$1.05 Million Ghazaaly Breaks Maiden at Keeneland

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.

Keeneland

The opening weekend of the Keeneland spring meet marked the first win for Shadwell Stable's Ghazaaly , a $1.05 million Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase. The Curlin   colt won a 1 1/8-mile maiden test for 3-year-olds April 3 by two lengths.

Bred by Hinkle Farms, Ghazaaly was purchased by Shadwell from his breeder and is out of the Giant's Causeway mare Transportation, a half sister to graded stakes winner and sire Alternation   and to grade 1 winner Higher Power  .

Trained by Todd Pletcher, Ghazaaly has improved with each of his starts. The colt finished third in his Jan. 23 debut and his most recent effort produced a runner-up finish Feb. 20; both were at Gulfstream Park.

In the April 3 race, Ghazaaly stalked the leader from second with Luis Saez aboard. American Law  led to post fractions of :24.57 and :49.02 through a half-mile, but as he got six furlongs in 1:13.13 Ghazaaly was just a head behind to his outside. The pair dueled around the turn, but Ghazaaly was able to get the best of American Law in the stretch.

Ghazaaly finished the distance in a final time of 1:50.49 on a fast track.

A day prior, one other of note found her way to the winner's circle at Keeneland in her fourth start. Reiko and Michael Baum's Illiogami  got a head in front to win a 1 1/16-mile maiden race for 3-year-old fillies.

Illiogami, Hip 1 at the 2019 Keeneland September sale, was bred by her current owners and The Tapit Syndicate. Her owners paid $400,000 to buy the Tapit   filly outright from the Gainesway consignment. She is out of the Falco mare Odeliz , a group 1 winner in France and Italy.

Trained by Rusty Arnold and ridden by Julien Leparoux, Illiogami broke from the gate last in the nine-horse field and was eighth after a quarter-mile in :24.05. At the half-mile mark she had moved to seventh where she remained until she swung four wide coming off the turn and rallied to take on the leaders. She was able to get a head in front of Precipitate , who had led the entire way, at the wire.

The final time for the 1 1/16 miles was 1:44.02 on a fast track.

Illiogami made her debut as a 2-year-old during Keeneland's fall meet Oct. 4 but finished fifth. She returned in November at Churchill Downs to place second in both of her next races prior to getting some time off and returning Friday.

Gulfstream

Pletcher had another maiden winner April 2 when Harrell Ventures' Dr Jack  took a 6 1/2-furlong maiden race in his debut at Gulfstream Park.

The Pioneerof the Nile colt was ridden to a 1 1/4-length score by Joe Bravo, defeating a field of six other 3-year-olds. Dr Jack was second through the first quarter-mile but then took over the lead to post a half-mile fraction of :46.98. Under mild urging through the stretch, Dr Jack finished in 1:17.66 on a fast track.

Bred by Ashview Farm and Colts Neck Stables, Dr Jack is out of the A.P. Indy mare Marion Ravenwood , the dam of the March 6 Santa Anita Handicap (G1) winner, Idol  (by Curlin). The stakes-winning mare has produced two other foals since Dr Jack.

Sam Houston

Three of note won this week at Sam Houston Race Park. The first, Leonard Blach and B. Ray Willis' Grey Storm , took an April 1 maiden special weight by a half-length in his fifth start.

The Tapit colt trained by Todd Fincher was bred by Arnold Zetcher and The Tapit Syndicate and is out of the Crimson Tide mare Zardana , a grade 2 winner who also produced grade 2-placed Sonneman .

Ridden by Shane Laviolette Friday in the 1 1/16-mile turf test, Grey Storm settled mid pack in the 12-horse field before rallying in the stretch. He stopped the clock in 1:45.53 on a firm course.

The following day, Tom Durant's homebred Fashion Rage  took a 6 1/2-furlong maiden contest for 3-year-old fillies. The daughter of Will Take Charge   is out of the grade 3-winning Sky Mesa   mare Final Mesa .

Fashion Rage settled mid pack before being ridden determinedly six wide by Lindey Wade from behind a wall of horses. Driving through the stretch, Fashion Rage ran down Van Haven  to post a 1 1/4-length win in a final time of 1:18.63 on a fast track.

Trained by Bret Calhoun, Fashion Rage had finished second at Sam Houston in her only other start Feb. 25.

On Saturday, Andrew Reynolds' Breaking the Bank  also broke his maiden, taking a 6 1/2-furlong maiden race at Sam Houston in his second start. The Gemolgist colt, also trained by Calhoun, was bred by Tony Holmes and is out of multiple grade 2 winner Bank Audit .

Ridden by Ry Eikleberry, Breaking the Bank led from the start while vying with Five Dreams  through the first quarter-mile, which went in :23.02, and then with Creative Letters  through a half-mile in :46.68. He was able to pull clear in the stretch and finish one length ahead of Five Dreams who resurged. The final time for the distance was 1:18.58 on a fast track.

Breaking the Bank had finished fourth in his debut at Churchill Downs last May as a 2-year-old.