Highway Bound Among Godolphin-Breds to Win Maidens

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.

Belmont

Godolphin homebred Highway Bound, an Into Mischief  colt out of grade 1 winner Seventh Street, won his second start, a six-furlong maiden special weight Oct. 30 at Belmont Park. Highway Bound is also a half brother to two graded stakes performers.

Trained by Bill Mott, 2-year-old Highway Bound finished off the board in his Sept. 27 debut at Belmont after getting out of the gate slow and then being forced to steady.

In Friday's race, Highway Bound and jockey Junior Alvarado led from the gate, setting fractions of :22.85, :46.05, and :57.96 through five furlongs. The pair drew away to a three-length lead in the stretch before finishing up in 1:10.92, with Nepotism cutting the lead to 1 3/4 lengths at the wire.

Godolphin agent John Ferguson went to $1 million for Seventh Street as a 2-year-old in 2007. Unraced at 2, the daughter of Street Cry won two of her three starts at 3 and at 4 she won or placed second in six of seven starts, including wins in the 2009 Apple Blossom (G1) and Go For Wand (G1) handicaps.

Stuart Janney III's homebred Island Treasure also found the winner's circle in her second start at Belmont for trainer Shug McGaughey.

The 2-year-old Speightstown  filly is out of the multiple graded stakes-winning Smart Strike mare Hit It Rich. Ridden by Jose Lezcano, Island Treasure sat behind the leader who set slow fractions in the 1 1/16-mile test on yielding turf. After six furlongs in 1:18.66, Island Treasure took over the lead and then quickened the pace to pull clear and win by 1 1/4 lengths in 1:50.34.

In her first start Sept. 19, Island Treasure tired to finish 10th and last while racing a mile on firm turf.

Churchill

John Dewberry's juvenile Princess Theorem broke through the maiden ranks in her second start Friday at Churchill Downs, taking a 1 1/16-mile test by 3 3/4 lengths.

Bred by Barry and Judith Becker in Kentucky, Princess Theorem is out of the grade 2-winning Princess Haya, another Street Cry mare who also produced Lady Kate, runner-up in this year's La Troienne Stakes Presented by Oak Grove Racing and Gaming (G1), and the graded stakes-placed Prince of Arabia.

Princess Theorem rated in third under Brian Hernandez Jr. before driving home in the stretch to win in a final time of 1:44.72. The Nyquist  filly, trained by Brendan Walsh, finished third in her Sept. 19 debut at the Louisville oval.

Del Mar

Trainer Bob Baffert saddled twice grade 1-placed Spielberg to his first win Sunday at Del Mar. The Union Rags  colt was a $1 million purchase by SF Racing, Starlight Racing, and Madaket Stables, who are co-owners with several partners, from the Lane's End consignment at last year's Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Spielberg was second in his debut Aug. 8, then returned in the Sept. 7 Runhappy Del Mar Futurity (G1) to again place second, and then he finished third in the Sept. 26 American Pharoah Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park. He raced a mile Sunday, winning by a neck while ridden by Abel Cedillo in a final time of 1:38.07 on a fast track.

Bred by G. Watts Humphrey Jr. in Kentucky, Spielberg is out of the Smart Strike mare Miss Squeal. His third dam is grade 1 winner Dream Deal who is in turn out of grade 1 winner Likely Exchange.

Indiana Grand

Earlier in the week, Michael De Broglio's homebred Burning Ambition won a one-mile-and 70-yard maiden test Monday for 2-year-old fillies in her second start for trainer Brad Cox at Indiana Grand.

The Kentucky-bred Uncle Mo  filly, out of the South African group 1-winning mare Do You Remember, raced in second under Fernando De La Cruz as the leader set modest fractions on a sealed track labeled good. Burning Ambition led at the six-furlong mark, but battled with Battle Bling through the stretch. The pair was 12 lengths ahead when they crossed the finish line a neck apart in a final time of 1:43.73.

Burning Ambition debuted Sept. 18 at Arlington International Racecourse where she finished second in a one-mile turf test, missing by three-quarters of a length.

On Wednesday another Godolphin homebred trained by Walsh, Cave Hill, outran a field of seven other 2-year-olds by six lengths in his second start at Indiana Grand.

The Frosted  colt is out of the Broad Brush mare Painted Lady, who is also the dam of multiple grade 2 winner Skylighter. The colt's second dam is multiple grade 1 winner Nastique, by Naskra.

Ridden to victory by Alex Canchari, Cave Hill was second through the first quarter-mile, but took over soon after to lead the rest of the one-mile-and-70 yard maiden race. He completed the distance in 1:43.54 over a sealed, sloppy track.

In his first start Cave Hill raced further back in a one-mile turf race Oct. 6, and managed to move up from seventh to fifth with a late burst.

Laurel

Another Broad Brush mare produced a notable winner at Laurel Park Thursday in Gherardini. The Bernardini  filly is out of Brush Hour, who is also the dam of grade 2 winner Brushed by a Star who was third in the 2013 Santa Margarita Stakes (G1).

Winning on debut for owners Madaket Stables, Wonder Stables, Robert LaPenta, and trainer Brittany Russell, Gherardini was off to a slow start under Sheldon Russell before advancing in the turn for home and rallying to a 5 1/2-length win while getting a mile in 1:41.41 on a sloppy, sealed track.

Bred by Tony Holmes and Godolphin in Kentucky, Gherardini was purchased by BSW Bloodstock-Liz Crow, agent, for $150,000 from the Warrendale Sales consignment to the Keeneland September sale.