Homebreds Featured Among Notable Maiden 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.

Saratoga 

Three Chimneys Farm homebred Grand Love  broke her maiden on debut Aug. 21, outrunning favored Rarify  in a 6 1/2-furlong maiden special weight while leading gate to wire at Saratoga Race Course. The Gun Runner   filly, trained by Steve Asmussen, is a half sister to grade 1 winner Malibu Prayer  and multiple graded stakes winner and grade 1-placed Valid .

Ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr., Grand Love broke sharply, setting fractions of :21.96 and :44.97 through four furlongs while one length in front of runner-up Rarify. She then widened her margin in the stretch and finished 4 3/4 lengths ahead in a final time of 1:17.93 on a fast track.

Grand Love is out of the stakes-winning Grand Slam mare Grand Prayer , a half sister to grade 1 winner Swagger Jack  and grade 2 winner Tap Dance .

August Dawn Farm's Let's Go Big Blue  also broke his maiden on debut at Saratoga, taking a 1 1/16-mile turf test for New York-bred maidens Friday.

The Cairo Prince   gelding, trained by George Weaver and owned by Super Bowl-winning former New York Giants coach Bill Parcells, was ridden to victory by Eric Cancel. Let's Go Big Blue bumped with a rival at the start and was taken in hand to race in last of 10 horses. He moved into eighth as six furlongs went in 1:13.11 and then raced wide to rally through the stretch winning by 1 3/4 lengths in a final time of 1:45.02 on firm going.

Bred by Fred Hertrich III and John Fielding, Let's Go Big Blue is a half brother to grade 1 winner Pinehurst . The siblings are out of the Giant's Causeway mare Giant Win, a grand daughter of Win Crafty Lady who is the dam of grade 1 winner Harmony Lodge, sire and grade 2 winner Graeme Hall, and grade 3 winner Win McCool.

Ellis

Dixiana Farms homebred Hayes Strike  took a one-mile maiden race for 2-year-olds Saturday at Ellis Park in his second outing. The Connect   colt, a half brother to graded stakes winner Senior Investment , is trained by Kenny McPeek.

In his first start July 22 at Ellis, Hayes Strike never got involved and finished eighth. With Brian Hernandez Jr. returning to the irons, the colt pressed the pace from second as the first quarter went in :24.78 and a half-mile went in :49.06. He then took over the lead and opened up in the stretch to finish 4 1/2 lengths ahead, stopping the clock in 1:39.89 on a fast track.

Hayes Strike is out of the stakes-winning Deputy Commander mare Plaid , who is also graded stakes-placed.

Woodbine 

Tracy Farmer's homebred Fearless Angel  also won her second start for trainer Mark Casse, taking a seven-furlong turf test Saturday at Woodbine Racetrack.

The More Than Ready   filly, ridden by Patrick Husbands, rallied from midpack to post a 3 3/4-length win in a final time of 1:22.92 on firm turf.

In her July 16 debut, Fearless Angel finished third while contesting 5 1/2 furlongs on the all-weather track at Woodbine.

Fearless Angel, a half sister to grade 2 winner Neptune's Storm , is out of the unraced Iffraaj mare Immortal Life.