Paradise Song Among Three of Note to Break 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.

Laurel

Sonata Stable's Paradise Song earned her first win Jan. 15, taking a six-furlong maiden test for 3-year-old fillies at Laurel Park. The Frosted  filly, who is a half sister to 2019 Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) winner Spun to Run , defeated a field of six others by 3 1/4 lengths in her second start.

Ridden by Julian Pimentel for trainer Michael Trombetta, Paradise Song was second as the first quarter-mile went in :22.92, but then ranged up along the outside of the leader and took the lead to post a half-mile time of :46.64. She then galloped out to finish the six furlongs in 1:10.84 on a fast track.

In her Nov. 29 debut, Paradise Song finished seventh and last in a maiden test at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Bred by Sabana Farm in Kentucky, Paradise Song is out of the Grand Slam mare Yawkey Way, who won a minor stakes at Saratoga Race Course, and aside from producing Spun to Run, she is also the dam of stakes winner Tap It All.

Golden Gate

Trainer Michael Lenzini sent out Cristiano's Dream to a debut win Jan. 17 at Golden Gate Fields. The Tourist  colt, a half brother to graded stakes winner Gold Rush Dancer, rallied to a 3 1/2-length win in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight race on the all-weather track against seven other California-bred 3-year-olds.

Cristiano's Dream raced in sixth under jockey Erick Lopez before picking off runners five wide on the turn. He was a head in front coming into the stretch and pulled away in a final time of 1:04.59.

Bred in California by his owner John Parker, Cristiano's Dream is out of the unraced In Excess mare Dances On Water.

Tampa Bay

Michael Dini's Double Blessed found the winner's circle in her fourth start Jan. 17, taking a 1 1/8-mile turf test for 3-year-old fillies at Tampa Bay Downs.

The Treasure Beach  filly is trained by her owner and is out of Canada's 2009 champion grass mare Points of Grace. 

Double Blessed raced in fifth through the first six furlongs, but was asked for more by jockey Tomas Mejia and responded well in the stretch. She just got a head in front as they crossed the wire, posting a final time of 1:51.70 on firm turf.

The filly finished third in the Juvenile Fillies Turf Stakes at Gulfstream Park West in her second start, but was fourth in her two other maiden tests, which came at Monmouth Park and Tampa Bay.

Double Blessed was bred by Helen and Joseph Barbazon in Florida. Points of Grace, by Point Given, also produced Natalma Stakes (G1T) winner Victory to Victory, who was named Canada's 2016 champion 2-year-old filly.