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.
2-Year-Olds
John Oxley and Breeze Easy's Boppy O was successful in his May 20 debut for trainer Mark Casse, taking a five-furlong maiden special weight race for 2-year-olds at Gulfstream Park.
The Florida-bred son of Bolt d'Oro is a half brother to grade 2 winner Pappacap (by Gun Runner ), who most recently finished second in the May 7 Pat Day Mile Stakes Presented by LG&E and KU (G2).
Ridden by Edwin Gonzalez, Boppy O raced in fourth as fractions for the first half-mile went in :22.66 and :45.97. In the stretch he rallied while four wide to score a 1 1/2-length win in a final time of :58.71 on a fast track.
Bred by Rustlewood Farm, Boppy O is out of the Scat Daddy mare Pappascat.
Two days later and on the opposite coast, West Coast Stables' Tahoma also won his debut, a 4 1/2-furlong maiden race for 2-year-olds at Santa Anita Park.
Trained by Doug O'Neill, Tahoma fired a bullet from the gate May 16 in his first timed work over the main track at Santa Anita, working four furlongs in :47 flat.
Ridden by Juan Hernandez in Sunday's test, Tahoma vied for the lead with three others through a quarter-mile in :22.21. The Justify colt eventually cleared them and led by 1 1/2 lengths in mid-stretch and then widened that margin to two lengths at the wire, finishing in a final time of :53.89 on a fast track.
Bred by Hunter Valley Farm, Fergus Galvin, and Golden Vale Farm in Kentucky, Tahoma is out of the Rahy mare Madera Dancer, who also produced grade 3 winner Legends of War, the runner-up in the Al Basti Equiworld Gimcrack Stakes (G2) in England as a juvenile.
Gulfstream
Sophomore maiden winners this week included Jacks or Better Farm's homebred Rachel's Rock , a daughter of Jess's Dream who made her first start in a stakes for Florida breds.
Rachel's Rock, trained by Ralph Nicks, made her second start Sunday under Gonzalez in a six-furlong maiden special weight for fillies and mares at Gulfstream Park. Rachel's Rock tracked in third as a quarter-mile went in :22.60 and then took over to post a half-mile in :45.80 with a head in front. From there, she continued to widen her lead and finished up 3 1/4 lengths in front in a final time of 1:10.80 on a fast track.
Rachel's Rock, out of the Distorted Humor mare Diamondaire, is a half sister to the grade 3-winning sprinter C Zee.
One day prior, Gentry Farms' Positive Review romped to a 7 1/2-length victory in a six-furlong maiden race in his fifth start for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.
The Unified colt had finished second or third in his first three starts and fourth in his most recent effort March 5.
Ridden by Ailsa Morrison, Positive Review was fourth early on, but surged to the lead to post a half-mile in :44.76 and was 2 1/2 lengths in front at that point. He continued to pull away from the field and completed the distance in 1:09.94 on the fast track.
Bred by Hermitage Farm in Kentucky, Positive Review is out of the Closing Argument mare Midst, who is also the dam of grade 2-winner Inthemidstofbiz (Fed Biz ).
BloodHorse Maiden Watch | |||||||
Notable maiden winners for week of May 16 - May 22 | |||||||
Date | Track | Race | Horse | Sire | Dam | Starts | Notes |
5/19 | BEL | 1 | Myriskyaffair | Verrazano | Argent Affair | 4 | Half sister to G3 winner Forty Under |
5/20 | GP | 2 | Bobby O* | Bolt d’Oro | Pappascat | 1 | Half brother to G2 winner Pappacap |
5/21 | GP | 2 | Positive Review | Unified | Midst | 5 | Half brother to G2 winner Inthemidstofbiz |
5/22 | GG | 6 | Rimprotector | Point of Entry | Flourish | 4 | Half brother to G3 winner Fulsome |
5/22 | GP | 4 | Rachel’s Rock | Jess’s Dream | Diamondaire | 2 | Half sister to G3 winner C Zee |
5/22 | MTH | 3 | Tap the Gavel | Tapit | Courtisane | 5 | Half brother to G3 winner Madame Stripes |
5/22 | SA | 2 | Tahoma* | Justify | Madera Dancer | 1 | Half brother to G3 winner Legends of War |
*denotes 2-year-old