Velvet Sister, Land Remembered First-Out 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.

Belmont

Stonestreet Stables paid $500,000 for Velvet Sister  this spring at The Gulfstream Sale, Fasig-Tipton's select sale of 2-year-old's in training, and in her debut June 10, the Bernardini   filly showed signs of promise. The filly trained by Steve Asmussen romped to a 9 3/4-length score in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden test for 2-year-old fillies at Belmont Park.

Ridden by Joel Rosario, Velvet Sister broke sharply and led through fractions of :22.72, :46.50, and 59.51 before drawing away from two rivals under a hand ride to finish in 1:06.47 on a fast track.

Bred by Michelle Nevin and Godolphin in New York, Velvet Sister is out of the Sharp Humor  mare Backslash, who also produced stakes winner My Boy Tate . Velvet Sister was bought by Quarter Pole Enterprises as a yearling for $165,000 and was consigned to The Gulfstream Sale by Eddie Woods.

Arlington

Sweet Pea Stable's Land Remembered  also made a successful debut Thursday at Arlington International Racecourse. The 2-year-old Cairo Prince   colt trained by Larry Rivelli won a 4 1/2-furlong maiden test by 4 3/4 lengths.

Jockey E. T. Baird rushed Land Remembered to the lead and the pair set fractions of :23.12 and :47.02 through four furlongs. They then finished in :53.44 on the fast track.

Bred by Brereton Jones, Land Remembered is the first foal out of the grade 3-winning Stevie Wonderboy  mare Covey Trace .

3-Year-Olds

Several late-blooming sophomores of note found the winner's circle this week.

Clearview Stable's Irish Unity  won his June 12 debut at Lone Star Park by 4 1/4 lengths. The Pioneerof the Nile gelding, another trained by Asmussen, is a half brother to grade 1 winner and sire New Year's Day , grade 2 winner and sire Mohaymen  , and grade 3 winners Kingly  and Enforceable .

Irish Unity drew off in the stretch of the 6 1/2-furlong maiden special weight race under Stewart Elliott after leading most of the way. The pair finished in a final time of 1:17.48 on a fast track.

Bred by Clearsky Farms, Irish Unity is out of the grade 2-winning Dixie Union mare Justwhistledixie .

Also racing Saturday, Charles Fipke homebred Speightstown Shirl  won her fourth start, taking a one-mile turf event for fillies and mares 3 and up at Woodbine after finishing second in her first three starts.

The Speightstown   filly, trained by Roger Attfield, is out of the grade 1-winning mare Perfect Shirl , who is also the dam of grade 3 winner Shirl's Speight .

Guided to victory by Rafael Hernandez, Speightstown Shirl raced just behind the pace in fourth, gave chase through the stretch, and then gained a short lead to win by three-quarters of a length. The final time was 1:34.27 on firm turf.