Keeping the Edge Scores Maiden Victory at Turfway

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.

Turfway 

NK Racing's Keeping the Edge  found the winner's circle in his third start March 17 at Turfway Park. The Super Saver   gelding, a full brother to grade 1 winner and sire Competitive Edge  , defeated 11 other 3-year-olds going six furlongs on the all-weather track.

Ridden by Gerardo Corrales, Keeping the Edge was third as the first quarter-mile went in :22.42, but he overtook Peligroso  and Highly Flammable , the half brother to grade 1 winner Mo Forza  , and posted a half-mile time of :45.37. Keeping the Edge completed the distance in 1:10.69 two lengths ahead of Overly Critical .

In his Jan. 13 debut for trainer Michael Trombetta, Keeping the Edge finished off the board in a seven-furlong maiden race at Aqueduct Racetrack. He returned Feb. 12 to finish second by a half-length at Laurel Park.

Bred by WinStar Farm, Keeping the Edge is out of the Cape Town mare Magdalena's Chase . NK Racing bought Keeping the Edge from the consignment of James B. Keogh at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale for $160,000.

Gulfstream 

Deuce Greathouse, Cindy M. Hutson, and Thomas J. Romano's I'm So Sorry  won her second start for trainer Brian A. Lynch, taking an about one-mile and 70-yard maiden special weight race Thursday at Gulfstream Park over a field of eight other 3-year-old fillies.

The Uncle Mo   filly finished second in her debut as a 2-year-old Aug. 5 at Saratoga Race Course in her only other start.  

In Thursday's race, I'm So Sorry raced about a length behind the leader, Blythe Spirit , who set fractions of :25.27, :50.15, and 1:14.06 for six furlongs. With three across the track, I'm So Sorry dueled between Blythe Spirit and the closing Kivalina  to prevail by a nose. The final time of 1:43 flat on a fast track setting a new track record.

Bred by Pin Oak Stud, I'm So Sorry is out of the graded stakes-winning Lemon Drop Kid mare Don't Leave Me .

Aqueduct 

Repole Stable's homebred Never Early  scored a 9 1/4-length victory in his second start, a maiden claiming event for 3-year-olds and up going six furlongs at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The Overanalyze  colt, trained by Rudy Rodriguez, made his debut as a 2-year-old June 5 in a maiden special weight event at Monmouth Park, finishing second after dueling with the winner throughout the 4 1/2-furlong test in his only other start.

On Saturday, jockey Trevor McCarthy guided Never Early as he bolted from the gate on the lead and set fractions of :22.95, :46.84, and :58.69 through five furlongs. She finished in a final time of 1:11.03 on a fast track.

Never Early is out of the Uncle Mo mare Lost Raven , making his third dam Summer Raven , the dam of grade 2 winner Lewis Bay  and grade 3 winner Winslow Homer .