As the Triple Crown focus switches to the Belmont Stakes and the probable matchup between the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winners, CTD will look further ahead to the 2012 Run For The Roses. It’s very early, yes, but as we outlined in the previous post, several Derby starters began their race careers in May of 2010. We won’t cover everything (for that DerbyContenders on Twitter and the Bloodhorse Maiden Watch Blog and Twitter feed are recommended), but we will highlight impressive maiden, allowance, and stakes winners. Here is this past week’s notable performances:
Majestic City
Peter Miller, trainer of recent Derby starter Comma To The Top, appears to have another good early season juvenile. Majestic City responded well first time out to break his maiden by one-and-half lengths at Hollywood Park. The colt was a $180,000 purchase at the recent OBS March sale. His sire, City Zip, made some noise on the Derby trail in 2000 and 2001 by winning the Hopeful (G1) and finishing third in the Florida Derby (G1), but proved best at non-route distances. His broodmare sire, Meadowlake, was responsible for several stakes winners at a mile and sixteenth, including Breeders Cup Juvenile (G1) runner-up Henny Hughes.
Article: Majestic City Notes [midway down article] (DRF)
Note: late charge by Scorpion Warrior
Tarpy’s Goal
Recent attention towards trainer Dale Romans has centered on his Preakness win with Shackleford, but he was also responsible for freshman sire High Cotton’s first winner, Tarpy’s Goal. He broke his maiden at first asking at Churchill Downs Thursday in what turned out to be a small but quality field. He very well could be pointed towards the Bashford Manor Stakes (G3) on July 2nd, which is the first graded race to count towards earnings for the 2012 Derby. His sire, well bred High Cotton, participated on the Derby Trail but did not pick up any wins during that time. His most notable win came just after the Derby in the mile and sixteenth Northern Dancer (G3) at Churchill. Tarpy’s Goal’s broodmare sire, Exbourne, was a successful turf miler.
Article: High Cotton sires first winner (Bloodhorse)
Notes:
Top 2yo winning Beyers last week: Majestic City - 86; Mister Tristan - 58; Mighty Monsoon - 56; Sold Short - 60; Tarpy's Goal – 63
Top 2yo winning BRIS figs last week: Majestic City - 104; Mister Tristan - 96; Mighty Monsoon - 95; Sold Short - 94; Tarpy's Goal - 84.
Source: Derby Contenders Twitter
