Eight of Note Make Their Mark Heading Into New Year

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.

Santa Anita

Three maidens found their way to the winner's circle at Santa Anita Park over New Year's week. The first came Dec. 31 when Little Red Feather Racing's then 2-year-old St Helena won her third start by a nose at the Southern California track.

Ridden to victory by Mario Gutierrez in the one-mile turf test, the Florida-bred Bluegrass Cat filly rated in fifth after being bumped at the start before accelerating to stalk the leader. Second in the stretch, St Helena took over just after the sixteenth pole and outlasted the late run of Warrens Candy Girl to finish in a final time of 1:37.23 on firm turf.

Bred by Frank Mermenstein and Tom McCrocklin, St Helena is out of the Stravinsky mare Russian River, who is also the dam of grade 2 winner Marckie's Water.

The following day, Hronis Racing and David Michael Talla's Rock Your World won his debut, taking a six-furlong turf race for trainer John Sadler. The 3-year-old Candy Ride  colt was bought for $650,000 at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale where he was consigned by Winter Quarter Farm.

Ridden by Joel Rosario, Rock Your World was fifth out of the gate and third after a quarter-mile in :21.71 while vying with the leaders. Taking over by the half-mile pole, Rock Your World pulled away in the stretch, but Harbored Memories rallied to within 1 3/4 lengths at the wire. He completed the six furlongs in 1:08.47 on firm turf.

Bred by Ron and Deborah McAnally, Rock Your World is out of the grade 1-placed Empire Maker mare Charm the Maker, a half sister to grade 2 winner Liam the Charmer. His third dam is the grade 1-placed Olympic Charmer.

And then finally, Don Alberto Stable and Qatar Racing's Roman Centurian won a 1 1/16-mile maiden test Jan. 3 in his second start. The newly-turned 3-year-old son of the late Empire Maker was purchased by agent Ben McElroy for $550,000 at the Keeneland September sale, where he was consigned by Denali Stud.

Roman Centurian is out of Phipps Stable's Spare Change, herself a daughter Bernardini  and grade 1 winner Finder's Fee. From a long line of Ogden Phipps-bred mares, Roman Centurian's third dam Fantastic Find was also a grade 1 winner out of Blitey, who produced 1989 Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) winner Dancing Spree and 1999 Ballerina Handicap (G1) winner Furlough.

Trained by Simon Callaghan, Roman Centurian was ridden to victory by Juan Hernandez. The pair raced near the back of the field through the first six furlongs, moving up to seventh as they rounded the turn for home. He closed down the center of the track in the stretch, gaining on the leader with every stride, and drew off to a 3 3/4-length win in a final time of 1:44.88 on a fast track.

Fair Grounds

On New Year's Eve trainer Brad Cox saddled OXO Equine's $1.4 million Keeneland September purchase, Kittansett, to a 5 1/4-length victory at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.

Originally slated to run on the turf, the American Pharoah  colt's Dec. 31 score came against a field of six other 3-year-olds, which turned 4 the following day, on a sloppy, sealed main track.

Kittansett, who debuted at Saratoga Race Course in August 2019 and was away until his maiden victory, was positioned in second while three wide early in the race by jockey Florent Geroux. He was just a head from the leader, Brew Crew, who set fractions of :23.94 and :47.95 through a half-mile, but took over after six furlongs went in 1:12.86.

Bred by Sierra Farm, who also consigned the colt to the Keeneland sale, Kittansett is out of the grade 1-placed, grade 2 winner Bsharpsonata, by Pulpit. He is the sixth foal out of his dam, who has four other winners from four others to race so far.

Gulfstream/Tampa

On Dec. 30, 2-year-old Marlborough Road earned a one-length win two days before his third birthday in a one-mile turf test at Tampa Bay Downs.

Racing on firm turf, the Irish-bred daughter of The Gurkha came from off the pace to take over in the stretch under jockey Daniel Centeno. She completed the mile in 1:38.11.

Bred by Coolmore and trained by Brendan Walsh for owner John McCormack, Marlborough Road is out of the Storm Cat mare Song to Remember, who also produced grade 1 winner Magnificent Song as well as the grade 2-placed Great Barrier Reef, grade 3-placed Park Avenue (IRE), and grade 3-placed Galileo's Song.

Candace O also claimed her first victory as a juvenile in her third start, taking a turf test at about 7 1/2 furlongs Dec. 30 at Gulfstream Park. Owned by River Oak Farm, the Declaration of War filly is a full sister to grade 3 winner Opry.

Trained by Graham Motion and ridden by Jose Ortiz, Candace O raced in second behind moderate fractions through a half-mile, vied with the leader on the outside, and then pulled clear. She then repelled a late rally from Cadencia to win by a neck. She finished in 1:30.64 on firm turf.

Candace O was bred by Crosshaven Bloodstock in Kentucky and is out of the Speightstown  mare That Voodoo Youdo.

The following day at Gulfstream Park, Miss Tapirado was able to squeeze in a 3-year-old maiden win in her second start for trainer Bill Mott and Prince Sultan bin Mishal Al Saud. The Tapit  filly, out of grade 1 winner My Conquestadory, won by a neck going a mile on firm turf.

And on New Year's Day back at Tampa Bay, Tapwood made a good start to his 3-year-old season in his fifth start when he got his nose over the wire first. The Godolphin homebred son of Tapit is out of the grade 1-winning Ghostzapper  mare Better Lucky, who is also the dam of the 2019 Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3) runner-up Kentucky Wildcat, also by Tapit.