An Interesting Race

I have always wanted to focus on one maiden race and see what happens to the runners.

The race is a 1 1/16 miles on the turf at Belmont two races before the Peter Pan.

The race features many beautifully bred fillies. Here is the lineup:

1. Tetella, is a Brad Cox firster by More Than Ready that a small owner paid $200,000 for as a Keeneland yearling. Cox is not great with firsters over a mile, so let’s just watch this one. e has only used Junior Alvarado once in two years.
2. Traffic Song, a Jimmie Toner trainee is a $125,000 Cross Traffic that ran a 68 Beyer is a Gulfstream turf mile in March. The second dam was multiple graded stakes placed for the Phipps. This is an interesting horse with fast works at Fair Hills. Kendrick might even put him on the lead.
3. Lily Simone, my favorite, a homebred for David Donk and breeder Robert Spiegel. The second dam was Spiegel’s top earner, and a graded stakes winner on the turf. The cross with Hard Spun is similar to Spun to Run. Maybe 1 1/16 miles is too far, but the Hard Spun’s can surprise you. Johnny Velasquesz picks up the mount, and he seldom rides for Donk.
4. Now Yus Cant Leave is a $285,000 Tonalist 2 year old in training. It has taken a long time to get to the races, but that is a lot for a Tonalist. Tom Morley is a solid young trainer. This is an interesting horse.
5. In Italian, is a Chad Brown second time starter that nearly won a cheap maiden race at Tampa with only a 65 Beyer. I will gladly play against him, even though Irad rides. By Dubawi out of a strange Australian mare
6. Columbe D’Oro is a well bred Shug firster that was a $500,000 yearling. I hope he needs a race or two.
7. Infinite Potential is an Irish bred Chad Brown for my former client Seth Klarman. The workout guys like this horse. Might need more distance, but I will play her just in case
8. Palamos nearly won here maiden race at Aqueduct last November with an 80 Beyer. The daughter of Blame is solid, but I will try to beat her for no good reason.
9. Flaming Rouge ran some nice races in France but looks like she wants more distance. She is Kitten’s Joy out of a Woodman mare for Clement. Rosario has already won 4 races, but I will play against.
10. Bonkers, is an interesting daughter of Bernardini out of a Kitten’s Joy mare. The horse moves up from Arnaud Delecour to Mike Maker for the sharp guys at Three Diamonds. She ran some decent races last year, and Maker could help her improve.

I am 5 deep in the pick 6 with 2,3,4,7, and 10, after winning to first two legs at short prices. I am singled in the last race to a Jack Milton horse I selected in the July Ocala sale. At ten minutes to post the 5 is even money, I think I have 5 good shots against him.

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Chad’s Tampa shipper got an easy lead, was never threatened, and won easy. All those great ideas loomed at the top of the stretch, but when the running started, only Chad had horse. Maybe the pace was too soft, or maybe all those fancy horses are just bad. The Equibase fig for the winner was only 86, so if the winning Beyer was maybe 73. After a slow 49.40, the winner did come home sub 29.00 the last 2.5 furlongs.

The French distance horse got up for 2nd, and Chad’s other horse got 3rd, my longshots were 6th through 9th.

We will find out over time if any of these horses get better, let’s watch.

It is interesting to note that the winner was a $600,000 yearling at Tatersalls in October of 2019. That was not listed in the Daily Racing Form. It is always nice to see reformed felon Peter Brant win another race. %$#$$%$#$$%%%6*&%%#, cursing omitted.

Why in the world was this horse at Tampa? He lost by a neck an would have cost his owner at least $40,000 if he had won that race. What am I missing?