My Prankster Romps in Debut at Saratoga

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.

Saratoga

Trainer Todd Pletcher unleashed Bob and Lawana Low's My Prankster  on an unsuspecting field of eight other 2-year-olds Aug. 21 at Saratoga Race Course, and the son of Into Mischief   came home 10 lengths in front of Seal Beach  under jockey Luis Saez.

Racing 6 1/2 furlongs, My Prankster was third in the early going as favored Cogburn  led through a quarter-mile in :21.77. Coming into the turn Saez positioned My Prankster closer to the leader and the pair shot by on the outside coming off the turn on the wrong lead. Eventually switching leads the colt widened his advantage through the stretch to finish in 1:16.27 on a fast track.

Bred by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings out of the grade 2 winner My Wandy's Girl  (Flower Alley), My Prankster was purchased by the Low's for $600,000 during Fasig-Tipton's 2020 Selected Yearlings Showcase where he was consigned by Summerfield.

His dam won the 2014 Barbara Fritchie Handicap (G2) after racing the majority of her career in Puerto Rico where she won 14 races. In the U.S. she also finished third in the 2012 Gazelle Stakes (G1) and holds seconds in the 2013 Barbara Fritchie and Ruffian Handicap (G2), and the 2014 Honorable Miss Handicap (G2), which was her last start. She has one other foal to race, who is also a winner.

On Aug. 22, Red Oak Stable homebred Goddess of Fire  also won her debut for Pletcher at the Spa, but by a neck instead of open lengths. The Mineshaft   filly is a half sister to dual grade 1 winner Mind Control , who won the July 4 John A. Nerud Stakes (G2) at Belmont Park.

Goddess of Fire tracked the pace from third under jockey John Velazquez, made progress in the stretch, and got up to win in the final strides. She finished the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:18.65 on a fast track.

Colonial Downs

At the beginning of the week, trainer Graham Motion sent out Sparkle Blue  to a successful debut at Colonial Downs, where the 2-year-old Hard Spun   filly won an off-the-turf maiden race by 3 3/4 lengths.

The one-mile race went off with only four horses, but jockey Sheldon Russell had Sparkle Blue positioned behind the three others and bided time as early fractions ticked off in :22.58 and :46.27 for the half-mile. Sparkle Blue made a three-wide move near the three-eighths pole and accelerated into second by the time Amazon Queen  got six furlongs in 1:10.51.

Sparkle Blue vied with Amazon Queen briefly but pulled clear in upper stretch and outran a bid from Soft Touch  to win in a final time of 1:36.70 on a fast track.

Bred by Catherine Parke, who owns the filly in partnership with Augustin Stable, Sparkle Blue is out of the Smart Strike mare Silk n' Sapphire. Her dam also produced 2010 Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T) winner Shared Account , who is the dam of 2019 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) winner Sharing .

Arlington

Adios Asher  found his way to the winner's circle in his second try at Arlington International Racecourse. The Larry Rivelli trainee took a 5 1/2-furlong maiden test for 2-year-olds by 5 1/4 lengths Aug. 20 on the synthetic track.

Ridden by E. T. Baird, Adios Asher left the gate alertly, drew clear of the field, and set fractions of :23.04, :46.32, and :58.18 through five furlongs before putting even more distance between himself and runner-up American Chaos  to finish in a final time of 1:04.44 on a fast track.

In his Aug. 5 debut, Adios Asher led through the first quarter-mile but was passed to settle in third and fourth. A re-rally got him to third at the wire.

Bred by Richard Ravin, the Adios Charlie colt is owned by his breeder and Patricia's Hope. He is out of the Lit de Justice mare Rooney Doodle, making him a full brother to last year's Whimsical Stakes (G3) winner Jean Elizabeth , who won 15 of her 21 starts.

Ellis

Friday also brought a win for first-time starter Matareya , a Godolphin homebred trained by Brad Cox. The Pioneerof the Nile filly went wire to wire under Florent Geroux to take a 6 1/2-furlong maiden special weight for 2-year-old fillies at Ellis Park.

Matareya set fractions of :22.09, :45.07, and 1:09.44 through six furlongs before wrapping the race up in 1:15.87, 4 1/2 lengths in front on a fast track.

Matareya is the second foal to race and win out of the grade 3-winning Bernardini   mare Innovative Idea .

Gulfstream

Glen Hill Farm's Saturday Nite Girl  won her second start Aug. 20 for trainer Tom Proctor, going gate to wire in an about 7 1/2-furlong maiden event for 2-year-old fillies on the Gulfstream Park turf.

Ridden by Emisael Jaramillo, the War Front   filly raced clear early, set moderate fractions, and stayed clear to win in a final time of 1:30.44 on firm turf. In her July 16 debut at the same track, she was never better than third and finished fourth while racing five furlongs on turf.

Bred by Elevage II, Saturday Nite Girl is out of the Encosta de Lago mare Drifting Cube, a full sister to group 2 winner Rubick that was bred and raced in Australia.

Glen Hill paid $650,000 for Saturday Nite Girl as a weanling when she was consigned by Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency to the 2019 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.

Del Mar

In his first start Saturday, MyRaceHorse and Spendthrift Farm's Forbidden Kingdom  won a 5 1/2-furlong maiden race for 2-year-olds at Del Mar.

The American Pharoah   colt, trained by Richard Mandella, was sent to the lead by jockey Juan Hernandez and the pair set fractions of :21.58, :45.17, and :57.63 through five furlongs before coming under the wire a half-length in front in a final time of 1:04.04 on the fast track.

Bred by Springhouse Farm, Forbidden Kingdom is out of the grade 3-winning Five Star Day mare Just Louise .