Kicking of Keeneland With Maiden Juveniles

Keeneland kicks off the Spring 2011 meet with a full field of two year old maidens. Nothing like starting with the promise of things to come. 

Tomorrow’s first race drew a full field of debuting two year olds going 5 ½ furlongs over the Polytrack. Traditionally at Keeneland, speed rules and in sprint races, whoever gets the best break and thus, the lead, is usually the winner. Below are a few notes regarding some of the contestants.

Two entrants were scratched, Soul Vacation, who was part of the entry, and Gentlemen’s Code one of my interesting longshots.


EVERYDAY DAVE (Weather Warning – Numerieus, by Numerous), trained by the master of two year olds, Wesley Ward is the even money favorite. Everyday Dave is by a minor son of Storm Cat out of a French juvenile stakes winner. He is the first foal from his dam and the distaff family is unremarkable and European. Nothing in his pedigree catches our eye, but his consistently faster works do, and his moring breezes indicate that he’s ready to roll. It’s hard to argue against a trainer with 69% lifetime wins with debuting maidens, but there’s another prospect in here that caught our eye.

Gold Digger

GIMMEAWISH (Gimmeawink – Wish For Candi, by Candi’s Gold) is worth serious consideration. His sire gets about 25% winners over Polytrack and 15% juvenile winners, which is above average. Gimmeawish has a precocious distaff family His dam won two listed stakes at Hastings as a juvenile and she has a pretty good record as a broodmare. All seven of her foals raced, four are winners, and one is a stakes winner. Three won at two, including Gimmeawish’s full sister Michaela's Candi and Pete’s Wonder, who placed in the Victoria Stakes at Woodbine in his second start.

Gimmeawish has inbreeding to Gold Digger, through her sons Mr. Prospector, the third sire of Gimmeawink, and his unraced half brother Yukon, the sire of Candi’s Gold. The trainer, John Pucek, has a 32% lifetime record with maidens. Gimmeawish has flashed some speed in the mornings and his 10-1 odds are enticing.

CURFEW TOWER (City Zip – Lights Out, by Way Of Light) is by a superior sire of two year olds and Polytrack runners out of a dam by a Champion French Juvenile. His dam failed to win as a juvenile and his half sister by Suave hasn’t won in six attempts. There are still a few things to like about this colt. He’s shown some speed in the mornings at Keeneland and his trainer Eric Reed has a 38% lifetime win rate with two year olds.

CONCEPT (Montbrook – Quincy Market, by Boston Harbor) is the token filly in the race. Her sire and damsire get win-early sprinters and 25% of her sire’s offspring hit the board over Polytrack. Her dam took 10 starts to win her maiden and neither of Concept’s siblings are winners.

HACHI (Cuvee – What’d I Say, by Shuailaan) has sprinter speed over stamina. His dam didn’t win a race until she was four and she’s a half sister to two stakes winners. The distaff family isn’t particularly precocious and Hachi is her first foal. Cuvee gets 16% lifetime juvenile winners, but only around 14% Polytrack winners. The Corrigan barn is 26% lifetime with maidens.

ADENA'S CHANCE (Limehouse - Little Krissy, by Kris S.) only recorded two public works at Keeneland, including a decent gate work, so this colt is likely working at a private farm. At least we hope so. His sire gets an above-average 16% juvie winners and Kris S. is no slouch as a broodmare sire. Adena's Chance’s dam won one of two starts as a three year old, and we’re suspecting she had soundness issues. He’s her fourth foal, and only one half sibling is a winner. That one took his sweet time winning his maiden and only won twice in 18 attempts.

Selections:
#7 GIMMEAWISH
#1 EVERYDAY DAVE
#3 CURFEW TOWER
#5 HACHI

On The Breeders’ Cup Trail – Watch List for August 31, 2010

This week’s watch list includes an undefeated stakes winner, possible Champagne Stakes contenders and some very well bred, talented juveniles who might make an appearance in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile races.

Gourmet Dinner - Photo: Jim Lisa

Gourmet Dinner (Trippi – Potluck Dinner, by Pentelicus) undefeated in three starts including two legs of the Florida Stallion Stakes, Gourmet Dinner has sprint speed on both sides of his pedigree. His sire and damsire were graded stakes winning sprinters. Gourmet Dinner is a half brother to turf sprinter Gaston A and stakes placed I’mroyallymecke’d. The dam is a half sister to two listed stakes sprinters. We’ll see if Gourmet Dinner can sweep the Florida Stallion Stakes in the In Reality Stakes on October 16.

Forum - Photo: Dogwood Stables

The third time was the charm for Forum (Roman Ruler - – Winners High, by High Yield). The well-bred colt sat on the hedge behind the pace setter, found a seam in the stretch and ran down the leader at the wire in a 1 1/6 mile turf race on August 28. Forum hails from the Calumet Farm-bred distaff family of Shuvee and he should be at his best up to 9F over turf or dirt.

Looking ahead to the Champagne Stakes (G-1) on October 9, we may see a couple of recent winners jumping into stakes company next time out. Uncle Mo (Indian Charlie – Playa Maya, by Arch) was an impressive 14 ½ length maiden winner is by a stallion who gets swift but fragile offspring. Damsire Arch won the Super Derby at 10F. Dam was in the money in all starts and is stakes placed. Second dam is a half sister to a stakes winner, but that’s about it for the distaff family.

Curlinello

Curlinello (Smart Strike – Colonella, by Pleasant Colony) made his debut in a difficult seven furlong race on August 21. Sitting mid pack, Curlinello made up five lengths with one furlong to go and ran down Joe Vann over the speed favoring Saratoga dirt. He’s a full brother to Arlington Classic winner Pleasant Strike, but has a strong dirt pedigree, especially for the mud. His phenomenal distaff family includes second dam Champion Minstrella, Saint Liam and traces back to the blue hen Gallorette. This is a colt with the pedigree to enjoy two turns and the clout of a distaff family to make him a serious horse to watch.

Checking out the fillies, Street Chimes (Street Sense - Pleasant  Chimes, by Pleasant Tap) was a good looking maiden winner traveling 7 furlongs over a sloppy Saratoga main track on August 22. She won under a hand ride by a diminishing ¾ length in 1:27.49. The daughter of Street Sense has Rasmussen Factor inbreeding (inbred to a superior dam within five generations) to Natamla through Northern Dancer, sire of Street Chimes’ second damsire, Dixieland Band, and Raise the Standard, the second dam of Machiavellian, who is the sire of Street Sense. Dam is a stakes winning half sister to Grade 2 winning turf warrior Freeforinternet and the second dam Dixie Chimes is a full sister to King’s Bishop winner Chimes Band.

Special mention of  the second place finisher Grace Alley (Flower Alley – Heart of Grace, by Exploit) who was flying at the end and made up several lengths through the stretch. As mentioned in the Freshmen Sire Guide, Flower Alley’s offspring will start to make their appearance as mid-to-late season two year olds. They’ll mature through their three year old season and most will prefer going two turns. Grace Alley is the first foal for her dam, who is a half sister to Grade 2 winner Broad Dynamite. Broad Dynamite produced stakes winner Dynazapper. Champion sprinter Very Subtle and Ruffian Handicap (G-1) winner Pool Land were produced from this family.

Excited

Excited (Giant’s Causeway – Path of Thunder, by Thunder Gulch) produced an exciting, yet very professional win in her debut on August 27 traveling 1 1/6 miles in 1:45.17  over the firm Saratoga turf. Breaking from the one post, the good looking chestnut daughter of Giant’s Causeway was stuck on the rail for most of the race and was blocked behind a wall of horses during most of the stretch drive. Without hesitation, she jumped through a small opening several strides from the wire and won by ½ a length. Excited is the first foal for her dam. Path of Thunder, a full sister to the Champion mare Spain, was a $1.2-million KEESEP yearling who won two minor stakes in 18 starts. Excited is a sister in blood (by the same sire out of full sisters) to Dreamtheimpossible, who was a stakes winner in Ireland and third in the Meon Valley Stud Fillies' Mile (G1 Ascot).

Summer Laugh - Photo: Adam Coglianese

Summer Laugh (Distorted Humor – Summer Colony, by Summer Squall) maybe headed to the Spinaway (G-1) on September 5. Trying 6 ½ furlongs over the Saratoga dirt On August 8, she laughed all the way to the wire beating her competition by 6 ¾ lengths, running 6 ½ furlongs in 1:18.12 at Saratoga. Summer Laugh’s dam was a durable mare. Her many victories included the Personal Ensign (G-1), Molly Pitcher (G-2) and LaCanada Stakes (G-2).

It’s Never Too Soon to Talk Breeders’ Cup

The Breeders’ Cup will be held in three months. More precisely, two months, 28 days. A lot will happen in that time period. Heck, the Juvenile Division has barely begun to form.

With the summer festivals at Saratoga and Del Mar in full swing, we will be treated to a preview of possible contestants for the Breeders’ Cup races. Babies can mature seemingly overnight, and a spectacular performance by a hitherto unknown maiden can make last week's sensation yesterday's news.

During the next two months and twenty-something days, this blog will focus upon up-and-coming two year old colts and fillies that may enter one of the four Breeders’ Cup Juvenile races. There’s no time like the present to become familiar with the names, pedigrees and accomplishments of future stars.

Stakes events will be plentiful leading up to the Breeders’ Cup. Below is a list of races that will help shape the Juvenile Divisions. Races with asterisks (*) are designated Breeders' Cup win-and-you're-in competitions. 

Are you new to racing or want more information on the Breeders’ Cup? Check out the official site: http://www.breederscup.com/. Read the latest Breeders’ Cup news and reminisce in the history area. Not only are there charts from all of the previous races, you can re-live some of the thrilling moments of past contests.

*NEW*  Breeders' Cup 360 includes articles on handicapping the Breeders' Cup and invites your participation!