Empire House, Overtook Among High-Priced 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.

Los Alamitos

Tommy Town Thoroughbreds' Empire House, the first foal out of Mama Yay, a full sister to grade 1 winner and sire Dialed In , won his second start Dec. 18 at Los Alamitos Race Course.

The Empire Maker filly was purchased by Tommy Town for $500,000 at last year's Keeneland September Yearling Sale where she was consigned by St. George Sales. Bred by Lakland Farm in Kentucky, Empire House's pedigree is filled with black-type winners, including grade 2 winner and 2012 Kentucky Oaks (G1) runner-up Broadway's Alibi, grade 3 winner Golden Lad , grade 1-placed stakes winner R Gypsy Gold, and 1992 champion 2-year-old filly Eliza, who is her third dam.

Trained by Jonathan Wong, Empire House came in second in her Nov. 21 debut at Del Mar, where she faced a field of six other 2-year-old fillies going 6 1/2 furlongs. Off as the favorite in Friday's 5 1/2-furlong test, she raced just behind the leader under jockey Ricardo Gonzalez as the first quarter-mile went in :21.77 and a half-mile went in :45.23.

Empire House moved up on the pacesetter from the outside and took over in upper stretch, finishing in a final time of 1:04.39 and 1 1/4 lengths in front.

Aqueduct

Overtook, a $1 million Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase out of grade 1 winner Got Lucky, broke his maiden Dec. 20 in a one-mile test at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by Todd Pletcher for the partnership of Repole Stable, St. Elias Stable, Michael Tabor, Susan Magnier, and Derrick Smith, the Curlin  colt was making his third start Sunday, under the guidance of Eric Cancel.

Positioned near the back of the nine-horse field through the first half-mile, Overtook began picking off horses around the turn for home. He was fanned six wide but maintained forward momentum and rallied strong in the stretch run to win by two lengths. He completed the distance in 1:40.25 on a fast track.

Bred in Kentucky by Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings and Philip Steinberg, Overtook's third dam is Get Lucky, a full sister to 1989 champion juvenile colt Rhythm and Maryland's late top sire Not For Love. She is also a half sister to grade 1-placed winner Offbeat. Get Lucky touts a long line of grade 1 winners whether directly or indirectly through her daughters. She has produced sires Girolamo, Accelerator, Harborage, and Fighting Brave, and her daughters have produced grade 1 winners Super Saver , Bluegrass Cat, Imagining , and graded stakes winners Brethren  and Dramedy, among others.

Gulfstream Park

Racing at Gulfstream Park continues to produce notable winners, with Kentucky Pharoah, a Calumet Farm homebred out of grade 2 winner Strut the Course, and St. George Stable's homebred No Que No, out of graded stakes winner Proud Heiress, both breaking through the maiden ranks.

Kentucky Pharoah, trained by Jack Sisterson, earned his win Dec. 19 in his third start while going one mile on turf.

Under Julien Leparoux, the juvenile son of American Pharoah  was away from the gate quickly and hustled to the lead. He maintained a one-length lead through six furlongs and then pulled away to win by 3 3/4 lengths in a final time of 1:37.28 on a firm course.

Kentucky Pharoah is the first foal out of the Strut the Stage mare Strut the Course, who earned over $1 million on the racetrack.

The following day, No Que No won his second start in a five-furlong turf test. Ridden to the lead at the start by Edgard Zayas, No Que No set fractions of :22.51 and :44.96 for a half-mile before drawing away to a clear 1 1/4-length victory in a final time of :56.68 on firm turf.

The More Than Ready  colt is trained by Fausto Gutierrez. In his Nov. 15 debut at Gulfstream Park West, No Que No placed third while contending 5 1/2 furlongs on dirt.

Shadwell Stable's homebred Zaajel also won Sunday for Pletcher, who is on his way to another Championship Meet title. The Street Sense  filly is not a sibling to a graded stakes winner, but is a half sister to last year's Remsen Stakes (G2) runner up Ajaaweed. Zaajel ran off to a 7 1/4-length victory in a seven-furlong dirt test in her debut.

Fair Grounds

Palazzi and Regular Guy found their way to the winner's circle Saturday at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.

John Oxley's Palazzi won in his fifth start for trainer Mark Casse, taking a one-mile maiden test on turf. The Pioneerof the Nile colt was bumped at the start and ran second to last in the 14-horse field through the opening quarter. Jockey Shaun Bridgmohan guided Palazzi five wide turning for the stretch and the colt was bumped again but rallied to a one-length win in a final time of 1:37.15 on the firm going.

Bred by HnR Nothhaft Horseracing and Pioneerof the Nile Syndicate, Palazzi is out of the multiple graded-placed Indian Charlie stakes winner Kindle. He was bought by Team Casse for $510,000 at The Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton's select yearling sale in New York.

Coffeepot Stables' homebred Regular Guy won his fourth start for trainer Wayne Catalano in a 1 1/16-mile maiden test on Fair Grounds' main track. The Bernardini  colt, out of graded-placed stakes winner Rebridled Dreams, is a half brother to grade 1 winners J. B.'s Thunder and Carpe Diem  and multiple graded stakes winner and millionaire Farrell.

Racing under Florent Geroux, Regular Guy stalked the pace in third on the outside, moved up to take over the lead in the upper stretch, and finished well to get the distance in 1:46.91 on a fast track a half-length in front.