Del Mar Debutante 2012: Field Overview

As the scorching, summer heat gives way to a cool, autumn breeze, the 2012 two-year-old crop is only getting hotter. More and more potential superstars are heating up before the grandstands, stamping themselves as juveniles-to-watch with decisive scores in both maiden special weights and top-tier stakes events. The further we delve into the two-year-old stakes calendar, the more extensive my list of colts and fillies to watch. This weekend, a new chapter unfolds in the juvenile fillies' road trip to fame; on Saturday, the $300,000 Del Mar Debutante Stakes (Grade I) will be celebrating its 62nd running.

While notorious for its winners' tendency to retire early in their careers, the Del Mar Debutante's history dates back to champions such as Landaluce, Sharp Cat, and Chilukki, as well as many others who went on to shine in brief, but brilliant careers. This year's batch hosts several names who could very well carry on the race's star-studded tradition of producing the next queen of the Two-Year-Old Fillies division.

Here's your field for the 2012 edition of the Del Mar Debutante Stakes:

(1) Heir Kitty: Ratcheted up at morning-line odds of 6/1, Heir Kitty comes into the race off of a game second-place effort against the boys in the Best Pal Stakes. While no one can claim that the field for this year's Best Pal was a particularly fearsome crew, it was still a Grade II in which a filly nearly bested the boys. The winner, Know More, is currently rated fourth-best on my Top 10 Juvenile Colts list; therefore, having come second to him, I hold Heir Kitty in a place of high esteem. She clearly has a liking for the Del Mar surface, and if her debut (a 4 length walkover) is any indication of her talents, Heir Kitty is a major threat to conquer the Debutante.

(2) Pat's Back: Following a third-place finish in a 5 1/2 furlong maiden claiming race, Pat's Back hopped up into maiden special weight company and won by two lengths, leading the field through all points of the 6 furlong race that culminated in a zippy time of 1:09.79. If she can race back into this sort of form, Pat's Back is a very likely candidate for the Del Mar winner's circle -- even at odds of 20/1. 

(3) Miss Empire: Like her stablemate Heir Kitty - who reigns from a different barn, but the same trainer - Miss Empire is headed into the Debutante fresh from a frolic against the boys in the Grade II Best Pal; a race in which she finished third. Miss Empire is fairly experienced when compared to most two-year-old fillies, having already run on four occasions. Following a fourth-place debut, she won the Cinderella by four lengths, then came third in both the Landaluce and Best Pal. While she's not the most likely winner, Miss Empire is a solid contender who hasn't placed out of the money since her understandably poor debut. If she's going to make a splash against this year's top competition, the time for action is now. 

(4) Speedinthruthecity: Following a very swift initial triumph in a 5 furlong turf MSW, Speedinthruthecity finished second to fellow entrant Executiveprivilege in both the Landaluce and Sorrento Stakes. It's hard not to like this classy filly, who consistently gives her very best shot against a filly many consider the best juvenile female in the nation. She's been working very sharply at Del Mar, and could be a huge threat to at least the runner-up slot; so far, Speedinthruthecity shows no sign of dominance over Executiveprivilege. 

(5) Wasted At Midnight: In her only performance, Wasted At Midnight was squeezed out of the gate into a poor position, and wound up finishing fifth against maiden special weight fillies. While her situation was rendered hopeless straight from the gate, it seems that Wasted At Midnight could benefit from another MSW rather than making the jump into stakes company. The mystery horse in the lot; back her at your own risk.

(6) Mechaya: A two-length winner in her only race, and only fractions off of the 5 1/2 furlong Del Mar record. Mechaya appears to be a very talented filly, but she will be facing up against stiff competition. At odds of 6/1, you decide if she's worth the bet.

(7) Renee's Titan: After conquering a maiden claiming by a four length margin, Renee's Titan loped come a lackluster fourth in the Sorrento Stakes. I do not envision her winning this race.

(8) Executiveprivilege: The hefty favorite, and for good reason. Executiveprivilege has found the winner's circle in all three of her races: a 5 1/2 furlong MSW, the Landaluce Stakes, and the Sorrento Stakes. The fact that she's trained by Bob Baffert, "The Magician", only adds to her blatant appeal. If you're not hoping to make any money, Executiveprivilege is the obvious win-pick.

(9) Beholder: In her most recent outing, Beholder won a 5 1/2 furlong Del Mar MSW by a romping four lengths. It was an impressive victory, but nonetheless, the final time was nothing earth-shattering. In her only other start, Beholder debuted against Executiveprivilege, and came home fourth. As well, her works have shown nothing spectacular. I see no reason to back Beholder; if she is to win, she'll be needing to make a huge leap of improvement. 

My Trifecta

Heir Kitty

Executiveprivilege

Pat's Back

Top 10 Juvenile Colts (Edition #1)

With the Breeders' Cup only a few, short months away, it is time to make my first list of the top ten juvenile colts. While not all of these are definite for the Breeders' Cup, or headed into the same division, they all share a knack for running and an enviably bright future. Of course, it was very tough to rank these colts on a best-to-worst standpoint: understand that many of the top positions could be easily exchanged for one another, and that the list is based on not only potential, but the horse's current achievements. Approach the rankings with an open mind, and don't hesitate from signing up and posting your own in the comments' section!


(1) Bern Identity: A bay son of Bernstein and Maddalena, Bern Identity sailed onto the juvenile scene with a domineering 13-length victory in his second career start. Most recently, he rallied to victory in the Sanford Stakes over Handsome Jack and Onetwentyeight. While the final time for the Sanford has been noted by many as an underachievement, Bern Identity could be the type to blossom with added ground -- it depends what side of his family you choose to zoom in on. His grandsire is Storm Cat, who has produced distance champions such as Courageous Cat, Tabasco Cat and Bluegrass Cat. His sire's dam is La Affirmed, who was sired by Affirmed, the last of the Triple Crown winners. La Affirmed's dam is La Mesa, who was sired by the great Round Table. Bern Identity's dam, Maddalena, was a sprinter, as was his broodmare sire, Good and Tough -- whose father is sprinter-producing Carson City. Bern Identity's granddam, Two Foxie, was also a struggling 6 furlong horse. Like Belmont winner Union Rags, Bern Identity hosts a thoroughly confusing pedigree -- while one side sparkles with stamina, the other falls far short. Trainer Kelly Breen has expressed an interest in racing this colt in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Sprint; his performance in next Monday's Hopeful may have much impact on both the trainer's decision, and my personal opinion on the colt's abilities.

(2) Brown Almighty: A gorgeous horse with fan-friendly connections, it's hard not to fall for Brown Almighty's splendor. Undefeated thus far in his two, grass-based races, the chestnut colt has kicked off his career much in the style of his dual classic winning sire, Big Brown. While it's yet to be found how Brown Almighty will take to a dirt surface, there's little in his pedigree to suggest that the surface change -- which his owners have confirmed will take place next spring -- should negatively effect his closing kick. His sire, Big Brown, may be best known not for his victories in the Derby and Preakness, but for the steroids he was found to have illegally raced on. While it's debatable how the drugs affected -- or didn't affect -- his brilliant performance, what is known is that Big Brown's career was plagued by continual hoof issues; we can only hope that his offspring inherit his talent, not his feet. Brown Almighty's grandsire is Boundary, who raced only 8 times, and was twice a Grade III winner at the distance of 6 furlongs. Boundary was sired by Danzig, who won all three of his races before retiring due to knee issues. He is best known as the sire of the prolific GI winners Pine Bluff, Langfuhr, and Hard Spun. In addition, Danzig is the grandsire of Canadian Triple Crown winner Wando, and the damsire of Fusaichi Pegasus. Through Northern Dancer, both Danzig and Big Brown's dam lead us back to the great distance influence of Nearctic. Brown Almighty's damsire, Gone for Real, tends to produce shorter-distanced runners. Gone for Real is sired by Gone West, whose sons include Belmont winner Commendable, BC Mile champion Da Hoss, and 2000 Guineas victor Zafonic. He is the damsire of Belmont winner Union Rags, and the grandsire of Smarty Jones. All in all, Brown Almighty's pedigree -- while not the flashiest out there -- contains more than its share of distance ancestry. Don't be surprised if this chestnut colt goes on to perform great feats.

(3) Spurious Precision: In this year's Saratoga Special, Spurious Precision hoisted the silks of Klaravich Stables through brutal early fractions of 21.35, 44, and 1:09.62, and drew off in the final yards to win in a time of 1:16.53, by a 5 length margin. There's no denying the precocious brilliance vested in this Rick Violette trainee. He's undefeated in both his races, and is heading toward the Champagne Stakes -- just like last year's 'Special winner, Union Rags. If he can stretch out in distance, Spurious Precision has a guaranteed berth at the top of my Derby Top 10 list. His pedigree is unclear on the matter. Spurious Precision's sire is High Cotton, who never landed in the winner's circle past 1 1/16 miles. His grandsire is Dixie Union, who recently defied his reputation as a sire of sprinters with his son Union Rag's Belmont score. Dixie Union is sired by Dixieland Band, who is the damsire of Kentucky Derby winners Monarchos and Street Sense. High Cotton's dam is Happy Tune, who is sired by the great routing sire / Belmont + BC Classic winner, A.P. Indy. A.P. Indy is sired by Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew. Spurious Precision's dam, Scarlet Combo, is sired by Scarlet Ibis: a little-known sire who mostly produced sprinters such as Wild Wings, her daughter White Ibis, and Ruby Rubles. Scarlet Ibis was sired by Cormorant, who finished fourth in the Preakness and won the one and one-sixteenth mile Jersey Derby and Gotham Stakes. Spurious Precision's granddam is Don't Combo, who was sired by Right Combination, who traces back to Round Table and Princequillo. I believe that Spurious Precision has very good odds of stretching out to at least 1 1/8 miles, if not more. If you still believe in dosage indexes, good for you! His dosage of 1.55 is almost ideal.

(4) Know More: In his only career start, J. Paul Reddam's Know More became the only first-time starter in Del Mar's history to nab a graded stakes event. For obvious reasons, this landed the handsome, bay colt near the top of my juvenile watch list. While the field for the Best Pal Stakes wasn't stellar, Know More was visually impressive in his thrilling dash down the stretch en route to a clear triumph. This colt's pedigree suggests that he should gobble up the added ground with a smile on his face. Know More is sired by Lion Heart, a stallion best known for finishing second to Smarty Jones in the 2004 Kentucky Derby. His grandsire is Tale of the Cat, the sire of Gio Ponti, Take of Ekati, Spellbinder, and Catboat. Tale of the Cat is sired by Storm Cat, whom is widely known for producing distance champions such as Bluegrass Cat, Courageous Cat, and Tabasco Cat. Lion Heart's dam, Satin Sunrise, raced 78 times in the claiming ranks, winning at distances of up to 1 1/8 miles. Know More's damsire is the great Seattle Slew. In addition to winning the Triple Crown, Seattle Slew is known for siring Grade 1 winners such as A.P. Indy, Landaluce and Slew O' Gold. He is the grandsire of Rags to Riches, Bernardini, and Lava Man, and the broodmare sire of Cigar. One of Seattle Slew's sons, Slewacide, served as broodmare sire to dual classic champ Funny Cide. Know More's granddam is Qui Bid, who was sired by Derby and Preakness winner Spectacular Bid. If Know More continues to run with the style and professionalism that we saw in his debut, I have little doubt that Doug O'Neill has found himself a serious BC Juvenile contender. (To read more about Know More, read my article about him)

(5) Uncaptured: Three times Uncaptured has gone to post -- three times he was greeted by a wave of grins in his winner's circle reception. While he has never raced outside of Woodbine, Uncaptured is one of the untried sorts who sparkle with potential in each step they take. In his second race -- the Clarendon Stakes -- Uncaptured defeated future winner and near-track-record setter Jocosity (who I like quite a bit) by over 5 lengths; which is but a pale telling of the dominance that may be yet to come from this son of Lion Heart. His grandsire is Tale of the Cat, who was sired by Storm Cat. Lion Heart's dam, Satin Sunrise, raced an astounding 78 times. Uncaptured's broodmare sire is Arch, winner of the 10 furlong Super Derby and sire of Blame, Arravale, and Hymn Book; he is the broodmare sire of I'll Have Another and Uncle Mo. Uncaptured's granddam is Andrea Ruckus, whose sire, Bold Ruckus, is sired by Boldnesian, Seattle Slew's grandsire. While there's a lot of sprinting power in Uncaptured's pedigree, there's stamina, too: he should be able to stretch his limbs for a good many more furlongs.

(6) Maybe So: In both of his two races -- a maiden special weight and the Mountaineer Juvenile Stakes -- this brown has emerged with a perfect record still intact. Whether it was in his pace-setting first performance, or his mad rally down the Mountaineer stretch, Maybe So has consistently impressed upon me his potential for greatness. His sire, More Than Ready, won the Sanford Stakes, placed fourth in the Kentucky Derby, and won the GI King's Bishop. He has sired three BC winners: Pluck (Juvenile Turf), Regally Ready (Turf Sprint), and More Than Real (Juvenile Fillies' Turf). Maybe So's grandsire is Southern Halo, the most successful sire in Argentine history: among his 167 stakes winners is Edenwold, who won the Queen's Plate. More Than Ready's dam is Woodman's Girl, who was sired by Woodman; the sire of Belmont + Preakness winner Hansel, BC Juvenile + Preakness winner Timber Country, One Thousand Guineas winner Bosra Sham, and Queen's Plate winner Woodcarver. Woodman traces back to the Nearco line on both his paternal and maternal sides. Maybe So's damsire, Grand Slam, won the 1 1/8 mile Peter Pan Stakes, and sired graded stakes victor Limehouse and BC Sprint winner Cajun. He is sired by Gone West. Maybe So's granddam is stakes placed Pine for Me, who is sired by Preakness winner Pine Bluff. Maybe So's pedigree suggests that stretching out in distance should be little of a problem -- I look forward to watching him run, and hopefully bump up in my personal rankings.

(7) Jocosity: While victorious in only one of his three starts, I believe that Jocosity has as much of a right to this list as any of the undefeated, one-race wonders. Not only in his seven length, five and one-half furlong score -- nearly track-record breaking in a zippy time of 1:02.85 -- has Jocosity displayed his brilliance; this colt's bloodline is festooned with stamina. His sire, Sharp Humor, finished second to Barbaro in the Florida Derby prior to fading to 18th in the Kentucky Derby. Sharp Humor is sired by Distorted Humor, who has made his name known internationally as the sire of champions Funny Cide, Commentator, and Drosselmeyer; recently, Distorted Humor served as the grandsire to Triple Crown star I'll Have Another. Sharp Humor's dam is Bellona, whose sire, Hansel, won both the Preakness and the Belmont. Hansel's sire, Woodman, is also the sire of Timber Country, Bosra Sham, and Woodcarver. Jocosity's broodmare sire, Stormy Atlantic, is sired by the ever-popular Storm Cat. His dam, Hail Atlantis, was sired by Seattle Slew. Jocosity's damsire is Carson City Sham, whose sire - Carson City - served as the broodmare sire for the late, great Barbaro and recently retired Havre de Grace. Carson City Sham's dam, Sham Say, was a Grade I winning mare who traces back to Secretariat's greatest rival (and one of my favorite racehorses), Sham. Although it's unlikely that Jocosity will add his name to the elite list of those found in his ancestry, a future among the classic-distance races is very real possibility.

(8) Onetwentyeight: Although Onetwentyeight failed to triumph in his most recent outing - the Sanford Stakes - I still harbor firm beliefs in this colt's ability to survive the long distances, and ultimately, shine. In the Sanford, he rallied valiantly into the stretch, and while it was only enough to secure himself third, Onetwentyeight proceeded to gallop out in front of his rivals. His sire is Discreet Cat, who suffered a throat abscess in his only distance attempt. Discreet Cat is sired by Forestry, who sired the 2011 Preakness winner, Shackleford. Discreet Cat's dam, Pretty Discreet, found victory in the 10 furlong Alabama Stakes; her sire, Private Account, won the Jim Dandy Stakes. Onetwentyeight's dam is Box of Joy, an unraced mare sired by the great Concerto, who triumphed at distances of up to 10 furlongs. Concerto's sire is Chief's Crown, who won the Travers Stakes and finished in the money in all three of the Triple Crown races. Make no mistake about it -- Onetwentyeight is bred for distance. As the ground increases, expect his abilities to follow suit.

(9) Archer Hill: In his only race - an unusual maiden run at the distance of 1 1/16 miles on the turf - Archer Hill rallied late to register a clear, one length victory in a final time of 1:43.82. True, this horse has yet to race against the best of them; but since I love seeing the babies already racing at these distances, I can't help but to include him on the rim of my top ten list. Archer Hill's sire is Big Brown, making him a half brother to the much more popular Brown Almighty. Archer Hill's dam, La Femme Galante, is sired by Peter Pan & Champagne winner Grand Slam. Grand Slam is sired by Gone West; his dam is Bright Candles, who finished third in the Kentucky Oaks and Black-Eyed Susan. Archer Hill's granddam is Dahl, who is sired by Irish Tower. There is a very good deal of endurance packed into Archer's Hill's bloodlines. He is certainly one to watch for in future races -- who knows? He could become as popular as Brown Almighty.

(10) Overanalyze: As a fan of Uncle Mo, Stay Thirsty, Caixa Eletronica, and just the Repole Stable is general, of course I'm inclined to tuck Overanalyze into the "buffer zone" of my list. His only race, a 5 furlong maiden special weight, he won in the respectable time of 57.48. His sire, Dixie Union, may be known for siring sprinting horses (aside from Union Rags), but his grandsire - Dixieland Band - was the broodmare sire of Kentucky Derby winners Monarchos and Street Sense. His sire is the great Northern Dancer, who dates back to the stamina-packed line of Nearco and Nearctic. Dixieland Band's dam, She's Tops, is sired by Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Capote, who is sired by Seattle Slew. Overanalyze's damsire is Unaccounted For, who won the Whitney (GI) and Jim Dandy (GII), both at one and one eighth miles. In the U.S, one of his most successful runners is Grundlefoot, winner of the Baltimore Breeders' Cup Handicap (GIII) at 1 1/8 miles, and the Kelso at 1 3/16. Unaccounted For is sired by Private Account, who also won the Jim Dandy (GIII) and the Widener Handicap (GI), at 10 furlongs. Private Account was the sire of the great, undefeated Personal Ensign. Overanalyze's granddam is Cloud's Ambre, who is sired by Two Punch -- a stallion known for his ability to produce sprinters such as GI winner Smoke Glacken. While there are some areas of his pedigree a bit shadier than others, Overanalyze appears to be a horse capable of traveling up to 1 1/8 miles -- if not more. Like the rest of the two-year-olds on this list, I look forward to watching him run.

The Long Shot & The Favorite: The Mid-Summer Derby's Dead Heat

As the familiar tune of "The Call to Post" sliced through the sunny, August atmosphere of Saratoga Racecourse, eleven glistening horses strode their way onto the vast, dirt oval that would soon become the boxing ring for the summer's premier horse race. It was the day of the "Mid-Summer Derby"; the mile and a quarter test of champions more commonly known as the Travers Stakes. A bustling crowd of 46,528 racing fans had gathered to take part in the fun and festivities, and to hopefully witness a slice of history.

When the horses filed into the usual, crooked line of the post parade, each pranced and tossed their heads in like fashion. The 33-1 long shot, Golden Ticket, was indistinguishable from Alpha, the solid favorite. If one were to examine the athletes with neither knowledge nor racing form, it would be near impossible to sort out the frowned-upon long shots from the highly-touted kings of racing. When stripped of their resumes and expansive pedigrees, all of the contestants were simply horses. Thoroughbred racehorses, fine-tuned and conditioned from a different combination of victories and defeats, but each with the same job to do: pose in the winner's circle with the Man o' War Cup.

Alpha, owned by billionaire Sheikh Mohammed, was marching into the Grade 1 event off of a decisive score in the Jim Dandy Stakes over fellow competitors Neck 'n Neck, Liaison, Atigun and Fast Falcon. He had finished twelfth in the Kentucky Derby, but before that had conquered both the Withers Stakes and Count Fleet. As a two-year-old, he had come second to future Belmont winner Union Rags in the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes, and at one time had been considered a potential threat for the Triple Crown. Every race fan knew his name, and no matter their opinion on his past achievements, the consensus was that Alpha was much the best in the Travers Stakes.

Golden Ticket, on the other hand, was slinking along in obscurity. The bay representative of Magic City Thoroughbred Partners had slipped by with one, meager victory in his nine race career. It had taken him six times to break his maiden, and his best achievement was a runner-up finish to Prospective in the Tampa Bay Derby. Golden Ticket was coming into the Travers off of a second place finishing in an allowance optional claiming event. A few weeks back, trainer Kenneth McPeek had entered Golden Ticket in an allowance race, which was canceled due to lack of entries. Then they took to sharpening the colt for a low-profile stakes, the Bernardini -- a race also ruled out by too few contestants. The only option remaining was to saddle the colt for a mile and a quarter romp in the Travers Stakes: the biggest race of the entire summer, and one nobody thought the colt could win.

As the group of eleven three-year-olds filed into the starting gate, trainers Kenneth McPeek and Kiaran McLaughlin exchanged a few good-luck wishes. The two men were long-time friends, having grown up together in the horse country of Lexington, Kentucky. Both wanted nothing more than victory for themselves; at the same time, however, they were well aware that defeat would be a great blow for either.

 A brief silence, and the gates clanged open -- the pack of horses bolted onto the racetrack, speedy long shot Speightscity quickly lurching to the lead. The first quarter blew by in a steady 23.51. The half was up in 48, with the same horses still roaming at the front. Alpha and Golden Ticket loped along close to the pace with Stealcase bridging the gap from them to Speightscity. As the field rounded the far turn, Golden Ticket swept along the rail to snatch the lead. With a 33-1 shot heading the field in a mad dash for the finish, it was looking like the Travers Stakes might result in a huge upset. In a flash came Alpha, to defend his favoritism. The bay colt charged alongside Golden Ticket, pouring on the pressure with each stride he took. Alpha lunged. Golden Ticket bobbed his head. In the very nick of time, the wire rushed to meet them.
"It's too close to call!" Roared announcer Tom Durkin. Thousands of race fans goggled at the scene, each struggling to decide whose nose crossed first.

Golden Ticket (right) and Alpha (left) hit the wire simultaneously 

Bewildered minutes passed as the photo was examined. The two colts jogged along the racecourse, ears pricked, nostrils flared. Their riders may have quivered with uncertainty; their owners may have been counting their lucky stars. In spite of all confusion, the bay twosome trotted along in certainty of their fate. They were horses, and so far as either was concerned he had just proven himself the alpha of the group -- he had beat the rest to the wire.

Many long moments later, the crowd burst into a smattering of wild applause. The winner of the 143rd Travers Stakes was ... a dead heat. The jaw-dropping photo reveals two horses -- one owned by the Sheik, the other by a partnership -- pouncing on the wire in complete synchronization.

The two winners could be no different.
Throughout the whole of his career, Alpha had been touted an up-and-coming superstar. There had been little doubt at any time that the colt's future glittered with prestige: Grade 1 triumphs and glossy headlines were all part of his birthright. Golden Ticket was his polar opposite; the obscure wonder horse who leaped onto the national scene with a single, scintillating performance. While Alpha had legions of fans to back him throughout the better part of his career, Golden Ticket was newly minted into the club of Thoroughbred superiority.

In the absence of I'll Have Another, Union Rags, Paynter, and Bodemeister, the 2012 rendition of the Travers Stakes may have been lacking in the star-power department. But in the deliverance of the first dead heat in the race's modern history, this gritty, little pack of three-year-olds more than made up for their drab resumes and uninspiring time. This year's Mid-Summer Derby succeeds where the blue-blooded world of Thoroughbred horse racing rarely does: it told a story of a hard-trying underdog, an up-and-coming star, and a dose of good racing luck. It told us that no matter where you come from or what the tote board reads, you always have a shot at tasting success: be you the homeless man on the corner of the street or the one in the new Ferrari.

Girl Power: Questing

As muddled and indecisive as this year's racing has played out, there are few divisions quite so inconsistent as the three-year-old fillies' group. Few of the spring's most promising females remain prominent on the black type scene. Many fillies once considered superstars have lapsed back into relative obscurity. Hunting out the one "big horse" is like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Last weekend marked the first change in this wishy-washy crop. Questing, a sophomore daughter of Hard Spun, shoved her way onto headlines in a complete demolishing of the Alabama Stakes (G1). En route to victory, the Godolphin Racing filly headed the seven horse Calvary charge through suicidal fractions of 22.84, 46 flat, 1:09.74, and 1:35. Into the stretch, thousands of fans gaped at the filly, expecting her to fold into midpack at any given moment -- but Questing didn't slow. Still lunging effortlessly over the fast dirt, she danced away from In Lingerie, the second-place finisher, to prance home first by 9 astonishing lengths. The final time of 2:01.29 for the 10 furlong distance was far beyond an ordinary run. Although times from different days and tracks are nearly impossible to compare, you can scribble down into your notepad that Questing's final time was 0.54 seconds faster than I'll Have Another's Kentucky Derby victory, despite ducking out into the stretch.

Questing waves 'goodbye' to In Lingerie, and romps away with ease.

It's beginning to look like the three-year-old fillies' may have found themselves a solid leader in the flashy young Questing. Not only is she fast and choc full of endurance -- Questing is steadily building herself a solid race record. The Alabama was no fluke; it was her third straight win in a nine race career. Three starts back, Questing blew away a one mile, allowance optional claiming by over three lengths. Next, she sailed up in class with a four length victory in the 1 1/8 mile TVG Coaching Club American Oaks (G1).

In all three of her consecutive victories, Questing has led the field in gate to wire fashion, cutting sharp fractions along the way. Is she is to employ a similar strategy in the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic -- or even the Breeders' Cup Classic, perhaps -- it is tough to imagine a happy, healthy Questing defeated by this year's few remaining top-notch 3-year-olds. I am not saying that's she's unbeatable; many things could occur between now and this November. Assuming that she doesn't "bounce", however, and maintains this stellar form, it is very, very difficult to envision Questing as anything other than a top contender in whatever races she chooses to enter.

In a year marred by injury and retirement, it is refreshing to watch such fabulous fillies as Questing strut their stuff on the racetrack. What racing needs most is a long-lasting star; perhaps it will come in the form of girl power.

Terribly Great 2's: Overanalyze

Around this time in 2010, a powerful, bay colt burst his way onto the juvenile scene, making national headlines with each start. Uncle Mo, decked in the blue and orange of Repole Stables, stamped his names in the history books with one of the most dominating victories since the Breeders' Cup Juvenile's initiation. While illness got in the way of his 3 year old season, eventually resulting in an early retirement, the early brilliance of Uncle Mo is not likely to be forgotten by those who saw him perform.

Today, we saw flashes of Uncle Mo's greatness in another dominant performance from a Mike Repole two-year-old. In the first start of his career, Overanalyze burst to the lead and took charge, cutting sharp fractions of 22.20 and 45.61 before cutting loose into the stretch under a vigorous hand ride by John Velazquez. His lone challenge came in the form of another Pletcher trainee, Nevada, who was simply unable to keep up with Overanalyze, who concluded the race still a good length ahead. The final time of 57.48 was a full second faster than the only other 5 furlong event (also a maiden special weight) held at Saratoga in the past two days. While he may not be your next 2-Year-Old Champ, there's no denying that Overanalyze is a gifted colt.

Which is Uncle Mo, which is Overanalyze? See if you can find out!

Overanalyze's pedigree houses an interesting cast of characters.

His dam, Unacloud, never ran in a race; she has foaled seven times. Her first foal, Raptora, never won in six starts. Her next, Meadow Breeze, was significantly better, finding victory in the Grade 1 Matron Stakes, and finishing in the money in three other black type events. Her third offspring, Rock Rain, raced only once, didn't win, and never ran again. Unacloud's 2006 foal, Good Measure, raced only four times in a career that saw her visit the Winner's Circle once, in a mile and a sixteenth maiden special weight. Her fifth foal gathered a single victory in a claiming race out of eight total starts. Unacloud's 2009 foal, Mighty Monsoon, has gone to post twelve times so far, finishing in the money over half of the time. Mighty Monsoon came in third in the Lost in the Fog Stakes, the Everett Nevin Alameda County Stakes, the Best Pal Stakes (G2), and the Charlie Palmer Futurity.

Overanalyze's damsire is Unaccounted For, winner of the Jim Dandy (G2) and Whitney (G1), both at one and one eighth miles. In the United States, one of his most successful runners is Grundlefoot, winner of the Baltimore Breeders' Cup Handicap (G3) at 1 1/8 miles, and the Kelso Stakes at 1 3/16 miles. Unaccounted For is sired by Private Account, who also won the Jim Dandy (G3) and the Widener Handicap (G1), at 10 furlongs. Private Account was the sire of the great, undefeated Person Ensign. At distance of 10 to 11 furlongs, his offspring win at a 35% rate -- his highest rate at any distance category. Overanalyze's granddam is Cloud's Ambre, who is sired by Two Punch -- a stallion known best for his ability to produce sprinters such as G1 winner Smoke Glacken.

Heading the paternal side of Overanalyze's pedigree is his sire, Dixie Union. While primarily known for producing milers and sprinters such as Dixie Chatter and Hot Dixie Chick, Dixie Union recently sired Belmont winner Union Rags. Overanalyze's grandsire, Dixieland Band, is the broodmare sire of Kentucky Derby winners Street Sense and Monarchos. His sire is the great Northern Dancer, who, along with his own legacy, dates back to the great distance influences of Nearctic and Nearco. Dixie Union's dam is She's Tops,  winner of the 7 furlong Railbird Stakes (G2). She's Tops is sired by Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Capote, who is sired by Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew.

In short, there appears to be a nice deal of a stamina in Overanalyze's pedigree. He should be able to stretch out to 1 1/8 miles, at the very least. Like the other "terrible twos" on my watch, I will greatly anticipate watching him run.

Terribly Great 2's: Dreaming of Julia

In the past few weeks, the 'net has been abuzz with the ever-present rumblings known to pursue any good-looking, win-happy two-year-old. It's not Uncle Mo, it's not Union Rags.
The hype is for a pair of fillies.

Kauai Katie and Teen Pauline, a talented duo from Stonestreet Stables, have graced the fans at Saratoga Racecourse with a pair of rich, vividly painted triumphs. First, Kauai Katie burst onto the scene with a dominant, 12 length victory against maiden special weight company -- earning herself a Beyer Speed Figure of 100. Next from the gate was Teen Pauline, who also shined in her respective debut, putting away a field of maidens by an easy 4 lengths. The result: a new track record.

As happy as we'd all be just to own a piece of one of these fillies, Barbara Banke was not done yet.
This weekend, she unveiled a third potential superstar. Scratch the duo, make it a trio.
Dreaming of Julia has arrived on the scene.

Shown here in her walkover performance, the filly named after the daughter of widowed Barbara Banke quickly took residence at the head of the field, guiding them through fractions of 22.03 and 45.55. 

As the field filed in the homestretch, John Velazquez had only to shake his reins; Dreaming of Julia was off like a rocket, cutting a sizable wedge of 10 lengths between herself and the second place horse.

By the sixth furlong, the time was 1:10.10, and by the end of the race the clock read 1:16.48 for the 6 1/2 furlong, dirt, MSW.

Having endorsed both Teen Pauline and Kauai Katie with a fleet of good feelings, I was stunned in turn by Dreaming of Julia, the latest edition to my Kentucky Oaks "future book" list. Not only was she the epitome of brilliance in the race she made look like a parade; Dreaming of Julia has every bit the pedigree to affirm her owner's beliefs that this filly deserves to be grouped with her other two "super fillies".

Dreaming of Julia's sire is none other than the celebrated distance influence, A.P. Indy. A Belmont Stakes and Breeders' Cup Classic winner, A.P. Indy has sired the prolific Grade 1 winners Bernardini, Rags to Riches, and Mineshaft. Dreaming of Julia's grandsire is Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew. Her sire's dam is Weekend Surprise, a stakes winner who raced 31 times. Weekend Surprise is sired by the great Secretariat,  and her dam, Lassie Dear, is sired by Buckpasser. 

Dreaming of Julia is the first foal of Dream Rush, a Grade 1 winning sprinter sired by Wild Rush, winner of the Met Mile and Carter Handicap among other races. Wild Rush was successful up to 1 mile and 3/16ths. His sire, Wild Again, won the inaugural Breeders' Cup Classic. Wild Again is known for siring Belmont winner Sarava and Santa Anita Handicap victor Milwaukee Brew. Through this line, Dreaming of Julia traces back to the distance influences of Nearctic and Drone.

Dreaming of Julia's granddam, Turbo Dream, is sired by the Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup Classic winning Unbridled. Unbridled is best known for siring Kentucky Derby winner Grindstone, who went on to sire Birdstone, who won the Belmont before going on to sire Smarty Jones. He also sired Belmont winner Empire Maker.

I could ramble on for ages about the storybook names and races encoded deep in Dreaming of Julia's blood. I won't, so here's a synopsis, a conclusion, a beginning to a hopeful career: Dreaming of Julia has a lot of promise.

Terribly Great 2's: Know More

In a matter of weeks, trainer Doug O'Neill hoisted himself from relative obscurity into the history books of Thoroughbred horse racing.
Before the spring of 2012, few had heard mention of Reddam Racing or its eccentric, fan-friendly trainer. Not until, that is, a particular chestnut colt bounded his way into the hearts and homes of thousands of race fans world-wide.
Some love these connections, others hate them. Regardless, we are all familiar with the white and purple silks of Reddam Racing, no matter our views and "expert" opinions on them.

I'll Have Another, 2012's Derby and Preakness superstar

The final moments of today's Best Pal Stakes (G2) marked a very nostalgic moment for fans of I'll Have Another, the recently retired star of this year's Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. A bay 2 year old clad in the same, white and purple armor, carved his name beside that of Creative Cause, Lookin At Lucky, Dixie Union and Best Pal with a lightning turn of foot that flung the banner of J. Paul Reddam in front of a pack of seven top-class two-year-olds. Know More, a bay son of Lion Heart, captured the Best Pal by a nice, visible margin.

While the final time of 1:16.14 was nothing record-shattering, the way in which the race was won was eerily reminiscent of I'll Have Another's famous late charge. What is next for Know More, a colt clearly gifted with something of the great, closing kick that has become the trademark of so many champions?

After only one race, it is hard to assess the quality and character of any racehorse, let alone a two-year-old.
We can, however, pull aside at least a fraction of the curtain on Know More's talent by delving into his pedigree.

Know More is sired by Lion Heart, a stallion best known for finishing second to Smarty Jones in the 2004 Kentucky Derby. While Lion Heart has produced a handful of notable distance runners (think Dangerous Midge and Line of David), his offspring average a typical winning distance of only 6.3 furlongs. Know More's grandsire is Tale of the Cat, a sire capable of producing just about every type of runner. Some of his more distance-happy offspring are Gio Ponti, Tale of Ekati, Spellbinder, Catboat, and Lion Heart himself. Tale of the Cat is sired by Storm Cat, whom is widely known for producing distance champions such as Bluegrass Cat, Courageous Cat, and Tabasco Cat. Lion Heart's dam, Satin Sunrise, raced 78 times in the claiming ranks, winning at distances of up to 1 1/8 miles.

Know More is his dam's, Seattle Qui's, fifth foal. Her first, Seattle Monty, was an unsuccessful sprinter who found the Winner's Circle only once in 9 claiming-rank starts. Her second foal, a 2007 Bernstein colt, broke his maiden by over 5 lengths and found victory in the William L. Proctor Memorial Stakes before failing to win again. Seattle Melody, Seattle Qui's third offspring, recently broke his maiden in a claiming event after failing in 12 other attempts. Her 2009 foal, Vacationing, has failed to succeed in 7 maiden special weight tries to date. Know More's damsire is the great Seattle Slew. In addition to winning the Triple Crown, Seattle Slew is known for siring prolific runners such as A.P. Indy, Landaluce and Slew O' Gold. He is the grandsire of Rags to Riches, Bernardini, and Lava Man, and the broodmare sire of Cigar. One of Seattle Slew's sons, Slewacide, served as broodmare sire to Kentucky Derby and Preakness champ Funny Cide. Know More's granddam is Qui Bid, who was sired by Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Spectacular Bid.

While there are multiple speed influences in Know More's pedigree, it appears to lean more onto the routing side of the scale. It is very possible that this colt will learn to handle a good bit of ground. He was nothing short of brilliant in today's debut; fans have no reason not to hope that Know More could develop into a glossy, new classics contender.

Best Pal Stakes 2012: Field Overview

For two-year-olds vying for top juvenile status, there are few stepping stones as reliable as the Best Pal Stakes (G2). Hosted annually on the Polytrack of Del Mar Racetrack at a distance of 6 1/2 furlongs, the Best Pal has established itself as a hot spot for emerging talent. Last year, Grade I winner Creative Cause swept by future Derby and Preakness champion I'll Have Another to capture the race's 41st running. The year before, Best Pal winner JP's Gusto went on to perform well in a series of black type events. 2009's victor, Lookin At Lucky, went on to capture the Preakness Stakes.

In the spirit of curiosity and a love for watching young horses develop, let's take a look at the pack of juveniles entered to race in its 42nd edition.

Creative Cause flying to victory in 2011's Best Pal Stakes

(1) Heir of Storm. A colt trained by Alexis Barba. A month back, he captured a 5 1/2 furlong maiden special weight at Hollywood Park. While the final time for his victory was extremely slow, Heir of Storm has been working nicely at both Hollywood and Del Mar. Last Wednesday, he recorded a sharp four furlongs in 47.40 -- the 8th fastest work out of 52 over the same distance. A week before that, at Hollywood, his breeze of 47.20 for the four furlongs was marked the fastest out of 35 horses. While I'm not too impressed with this colt's debut, his works seem to say that he's not to be ruled out.

(2) Moreno. A colt trained by Eric Guillot. In his only race, Moreno overcame a very poor start to finish third behind Heir of Storm. While I consider that race to have been an especially weak one, Moreno seemed to play the role of that one horse who is bound to learn a lot from a troubled debut (watch the race; he was bumped around quite a bit). He has been working handily over Del Mar's main track in nice, solid times. Moreno may be ready to take a huge step up.

(3) Miss Empire. A filly trained by Peter Miller. She has raced three times, her only victory coming in the form of a 4 length runaway in the Cinderella Stakes. Among the eight horses she defeated were Unusual Way, the winner of Miss Empire's debut and Tilde, who bounced back with a three length victory in the CA Thoroughbred Breeders' Association Stakes. In her most recent start, Miss Empire finished third behind Bob Baffert's highly touted Executiveprivilege. While it comes off as a bit strange that Miss Empire is now being staged against the boys in a G2 event, I conclude that her connections know her best -- perhaps Miss Empire really is ready for a big sort of comeback. 2 year old fillies are notoriously inconsistent and difficult to bet on; if she's anything like the millions of females before her, Miss Empire may jolt back onto the racing scene with a very fine Best Pal performance. From her recent works, nothing but maintenance drills, it is very hard to tell.

(4) Scherer Magic. A gelding claimed into the Sadler barn out of a 7 length victory against maiden claimers, Scherer Magic parades into the Best Pal as the undefeated champion of the Hollywood Juvenile Championship Stakes (G3). I am always cheering for claimers gone black type, and certainly hope that Scherer Magic can string himself a garland of stakes wins. However, the final time for his Hollywood Juvenile win was slower than the fillies' stakes, carded at Hollywood Park at the same day and distance. His debut, too, was notably slow, just over 58 seconds for the 5 furlongs. The flip side of this is that Scherer Magic has been working very well; only days ago, he fired a 6 furlong bullet. Whether or not this gelding can win may be determined by the ferocity of the rest of the field. I have little doubt that Scherer Magic will put in a nice effort -- the question is if he's capable of persevering against tougher competition.

(5) Heir Kitty. A filly trained by Peter Miller. The Best Pal will serve as her introduction to dirt; Heir Kitty's only start was in a 6 furlong turf maiden special against other fillies. After pressuring the pace right from the get-go, Heir Kitty stole the lead and swept away with a gap of 4 lengths to the second place finisher. She has been working impressively over Del Mar's All Weather Track and seems to be entering the race on top form. While clearly talented, Heir Kitty is far from a stable betting decision. A circle of questions surround her, ranging from is she fast enough? to how will she take to the dirt? If you like a mystery, have at it.

(6) Amarish. A gelding trained by Jeff Bonde. Prior to self-destructing in the Hollywood Juvenile Championship, Amarish stacked up a maiden win of a gaping, 7 lengths and a 4 length triumph in the William L. Proctor Memorial Stakes -- both at Hollywood Park. I was extremely impressed with this colt's credentials, and went on to write an article about him. Before, that is, Amarish flailed on the lead in his third start and weakened into a very green sixth. Considering the razor-sharp fractions he set, it comes to no surprise the outcome of the race. Amarish set himself up for a definite failure. An untried, 2 year old colt, surviving off those fractions? I don't think so. That being said, the sudden failure might prove very good for this colt's future. Providing that he doesn't crash and burn as so many of the William Proctor's one-dimensional winners have, Amarish may learn to alter his running style and climb back into the Winner's Circle. While his only work at Del Mar, the slowest out of 53 others, tends to put the teeth on edge, it would certainly be a very, very good thing if Jeff Bonde is trying to teach the gelding to slow down and relax off the pace. I'm not - yet - giving up on this horse. He'll have to perform very well, though, to regain my respect.

(7) K Court. A colt trained by Janet Armstrong. It comes as no surprise that K Court is the longest price in the field. He has, after all, failed to find the Winner's Circle in the only two of his three starts that did not come in claiming company (2 furlong claiming company, to further elaborate). While he's coming out of a sharp blow of 59.80 for the 5 furlongs -- the second fastest out of twenty horses -- I can find very few things to like about this horse. Yes, this is horse racing. Anything can happen. Regardless, I would be very, very surprised if K Court held them off. He needs to take a huge leap of improvement.

(8) Know More. A colt trained by Doug O'Neill; bound to be a fan favorite as he's from the same barn as your Derby and Preakness winner. The mystery of the field, as he will be making his debut in this Grade 2 event. I have no opinions to press about this colt. If you like him, bet him. If you don't, don't. It would certainly be impressive if Know More is to break his maiden in stakes company! 

My Selections:

Miss Empire

 Moreno

Amarish

Who do you like in today's Best Pal? 

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Whitney Handicap 2012: Field Overview

As a household rule, Saturday is race day.
It is the day of the week I sit back with a iced mug of sweet tea, and lazily immerse myself in a full card of race watching -- eyes not straying from the glistening bodies of my favorite athletes: Thoroughbreds.
This Saturday, today, is no exception to that rule. A slew of brilliant races are lined up in my notepad. Today I am going to focus on just one of these outings: the Whitney Invitational Handicap.

The Whitney boasts a rich history of champions gone to post. In recent years, stars such as Blame, Lawyer Ron, Commentator (twice), Lemon Drop Kid, Victory Gallop, and Awesome Again have emerged as victors in the 1 and 1/8 mile romp. Historically, War Admiral, Kelso (three times), Dr. Fager and Alydar had their picture taken in the race's Winner's Circle. For many, the Whitney is best remembered for being the shocking race in which Triple Crown winner Secretariat lost to the obscure Onion, who never won again in anything but a claiming race.

In order of post position, let's go over this year's field.

Blame (left) scores in the Whitney

(1) Rule. A 5 year old stallion, trained by Todd Pletcher. In his only race this year, Rule won the 1 mile Monmouth Cup Stakes (G2). All three times he has raced at Saratoga, Rule has finished in the money. Around this time of last year, he won the Birdstone Stakes over the same track and distance of the Whitney.

(2) Hunters Bay. Another 5 year old stallion, trained by Reade Baker. Hunters Bay carries the co-lowest weight in the field, at only 115 pounds. He is coming into the Whitney out of three straight victories at Woodbine -- one of them just fractions over the track record. He has never raced or trained at the Spa.

(3) Caixa Eletronica. A 7 year old stallion, trained by Todd Pletcher. Caixa Eletronica has gone to post 55 times; on 18 occasions returning victorious. Most recently, he failed to fire in the James Marvin Stakes (G3), loping home fifth. A start before that, however, Caixa Eletronica triumphed in the True North Handicap (G2), and two before that came home the winner of the Charles Town Classic (G2). While inconsistent, Caixa Eletronica is a very gritty horse that I am immensely fond of. A while back, I wrote an article about him.

(4) Endorsement. A 5 year old horse, trained by Eoin G. Harty. Endorsement, like Hunter's Bay, is only carrying 115 pounds. He comes into the Whitney off of a last place finishing in the Suburban Handicap (G2) -- a race in which his trainer feels Endorsement was not acting like himself. Earlier in the year, Endorsement won the Texas Mile Stakes (G3) and set a new track record in a 1 and 1/16 mile Allowance Optional Claiming. He has been training well over the Saratoga track in spite of having never run over it.

(5) Trickmeister. A 5 year old stallion, trained by Richard Dutrow. This year's Donn Handicap marks the only race in which Trickmeister did not finish in the money. He has won four different stakes, including the Pleasant Colony Stakes, run under the same conditions as the Whitney. He has been breezing at Aqueduct, and has not been to Saratoga since the middle of 2010.

(6) Ron the Greek. A 5 year old horse, trained by William Mott. Carrying the top weight of 120 pounds, Ron the Greek is by far the favorite of the Whitney Handicap. Having not placed worse than second in his last seven starts, a win in the Whitney would mark Ron the Greek's third Grade 1 score of 2012. In his last start, Ron the Greek dominated a very tough field in the Stephen Foster Handicap (G1). Before that, he came second in the Oaklawn Handicap (G2), following a victory in the Santa Anita Handicap (G1). His only experience at Saratoga comes from a second place finish in a mile and an eighth Allowance Optional Claiming. He worked over the course on Sunday, completing four furlongs in 49.02.

(7) Flat Out. A 6 year old horse, trained by William Mott. Flat Out is the victor of last year's Suburban Handicap (G2) and Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1). He has had two starts at Saratoga, in both the Whitney (G1) and Woodward (G1); he was second in both. This year, while Flat Out hasn't seen the Winner's Circle,  he has improved with each start. In his most recent outing, he came second to Rule in the Monmouth Cup Stakes (G2). He has been working well on the dirt training track up to this point.

(8) Hymn Book. A 6 year old gelding, trained by Claude McGaughney. Hymn Book ships to Saratoga off of a second in the Suburban Handicap (G2). The Winner's Circle has eluded this gelding since his narrow victory in February's Donn Handicap (G1). He has never raced over Saratoga's main track.

(9) Fort Larned. A 4 year old colt, trained by Ian Wilkes. Fort Larned enters the Whitney off of a winning effort in the Cornhusker Handicap (G3) over Successful Dan. Today he will carry the same weight of 117 pounds. While Fort Larned has never raced at Saratoga, he is coming into the Whitney off of a series of very impressive works over the main track.


And there is your field for 2012's rendition of the Whitney Handicap.
It is a very wide open group, with no horses you could legitimately consider as ones to rule out.
That being said, I will place my money (all $2 of it..) on Caixa Eletronica.
While he doesn't visit the Winner's Circle every time out, and has never won a Grade 1 race, this horse seems overdue for some of his late stretch heroics.

Now who do you like in this year's Whitney?