Ellis Park, Race 2 – Saturday, June 24, 2023
By 2YO EdgeMan
ELP2:062423 – 5 1/2 furlongs on the dirt. 11 boys (10 colts and one gelding) square off in this auction restricted affair. Only two-year-old maidens that sold or RNAed for $50,000 or less at public auction are eligible to be entered. We’ve got six guys that are going to have their very first crack at the game of competitive racing, three that have done it once, one that has two runs under his belt and one that is the most experienced, having raced three times before today. Sires? Well, honestly, not a stellar list, but we do have runners by Hard Spun, Kantharos, Cairo Prince, Bernardini, Street Sense and Frosted. We’ve also got a Debut Sire that has one entered – Preservationist. Over in the trainer column there are two representing the barn of John Ennis, plus one each from the likes of Riley Mott, Mark Casse, Vance, McEntee and Gutierrez. That’s the high-level scoop, let’s break this one down and zero in on five runners…
#3 – Mugatu (5/1) – This colt, who will be making his first start, is by Blofield (by Quality Road) who stands in Maryland for an advertised fee of $5,000. He sold earlier this spring at the OBS Spring sale as a two-year-old in training for $14,000 (2/2). His dam, by Union Rags, was winless in nine tries, but did produce a full sister to today’s runner that earned $152K on the track by going 5 for 14, including a win at age two in a maiden claiming event. Trainer Jeff Engler has had this dude absolutely buzzing in the mornings, having been out six times on the synthetic at Turfway Park. Five of his six works were bullets, including the last four over a ½ mile. In fact, the only ‘non-bullet’ that he logged was on a day where he went three panels in 36 seconds flat (2/19). Joe Talamo received the call to be today’s jockey.
#5 – West Saratoga (4/1) – The most experienced colt in the field, this fella has already done the racing thing three times. His last two, both under the Twin Spires, were runner up finishes. In his last run, he battled on or near the lead throughout before finally succumbing by less than two lengths on the wire. He’s by Exaggerator out of an unraced Uncle Mo mare and he sold for the bargain price of $11,000 at the KEE Sept Yearling sale. Conditioner Larry Demeritte vanned this guy over to Lexington since his last start to sneak in a work at The Thoroughbred Center on 6/16/23 – he went three furlongs in 37.2 (6/15). Rafael Bejarano will ride him for the third straight time.
#6 – In a Jam (5/1) – Mark Casse is the conditioner for this guy who is by the first-crop sire – Preservationist – and he’ll be a FTSer starter today. His dam won good money in her racing days having won $164K, going 3 for 14. This grey / roan colt was sold for the max allowed to qualify for this race – $50,000 as a yearling at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Summer sale (11/55). Mark has sent this guy through a total of seven workouts – the first three at his training center, then three at Keeneland and finally one work over the ELP strip where she went handily from the gate in 48 seconds flat (2/7). Tyler Gaffalione will handle the reins.
#9 – Let’s Go Mark (3/1) – The morning line favorite is trained by John Ennis and this colt has previously raced two times – he finished fourth last out at CD at odds of 2.90/1 and third in his debut at KEE. He’s sired by American Freedom and brought $10,000 as a yearling at the FT KY sale last October (7/18). His mom is unraced, but has thrown some pretty decent runners – one filly banked $210K going 5 of 19 winning as a two-year-old in a maiden claiming race and also another filly won at first asking as a 2YO at Churchill in November. Luis Saez will get the leg up in the paddock.
#11 – Astronomico (8/1) – Frosted is the pops to this colt trained by Faustio Gutierrez who hammered down for $45,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling sale (22/69). Mama raced 14 times, but was never the first to reach the wire, however she did produce one gelding who earned more than $100K on the track. This fella has raced once previously back in early June at Churchill when he finished fourth. Faustio shipped him up to KEE after his run and worked him once there back on 6/17/23 – three panels in 37 flat (12/44). Gerardo Corrales will get the chance to guide this one for the first time today.
Pick – #6 In a Jam – Mark Casse is 7 for 37 (18.9%) with first-time starting two-year-olds in Maiden Special Weight races at Churchill in the spring from 2018 thru 2022. This colt sold well and I like his last work, especially since it was over today’s surface. And for those of you that have been following us, you know that we like the first-crop sires in the spring – hopefully Preservationist can get his first winner today. Add to all that, he’ll will get the services of young Tyler G. In the Game of Silks, this guy is still not yet minted. Let’s go…we need a winnah!
There’s another 2YO MSW race at Ellis Park on Sunday, but again, it is restricted to those that sold or RNAed at public auction for $50,000 or less. We’ll take a look at it to see if it makes sense to cover. Until then, have a blast with this one. We appreciate you and thank you for helping to make this piece as popular as it has become – and, as always, we welcome any comments that you may have. Stay safe.
