Churchill Downs, Race 3 – Saturday, May 27, 2023
By 2YO EdgeMan
CD3:052723 – Five furlongs on the dirt. The gals again get the opportunity to shine and there are nine that have put their name in the hat. This event is restricted to two-year-old maiden fillies that auctioned (or RNAed) for $50,000 or less. We typically prefer non-restricted races, but this one has some interesting contestants. There are two babies in here from Spendthrift’s First-Crop sires – one each from Mitole and Omaha Beach. Other sires of note are Liam’s Map, Hard Spun and Collected. Additionally, a couple trainers have caught my eye – Mark Casse and Doug O’Neill. Five of these ladies are debutants, three have one racing experience and one has been out twice in the afternoon. All right, we’ll break this all down for you – let’s rock and roll…
#1 – Princess Mitole (9/2) – The rail goes to the filly by 1CS – Mitole – who was offered as a 2YO in training back in March at OBS, but she did not attain her reserve price of $32,000. Mom was winless in only one try racing and she has just one other offspring – a 3YO gelding who, like his dam, is 0 for 1 on track. Trainer Christopher Davis – 0 for 3 at CD in the spring in our races over the previous five years – has stabled and worked her in Lexington since mid- April and her last four works have covered ½ mile over the Keeneland dirt. Her second most recent effort (on 5/6/23) was terrific – 47.2 from the gate (2/77). Excellent jockey Luis Saez will have the riding duties.
#2 – Luxuriate (4/1) – Mark Casse will tighten the girth on this filly who is sired by Outwork whose FTS 2YOs have gone 7 for 49 (14.3%) in MSW races at the Top 11 tracks from 2012 thru 2022. Her dam was unraced, but she’s thrown two nice half brothers to today’s runner – one was 5 for 24 with $210 in earnings, including multiple graded stakes’ placings. Another was 5 for 27, banked $278K and won at first asking in July of his 2YO campaign at DMR posting a nifty 84 Equibase Speed Fig. Tampa III plopped down $20,000 to buy this young lady as a yearling last September at Keeneland (22/63). This gal should know the CD strip as she’s put in six workouts here, with her first on 4/8/23 being her most eye catching going three panels in 35.6 seconds (2/7). All of her next five moves were at 4f. Casse puts the reins into the capable hands of Brian Hernandez, Jr.
#3 – Liam’s Message (3/1) – I suspect that it won’t come as a surprise to my sharp Edgies that the morning line favorite is a daughter of Liam’s Map (only 5 of 81 – 6.2% with 2YO first-time starters in MSW at the top 11 tracks from 2012 thru 2022). This filly’s dam was a pretty good one, having gone 3 for 19 and earned $214K for her owners while boasting a graded stakes’ placing. She hammered down last year for $42,000 as a yearling at KEE. The most experienced runner in today’s field, she’s been out competitively twice – her first race back in late April on KEE saw her get shut off a bit coming out of the gate, but she did then gain some ground throughout the race to finish sixth. Then, on 5/12/23 at CD, she chased for all her might only to finish ½ length shy, but her EBSF regressed to 54. Trainer Fausto Gutierrez has not worked her since her most recent run. Tyler Gaffalione gets the return riding engagement.
#7 – Easy Red (5/1) – This Omaha Beach filly, owned by Donald Dizney will have her first crack at competition today and was purchased back in 2021 as a Weanling for $40,000 (which was the lowest amount of the 13 weanlings sold by her sire in 2021). Her mom was winless in two runs, but does have one nice offspring to boast about – a gelding who visited the Winner’s Circle eight times from 41 races while earning $323K, including a win at first asking in May of his 2YO career overseas. Doug O’Neill is looking for his first victory in one of ‘our races’ after four previous tries from 2018 thru 2022. Her work in the mornings has consisted of six outings at Keeneland, the first two at 3f and the last four covered ½ mile. Times have not been blistering, but she appears to have a solid base under her. Rey Gutierrez will be aboard.
Pick – #1 Princess Mitole – I hope that it’s not my heart winning out over my head, but I really do like this Mitole filly. Davis is gonna get a win sooner or later with a baby here at the Churchill Spring meet, so why not today? Her morning effort on 5/6/23 was impressive – it shows that she has a good bit of horsepower under the hood (sorry, bad pun, for sure). Luiz Saez in the saddle? I’ll take him all day long!
Enjoy the long, holiday weekend. We appreciate each and every one of you for reading our pieces on the wonderful two-year-olds – we enjoy bringing you the info and are hopefully to keep picking a few winners. Take care, my Edgie brothers and sisters.
