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.