Ellis Park, Race 5 – Friday, June 30, 2023
Belmont Park, Race 1 – Friday, June 30, 2023
By 2YO EdgeMan
ELP5:063023 – Five furlongs on the dirt track. The ladies get the stage in this affair that drew an overflow field of 13 fillies. Of the 12 that made the main field, ten gals will be trying the racing gig for their first time ever, one has been out once and one has competed twice. To whet your whistle, try out the likes of these sires – Two from Twirling Candy and one each from American Pharoah, Spendthrift Farm’s Into Mischief, Liam’s Map, Winstar’s Speightstown and Runhappy. We’ve also got three Debut Sires represented – Spendthrift Farm’s mighty Mitole, Flameaway and Copper Bullet. The list of notable trainers is strong, too – Maker, Kenneally, Romans, Lobo, Lukas, O’Neill (also has the AE horse) and Asmussen. I’m super fired up about this one, let’s do this…
#1 – Love to Eat (5/1) – This filly is one of the first-time starters and comes to us from Mitole. She was a looker when she went through the OBS sales ring back in March and ultimately sold for $235K (12/53). She completed her under tack move in 10 seconds flat. Her dam logged a race record of 2 for 7 and collected $69,000 in purse money. Mike Maker has the trainer duties for her and he’s worked her relatively little – only four times, all at Churchill’s Training facility. She earned a bullet on 6/5/23 for her ½ mile move of 48 seconds flat (1/12), but actually went a tad faster than that last time out on 6/22/23, going that same distance in 47.6 (2/18). Tyler Gaffalione accepts the offer to ride.
#2 – Too Fast For You (5/2) – This well-deserving morning line favorite has sparred in the afternoon one time and it was an impressive run. On 5/11/23 at Churchill, she led until close to the 1/16th pole before running out of gas and finishing a close up fourth place. This filly was also a scratch when she was our pick at ELP on 6/16/23. She’s one of two in here by Twirling Candy and her dam was a very fine runner in her racing days earning $231K going 4/22. The hammer fell at $65,000 on this gal in 2021 as a weanling (10/11). Eddie Kenneally has been prepping her and sent her back out for three works since her last race – all at CD. Her first after her run was strong – 35.2 seconds for three panels (1/25). Luis Saez gets the return engagement on her.
#5 – Playback (9/2) – A home-bred first-time starter by Larry Best’s OXO Equine, this filly is by none other than the fabulous Into Mischief. And mama is no slouch either – you’ll likely remember her from her racing days – Blue Prize. All that she accomplished was: 1) 10 for 23, 2) earnings of $2.7 million, 3) A Grade 1 win at two in Argentina, 4) A win in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, 5) Two other G1 scores, and 6) Sold to OXO for $5 million as a broodmare prospect in the fall of 2019. This is her first foal. This gal has been working well for Paulo Lobo up at The Thoroughbred Center in Lexington. She’s been out for eight morning spins there and immediately impressed in her first move covering three poles on 5/4/23 in 37 seconds flat (1/19). Since then, she’s continued her good work, including two works at five furlongs. Gerardo Corrales will sit in the saddle.
#8 – Unmatched (6/1) – The brilliant Speightstown is the sire of this filly who’s out of a fantastic race mare by Medaglia d’Oro that was 6 for 33 (with a G3 victory), lining her owners’ pockets with $583K. She’s also produced quite well including a filly that won over $1/4 million going 2 for 14 with one stakes win and her 3YO colt was 2 for 2 at age two. $65,000 was the modest final price on today’s runner last fall at Keeneland’s September Yearling sale (51/54). She’s got the most experience in here having raced two times previously for conditioner Ben Colebrook. Her last run was strong – she finished second, only beaten two lengths under the Twin Spires on 5/19/23. Ben’s given her one maintenance work at CD since her race. Yoel Navas gets to ride her for the second time.
#10 – Copper Em (10/1) – Steve Asmussen is the trainer of this FTS filly by Copper Bullet who will be trying to notch her second victory with his young, first crop of runners. Her dam is by Scat Daddy and she was 4 for 19 with earnings of $59,000. This juvenile sold for $48,000 at Fasig-Tipton’s Kentucky Summer Yearling sale last year (4/21). As far as morning efforts, she’s been at it six times, four at Keeneland and her last two at Churchill, all solid, but none eye catching. Florent Geroux interestingly gets the call.
Pick – #5 Playback – I’ve gotta go with the daughter of the Argentinian wonder mare (pops ain’t to shabby either). As you probably know, I love the connections of Best and Lobo (who’s a terrific horseman). She’s shown some promise in the mornings and I’m really excited to see this filly run. This gal is in the ‘Auction House’ in the Game of Silks – good luck to all those that are ‘in the game’!
BEL1:063023 – Six furlongs on the inner turf track (first time this year that they’ll be going 6f). Twelve juvenile fillies have been entered, but only ten will line up to square off in the lid lifter at the Big Sandy. Of the ten, we’ve got a mix of FTS and Non FTS – six will be making their first afternoon run today and four have raced one time previously. Honestly, I like the ELP race better today, but I’m not complaining – two-year-old Maiden Special Weights at BEL is always a good thing. Violence, English Channel, Winstar’s Constitution, Spendthrift’s Into Mischief, Hard Spun, Munnings and Kantharos are the sires in here that catch my eye. From the trainer side, Maker brings two, along with one apiece from Mott, Morey, Arnold and Rudy Rod. Let’s check out four of these babies and try to nail the winnah…
#2 – Gala Brand (6/1) – Bill Mott trains this First-Time starter who is by Violence out of a German-bred mare who won three G3 races, was 4 for 12 and banked $331K. Today’s runner sold for $30,000 as a yearling last September at Keeneland (28/37). After an initial two furlong work at Payson, Mott shipped her to Saratoga where he’s given her six total works over the Oklahoma training track – four on the dirt and two on the lawn. Her second work there on 5/20/23 was quite impressive, especially for a Mott trainee, when she went three poles in 36.55 breezing over the dirt (1/40). Junior Alvarado will manage the jockey duties.
#6 – Classy Mischief (12/1) – Yes, as you’d guess, this FTS filly is by Into Mischief and is being prepped by Gary Contessa. Her dam did score as a 2YO, but it was in a Maiden Claiming race in her fifth start which came in November of her juvenile year. Ultimately, she cashed $195K worth of checks going 5 for 22. She has two foals that were excellent runners – a filly who was a Grade 3 victor with earnings of $349K and a 5 for 11 race record, as well as a colt who also scored in a G3, won over $1/4 million and was 2 for 7, including a win second time out in August of his two-year-old campaign at Del Mar scoring a 100 Equibase Speed Fig. Breeder Lee Pokoik asked for a minimum of $250K for this gal at the March OBS 2YO sale, but that reserve amount was not attained after she did her under tack move in 10.2 seconds. As far as morning work, she’s also been up north at Saratoga and put in eight efforts there on the dirt training track. She’s posted three 5f drills there and also one ½ mile bullet breeze – on 6/1/23 she went in 49.22 (1/11). Additionally, her most recent covered three panels and see did it in 36.32 (2/12). Gary locks down the services of Joel Rosario.
#8 – Hidden Spin (8/1) – Hard Spun is the stallion behind this filly who is out of a Curlin mare that won $200K and three races from 15 tries. When she went through the auction ring at Keeneland last September as a yearling, she brought $95,000 (25/69). She’ll be making her first start today for trainer John Terranova, who shows no starts in our 2YO MSW races at Belmont in the spring from 2018 thru 2022, is her conditioner. Workouts? Six total, all at BEL on the dirt – half over three furlongs and the other half covering 4f. Derby Champ – Javier Castellano – climbs aboard.
#9 – Hi’iaka (3/1) – Please don’t ask me to pronounce this name, but I’m happy to tell you about this morning line favorite. She’s by Munnings and trained by Rusty Arnold and she’s raced one time prior to today when she ran at CD on 5/19 on the dirt and finished third, moving up throughout the race. Her Malibu Moon mare only raced twice, but did get one win and $21,000. Today’s competitor hammered for $175K as a yearling at KEE Sept (33/91). Rusty sent this gal up to Keeneland for three works since her last run – her last was a ‘soft’ bullet – five poles in 1:01.4 (1/5). Jose Ortiz takes over the reins.
Pick – #6 Classy Mischief – This race feels like it may yield a decent mutual price for the winner. Her sire is certainly ultra-tough (26 of 150 – 17.3% – with 2YO MSW on the turf at the ‘Top 11 Tracks’ from 2012 thru 2022) and Contessa is 1 for 3 in 2YO MSW races at Belmont Spring meets from 2018 thru 2022. Plus, her works have been sharp and really like that she’s gone five panels three times. Lastly, the two half-siblings mentioned above are encouraging. She may need a race, but I’m going with this filly at 12/1 on the M/L. FatJR7 stables is the owner of this filly in the Game of Silks – best of luck!
Tomorrow is another one of our races down in Henderson, KY at Ellis Park. Do not miss our ‘PP&Ps’ for that one, right here at the world-class, ‘Past the Wire’. Be safe, be well and enjoy, my Edgie Trackers.
