Lansdowne Impresses in Debut at Churchill Downs

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.

Churchill Downs

As 2-year-old races increase in frequency through late spring, two with stakes-winning siblings found the winner's circle this week at Churchill Downs.

Willis Horton Racing's Lansdowne  won a five-furlong maiden test May 22 in his debut. The Super Saver   colt, a half brother to dual grade 1 winner Midnight Lucky , scored a 1 1/2-length victory for trainer Dallas Stewart.

Lansdowne was out of the gate second under jockey Jon Court, but quickly took over the lead, setting fractions of :22.56 and :45.55 through a half-mile. The pair went wire-to-wire in a final time of :58.13 on a fast track.

Bred by Charles Fipke, Lansdowne is out of the Citidancer mare Citiview, a full sister to 1999 La Brea Stakes (G1) winner Hookedonthefeelin , the dam of multiple grade 1 winner Pussycat Doll  and grade 1 winner and sire Jimmy Creed  .

Earlier in the week, Cartel Queen  posted a 2 1/4-length win for trainer Tom Amoss, taking a five-furlong maiden test for 2-year-old fillies.

The Cairo Prince   filly, ridden by Colby Hernandez, stalked the pace in third as the leader set fractions of :22.07 and :45.56 through four furlongs. In the stretch she moved into second, while altering course from outside back to inside and then splitting horses to get up for the win in a final time of :58.12 on a fast track.

Cartel Queen finished second in her April 22 debut at Keeneland after hopping slightly at the break.

Bred by Buck Pond Farm and Rob Auerbach, Cartel Queen is out of the grade 3-winning Milwaukee Brew mare Peach Brew , a half sister to millionaire She's All In . Peach Brew also produced Sydney Freeman , a stakes-winning daughter of Tizway .

Belmont Park

Another 2-year-old of note made her presence known in her debut at Belmont Park.

CJ Thoroughbreds' Miss Alacrity  romped to a 10-length victory for trainer Wesley Ward May 20 at the New York track. The Munnings   daughter faced four other state-bred fillies in the five-furlong maiden race.

Ridden by John Velazquez, Miss Alacrity was second as a quarter-mile went in :22.42 after being bumped, but she soon took over the lead and got a half-mile in :46.17. With no competition coming for her, the filly opened a five-length lead in the stretch, widening that margin under a hand ride to finish in :58.93 on the fast track.

Bred by Milfer Farm, Miss Alacrity is out of the multiple graded stakes winner Just Jenda  (by Menifee ), who has also produced stakes winner Jenda's Agenda .

*Denotes 3-year-old