Saratoga Victor Founder Among Standout Maiden Winners

This column highlights the performances of maidens who have made no more than five starts and who either sold for more than $500,000 at public auction, have siblings that are grade/group winners, or have dams that are grade/group winners. BloodHorse research shows maiden winners in particular who meet these criteria are more likely to go on to be graded stakes winners.

Saratoga

Jeff Drown and Don Rachel's Founder made his way to the winner's circle Aug. 29 at Saratoga Race Course after racing last of nine early on and rallying to win by a neck in his debut.

The Upstart  colt was bred in Kentucky by Lantern Hill Farm and purchased from the Woodford Thoroughbreds consignment to the Ocala Breeders' Sales March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training for $600,000. He is the first winner from two foals to race for his dam, the Bernstein mare Blue Beryl.

Trained by Chad Brown and ridden to victory in the six-furlong maiden test by Jose Ortiz, Founder broke in midpack, but fell to the back of the field as Newbomb set fractions of :21.86 and :44.81 through a half-mile. At that mark Founder had moved up to fifth and was fourth heading into the stretch.

With a furlong to go, Ortiz tried left-handed urging, which resulted in Founder ducking out sharply, but the colt straightened out and got up to win by a neck over Highly Motivated with a strong ride from Ortiz. He completed the distance in 1:10.01 on a sealed muddy track.

Del Mar

Waspirant also broke through the maiden ranks Saturday, but on the opposite coast at Del Mar. The 2-year-old Union Rags  colt is out of Pam and Martin Wygod's dual grade 1-winning Storm Cat mare Life Is Sweet.

Bred by the Wygods, Waspirant is campaigned in partnership with Lessee Wygod and trained by John Shirreffs.

Making his second start Saturday, he raced just off the pace under Umberto Rispoli, then closed quickly late in the stretch of the one-mile contest to score by three-quarters of a length in a final time of 1:40.03 on a fast track. In his Aug. 8 debut at six furlongs on the Southern California track, Waspirant raced in sixth under Rispoli but had little to give at the end and finished fourth.

On the following day at the same track, Baoma Corporation's Varda won on debut for trainer Bob Baffert. The 2-year-old Distorted Humor  filly was a $700,000 purchase by the owners at the OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, where she was consigned by Niall Brennan Stables.

Bred by Masters 2013 and Distorted Humor Syndicate in New York, Varda is out of the Sky Mesa  mare She'll Be Right. Her female family traces to the likes of last year's Natalma Stakes (G1T) winner Abscond; Overarching, a group 1 winner and champion in South Africa; and graded stakes winners Cambodia and Temeraine.

In Sunday's six-furlong contest, Varda sat behind I'm the Boss of Me as a quarter-mile went in :22.40, but took over to post a half-mile in :46.36. Ridden by Drayden Van Dyke, Varda raced comfortably on the lead and opened up in the stretch to score by 3 1/4 lengths. She completed the distance in 1:11.67 over a fast track.

Ellis

Summerplace Farm's homebred Torsie's Charm found the winner's circle Saturday with a decisive 4 1/2-length score in her second start at Ellis Park. The 2-year-old More Than Ready  filly, trained by Eddie Kenneally, is out of the graded stakes winner Heavenly Landing, by Pulpit.

Jockey Joe Talamo guided the filly to the lead in the seven-furlong dirt test, where she held a contested lead through fractions of :23.06 and :46.38 before shaking off her foes and opening up her lead in the stretch. With no competition she was geared down crossing the wire in a final time of 1:24.01 on a track labeled good.

In her July 26 debut, Torsie's Charm was placed midpack and never fired in a one-mile maiden race, finishing ninth and last on firm turf.