Son of Kentucky Oaks Winner Lowers Track Mark in Debut

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. 

Santa Anita Park

From Southern California to New Orleans to Miami, the Maiden Watch radar was abuzz with activity this last week. However, in a week of impressive performances, a son of Kentucky Oaks (G1) victress Believe You Can  blazed to a track-record-setting tally in the opener a Santa Anita Park March 4.

While his name is Conclude , his career is certainly just beginning.

#5 CONCLUDE kicks off Big Cap Day at Santa Anita with a bounding win in the opener. The son of Collected scored under Flavien Prat for trainer @PhilDamato11. pic.twitter.com/nkHFIzx4Mu

— TVG (@TVG) March 4, 2023

The 3-year-old son of second crop sire Collected   was a narrowly beaten second on debut Jan. 21 for trainer Phil D’Amato. In that effort, he struck the front at the top of the lane before being collared at the wire by $675,000 purchase Hawker  traveling 6 1/2-furlongs on the grass against maiden special weight company.

Cutting back to 5 1/2 on Saturday facing similar conditions, Conclude rocketed to the front under Flavien Prat, despite facing steady pressure on his outside from 14-1 shot Fleet Feet . Rattling off an opening quarter in :22.19, the flashy chestnut showed no signs of stopping on the turn for home, shaking loose from his foe and blitzing to the wire with powerful, reaching strides. In the end, he was 4 1/4 lengths the best in 1:01.57 on a turf course labeled good.

Although eyes tend to fall on potential Kentucky Derby contenders this time of year, the blaze-faced Conclude has the makings of a special athlete, turf or not. It’s not too often one sees a maiden winner lower any track standard, especially at a prestigious circuit like Santa Anita.

Conclude is the product of famed Airdrie Stud breeding. Bred in Kentucky by Airdrie kingpin Brereton Jones, whose silks were carried by Believe You Can to victory in the 2012 Run for the Lillies, his sire Collected also stands stud at the Lexington farm, where he retired in 2018 after annexing such prizes as the 2017 Pacific Classic (G1) for owners Speedway Stables. Offered as a yearling by the Airdrie consignment during the 2021 Keeneland September Sale, Conclude failed to meet his reserve at $140,000 and was kept by Jones to race. Madaket Stables and Little Red Feather Racing later became partners on the colt.

The colt is Believe You Can's best runner to date since her first foal to race, 2018 Ellis Park Derby winner and Oklahoma Derby (G3) runner-up Believe in Royalty  by, Tapit.  

While Believe You Can never raced on the turf, her dam El Fasto , is a daughter of Irish group 1 winner and influential grass stallion El Prado. Her half sister And You Can  is also the dam of multiple staked placed sprinter Baytown Bear , a black-type performer on both the turf and dirt. Interestingly, Collected broke his maiden over the downhill turf course at Santa Anita as a juvenile and was runner-up in the Cecil B. DeMille Stakes (G3T) that same year before Derby dreams forced his path onto the dirt.

Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots 

If Conclude is a future star on the turf, Squire Creek  appears to have the makings, and the pedigree, to become a potential two-turn monster on the dirt. Racing critics took notice of the Brad Cox trainee after he demolished a field of maidens first time out at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots March 2.

Another winner by Uncle Mo! Another nice 3-year-old for @bradcoxracing! #5 SQUIRE CREEK ($7.80) wins Race 8 at the @fairgroundsnola under @flothejock. Congratulations to the owners @WinStarFarm, Twin Creeks Racing Stables (@rgullatt), 4 G Racing, and Ronald Ortyl! pic.twitter.com/OqoxzWROF5

— TVG (@TVG) March 2, 2023

The son of Uncle Mo   joins a long list of auspicious Cox 3-year-olds heading into Triple Crown season, but with his breeding and price tag ($525,000 Keeneland September yearling), it wouldn't be a surprise in the least to see Squire Creek pop up in a Derby points race here in the near future.

Squire Creek rolled to the front under little urging, dueled with the finely-bred Gun Runner   colt Wicked Again  through a half-mile in :44.92 before gliding away from his opposition. Widening his advantage to three lengths at the head of the lane, he coasted under the wire a 6 1/4 length winner, stopping the clock in 1:10.05 for six furlongs.

Owned in partnership by WinStar Farm, Twin Creeks Racing Stables, 4 G Racing, and Ronald Ortyl, the WinStar Farm-bred colt is out of the Speightstown   mare Covenant , herself a daughter of the notable producer Flaming Heart. In addition to begetting multiple graded stakes winner and Belmont Stakes (G1) runner-up Commissioner  and grade 3 winner Laugh Track , Flaming Heart is the second dam of 2019 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) hero and exciting young stallion Vino Rosso  .

Gulfstream Park 

Also joining the weekend's standouts were debut scorers Scotland  and Queen Picasso .

From the barn of Bill Mott, Scotland pulled off a gallant last-to-first effort to ace a seven-furlong dirt maiden special weight test on Saturday by a head for owner/breeder LNJ Foxwoods. The Good Magic   gelding is produced from the grade 3-winning Speightstown mare Gemswick Park , who already has a black-type performer to her credit with the multiple stakes-placed Tapped .

Queen Picasso, a daughter of top European stallion Kingman , graduated in the nightcap Sunday afternoon for owners Siena Farm, Michael Kisber, Peter Deutsch, and The Elkstone Group. The Christophe Clement pupil overtook race pacesetter Soviet Excess  in a dogfight to the finish, prevailing by a half-length while clocking the 1 1/16-miles on a firm turf course in 1:41.10. A $285,241 acquisition overseas at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, Queen Picasso is a half sibling to the French group 1 winning sprinter and stallion Aclaim .