Pair of 2-Year-Olds Find Winner's Circle
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Photo: Coady Media
Hey Tuff Guy breaks his maiden at Churchill Downs
Hey Tuff Guy broke his maiden on his first attempt May 25 at Churchill Downs.
Under jockey Mario Gutierrez, the 2-year-old son of Life Is Good sat second off the leader Bourbon Town in the early stages of the 5 1/2 furlong test. Bourbon Town ran the first quarter in :22.50, but could not hold off Hey Tuff Guy, who made his move to the lead hitting the turn. After a half-mile in :45.51, Hey Tuff Guy took over. While barely being asked in the lane, he drew off and scored by 7 3/4 widening lengths on the wire. The Brian Lynch trainee completed the journey in 1:04.77 and paid $3.38 to win as the post-time favorite. He earned a 92 Equibase Speed Figure and a 71 Beyer Speed Figure in his first start.
Hey Tuff Guy is out of the Trappe Shot mare Hotshot Anna . A multiple graded stakes winner, her most notable wins came in back-to-back Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes (G2). From 27 starts, she found the winner's circle 12 times, earning $975,010. Hey Tuff Guy, who was bred by Frederick and May Construction, was purchased for his owners, Big Cat Racing, by his trainer for $120,000 at this year's Ocala Breeders' Sales March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale.
Hotshot Anna has one other foal to race, the maiden Rose to Riches . By Quality Road , she ran fifth on the turf last summer at Ellis Park.
Video
$1.4 Million purchase shineS
Regent's Park powered home to break his maiden May 25 at Monmouth Park.
In the 4 1/2 furlong test over a sloppy (sealed) track, the 2-year-old son of Bolt d'Oro commanded the race soon after the start and never looked back. He set fractions of :23.30 and :46.45 under jockey Paco Lopez, and continued to travel comfortably. When the field hit the top of the stretch, the Jorge Delgado trainee responded when asked and opened up on his rivals. He hit the wire 3 1/4 lengths the best in a final time of :52.59. As the post-time 1-5 favorite, Regent's Park paid $2.40 to win, while earning a 73 Equibase Speed Figure and a 56 Beyer Speed Figure.
Owned by Amo Racing USA, he was purchased at the 2025 Fasig-Tipton The Saratoga Sale for $1.4 million. Bred by Peter Blum Thoroughbreds, Regent's Park is out of the Speightstown mare Spark , who now has four winners in seven starters, including one stakes winner, Launch . By Omaha Beach , she won the 2024 Any Limit Stakes at Gulfstream Park. Meanwhile, Spark's leading money-winning foal, Energizer, won 11 races in his 31 career starts.
Video: Monmouth Park, Race 2, MSW
| BloodHorse Maiden Watch | ||||||||
| Notable 2-year-old and 3-year-old maiden winners for the week of May 25-31 | ||||||||
| Date | Track | Race | Horse | Sire | Dam | Start | Maiden Watch Eligibility Criteria | |
| 5/25 | CD | 2 | Hey Tuff Guy | Life Is Good | Hotshot Anna | 1 | Out of a G2W | |
| 5/25 | MTH | 2 | Regent's Park | Bolt d'Oro | Spark | 1 | $1.4 million yearling purchase | |
| 5/25 | IND | 6 | Nahla | Authentic | Twinkling | 3 | Half to G1W Skippylongstocking, $550,000 yearling purchase | |
| 5/26 | IND | 1 | Hes Steelin Mylady | Life Is Good | Mylady Curlin | 1 | Out of a G2W | |
| 5/27 | PID | 5 | Alluring Beauty | Medaglia d'Oro | Orabella | 5 | Half sister to G2W Neat, $575,000 yearling purchase | |
| 5/28 | HAW | 5 | Plume | Charlatan | Sister Peacock | 2 | $525,000 2-year-old purchase | |
| 5/29 | CD | 2 | Tap to Open | Tapit | I'll Take Charge | 4 | Full sister to G2W Charge It | |
| 5/30 | MTH | 1 | Paris Carver | Bolt d'Oro | Orquidias Biz | 4 | $600,000 2-year-old purchase | |
| 5/31 | MTH | 3 | If Ever | Not This Time | Jenda's Agenda | 2 | Half brother to G3W Just Cindy | |