Prime Factor Impressive in Debut at Gulfstream Park

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.

Gulfstream Park

Prime Factor impressed in his debut at Gulfstream Park, taking a six-furlong maiden test Dec. 12 for trainer Todd Pletcher and owners China Horse Club and WinStar Farm, backing the owners' decision to pay nearly $1 million for the son of Quality Road .

The colt outran a field of eight other 2-year-olds, romping by 8 3/4 lengths under a hand ride by jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. Prime Factor was second as the first quarter-mile went in :22.27, but soon took over the lead to post a half-mile in :45.33. From that point he opened his lead and finished the distance in 1:10.38 on a fast track.

Bred by Two Hearts Farm in Kentucky, the colt out of the Bernardini  mare Haylie Brae sold to the partners for $900,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale where he was consigned by Legacy Bloodstock. His second dam is Dance Swiftly, an unraced full sister to Canadian Horse of the Year, Canadian broomare of the year, and United States champion Dance Smartly and is the dam of grade 3 winner and sire Speightster .

The following day, Chess's Dream found his way to the winner's circle at Gulfstream in his fourth start. The Jess's Dream  colt finished second in his first two races before finishing off the board in a Florida Sire stakes race.

Chess's Dream is a half brother to grade 2 winner Casa Creed. He was bred by Loren Nichols in Florida out of the Bellamy Road  mare Achalaya.

Racing about 7 1/2 furlongs on turf for trainer Mike Maker and owners Michael Dubb, Steven Bouchey, Bethlehem Stables, and Chester Bishop, Chess's Dream broke in midpack under Ortiz, made a four-wide bid heading into the stretch to take the lead, and pulled away to a five-length score. He finished in a final time of 1:30.14 on a firm course.

Los Alamitos

Two race favorites in a one-mile Los Alamitos Race Course maiden special weight vied in the final furlong to finish one-two Dec. 13, with 2-year-old filly Moonlight d'Oro topping Frosteria by three lengths at the wire.

Moonlight d'Oro, trained by Richard Mandella for MyRacehorse.com and Spendthrift Farm, raced just behind the pace set by Frosteria, who turned in times of :23.41 and :47.36 through a half-mile. Ridden by Flavien Prat, Moonlight d'Oro got a head in front as six furlongs went in 1:11.44 and the pair was soon pulling away from the rest of the field.

But the daughter of Medaglia d'Oro  was the better of the two Sunday and galloped home in front in a final time of 1:35.58 on a fast track.

Moonlight d'Oro was bred by Stonehaven Steadings in Kentucky, who consigned the filly to the Keeneland September Yearling Sale where she sold to Spendthrift for $620,000. Her dam, Venetian Sonata, is a full sister to 2011 Indiana Derby (G2) winner Wilburn.

Godolphin's Frosteria, a daughter of Frosted  out of grade 1 winner Hystericalady, has placed second in three starts to date for trainer Bob Baffert.

Moonlight d'Oro finished second in her Aug. 2 debut at Del Mar and followed up at the Southern California track with a third Nov. 7 before taking the Los Alamitos race Sunday.

Fair Grounds

Flurry Racing Stables' Guice won on debut Saturday for trainer Ron Faucheux, taking a six-furlong maiden test by two lengths at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. Guice is a half brother to graded stakes winner Vertical Oak.

Brian Hernandez Jr. rode the Half Ours  colt to victory, sitting just off the pace set by Cajun Cannon. Guice took over after the half-mile went in :46.68 and drove home in a final time of 1:13.20 on a sealed muddy track.

Bred by Warran Harang in Louisiana, Guice is out of the Pollard's Vision mare Vertical Vision.