorial champ J P’s Gusto, was one of the better juveniles in California, winning not only the Willard Proctor, but also the Hollywood Juvenile Championship Stakes (G-3), Best Pal (G-2) and Del Mar Futurity (G-1).

This year, nine promising colts will take their spot in the starting gate.

Willie B Awesome (Awesome Gambler - Cause I'm Tricky, by Nineeleven) appears to be the stronger of the two entrants from the Solis barn. He' is a full brother to Willa B Awesome, who was third in the Cinderella Stakes in 2011. Willa B continued on to win/place in 13 of 19 starts, including victories in the San Ysabel (G-3) and Santa Anita Oaks (G-1). Willie B Awesome encountered trouble in his first start, having to steady in traffic in the race won by Street Icon. Two weeks later Willie B came back at the same level. He broke inward from post two and was outrun early. He started making up ground on the front runners in the stretch and inherited the lead from Randio, who hit the rail and fell. Slightly green Willie B Awesome won by ½ length over Go First. Willie B Awesome showed speed figure improvement in his last two races and holds a second last bullet work.

His stablemate Time for a Hug (Time to Get Even - Action Girl, by Wild Rush) dueled the entire way and drew off to a 1 length win in his debut against state-bred maidens. There's no blacktype in his immediate family, but all three half sibs to race are winners. Time for a Hug's second dam Craftimae is a juvie stakes placed runner. WL Proctor entrant California Chrome strode nicely to get up for second and that won won next time out. Time for a Hug has recorded three consecutively faster works. Unfortunately his trainer Walther Solis is 0-26 with the maiden to stakes angle.

California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit - Love the Chase, by Not For Love) came from off of the pace to finish a narrowly beaten second in his debut going 4 ½ furlongs. That's a tough thing to do. Next time out, the good looking Chestnut was up dueling for the lead and proved best, pulling away to win by 2 ¾ lengths. His speed figures improved and he tossed a 5F bullet in his last work. He's the first foal produced by his dam. No blacktype in the first two generations, but his third dam is a MSW. Trainer Art Sherman is 21% with last out maidens winning stakes.

Street Icon (Street Boss - Legion of Merit, by Danzig) matched strides early with Geldautomat in their debut, yet never let that one by. Street Icon was green in the stretch bearing in slightly on Geldautomat. Street Icon finished a comfortable ¾ length in front of that rival. All four of Street Icon's half sibs to race are winners, but none own blacktype. Their unraced dam is a half to a SP runner and the second dam Ophidian is G3 placed. Trainer John Sadler is 21% with the maiden to stakes angle.

Street Icon's stablemate Kobe's Back (Flatter - Well, by Well Decorated) was the fourth expensive OBSMAR13 seller at $480K after working a furlong in :10.1. He's a half to G-3 winning sprinter Well Spelled. The pretty gray colt has a string of quick works. Sadler is 22% with first timers.

One More (Holy Bull - See Rock City, by Tapit) is the only filly in the race. It isn't a big deal this time of year, because both colts and fillies are on pretty even footing. In fact, similar to their human counterparts, young fillies are often more mature than the colts. That being said, only two fillies have won the WL Proctor, the last was in 1995 and the winner of the inaugural race was also a filly. It would be fitting to have another filly to close out the series. Despite the gray color of her sire and damsire, One More is a bay. Her entire female line back to her fifth dam are chestnuts. One More is the first foal borne by her dam, Rock City. That one is a half to a juvenile SW and a Juvie SP runner. Trainer Doug O'Neil is 13% with debut starters.

Solid Wager (Birdonthewire - G Ma, by Valid Wager) broke from the 1 post in his maiden claiming debut eight days ago. He hopped slightly at the start, and needed some time to get into gear. At one point he was 6 lengths behind the pace setters in this 5F race. Solid Wager cut the corner on the turn and wore them down, winning by 2 ¼ lengths in a strong :59 4/5. Trainer Peter Miller is 14% with the maiden to stakes winner angle and has won three of the last six editions of the WL Proctor.

Geldautomat (Fusaichi Pegasus - Sophie's Destiny, by Two Punch) was willing in his debut, but Street Icon refused to be headed. Geldautomat was slightly bothered by his rival coming in on him in the stretch, but to his credit, the son of Fusaichi Pegasus didn't give up. He was bested only ¾ lengths and held off the third place finisher by ½ length. Geldautomat is the first foal produced by his dam. Both his dam and second dam are unraced, although his dam Sophie's Destiny is a half sib to SW Grand Appointment and to two SP runners. His third dam Sophisticated Girl placed in the Oak Leaf (G-1) and she'd the dam of sire Doneraile Court and second dam of sire Souvenir Copy. This is also the family of MG1 winner Excellent Meeting. Trainer Kristen Mulhall wins non-graded stakes at 27% .

Go First (Kafwain - Go Ruby Go, by Rubiano) bore in on Willie Be Awesome at the start of their debut then drifted out slightly down the backstretch. Going four wide on the turn, Go First made up ground down the center of the stretch to get up for second, ½ length behind Willie B Awesome. Go First has recorded a couple of swift breezes and trainer Dean Pederson is 20% with second time runners.

Selections

Since 2000, seven winner sat second or third in the WL Proctor,before taking over in the stretch. One sat mid-pack (4^th) while one ran them down from 8^th place. No maiden has won, and all except two winners won/placed in their debut. Another interesting bit of trivia, only two winners were foaled in California, the rest were bred in either Kentucky or Florida.

That being said, the California horses look to be stronger than their Kentucky counterparts this year. California Chrome has experience running on and off of the pace, shows a speed figure increase and a last out bullet, all signs that he's a very live horse. Willie B Awesome had an excuse in his first and ran like a good one in his second. He isn't speed crazy either. Solid Wager is the only one with experience at 5F. His race was good, but he appears to be more of a grinder. Street Icon is a stubborn horse and refused to yield to Geldautomat. He should be respected. Go First recorded the highest late pace speed figure in the group. The extra distance should suit him and hopefully, he won't be as green.

#6 Willie B Awesome

#7 California Chrome

#8 Street Icon

#5- Go First

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