The Juvenile graded stakes schedule heads back to the West Coast Sunday with the Best Pal Stakes (G2) at Del Mar. Majestic City, the leader of the California 2-year-old division, will skip it and prepare for Del Mar Futurity (G1) in September.
This week’s Notable Performers are out of the same maiden special race at Saratoga…
Notable Performances:
J C’s Pride
Trainer: Robert Barbara
Jockey: Jose Lezcano
Articles: Saratogian / DRF / TTimes / Bloodhorse / Hand Rides [half way down] (Bloodhorse) / J C’s Pride sets record [halfway down] (Albany Times Union)
A bettor now has many tools at his or her disposal to decipher 2-year-old maiden races: pedigree stats, workout reports, trainer stats, and even advanced stride measurements.
None of those tools were really needed to determine the favorite in the third race at Saratoga last Wednesday.
J C’s Pride came into the race exiting a maiden special won by arguably the best 2-year-old in the nation Overdriven. In that race J C’s Pride beat the 3rd place finisher by over 13 lengths and recorded a top 5 Beyer speed figure among all racing juveniles.
In his 2nd test on Wednesday he didn’t spring from the gate on fire- he was scorching. The final time of 56.54 set a track record for 5 furlongs at prestigious Saratoga.
There are murmurs J C’s Pride will likely be sold, but a deal has not been published yet.
The colt has already changed owners three times at various auctions, topping out at $200,000 earlier this year. He’s the son of Henny Hughes, who also had success at Saratoga by winning the Saratoga Special Stakes and finishing 2nd in the Hopeful. Although he finished a strong second in the 1 1/16 mile Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, he was best suited at sprints. J C’s Pride is out of a Silver Deputy mare who is a half sister to 9 furlong grade 3 winner Blind Date.
His catalog page can be viewed here
Mr. Style
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: John Velazquez
Mr. Style was in the unfortunate position of chasing the track record setter around the oval, but wound up almost 9 lengths clear of the rest of the field. His Beyer speed figure for that debut was a very respectable 91. He didn’t quite level off until midway down the stretch, but even a professional lead change would not have been enough to win.
Another Pletcher/Velazquez juvenile with tons of potential, Mr. Style is the son of Bluegrass Cat, a serious Kentucky Derby trail participant in 2006 who finished second in the big race to the mighty Barbaro and was later 2nd in the Belmont. His mother is a Tiznow mare who is a half sister to a six furlong stakes winner.
Mr. Style was a $135,000 purchase as a 2-year-old in training. His catalog page can be viewed here
Upcoming Graded 2YO Stakes:
8/7/11 Best Pal S. (G2) Nominations / PPs
Works:
7/26/11 Boltzapper CRC- 4F- 50:60- B- 12/26
7/26/11 Night Tide DMR- 5F- 1.00:80- H- 7/17
7/27/11 Mr. Besilu SAR- 4F- 51:00- B- 20/25
7/30/11 Hello Prince CRC- 4F- 50:20- B- 29/90 (W)
7/30/11 Worthington LS 4F- 52:00- B- 21/32
7/30/11 Canigotoo CD- 4F- 52:40 B- 30/33
7/31/11 Creative Cause DMR- 6F- 1.12:80- H- 8/14
Other News:
The “They” factor (DRF)
Overdriven no longer overlooked (Bloodhorse)
Majestic City to wait (North County Times)
Giant Surprise heads for surgery (Albany Times Union)
Top 2YO Speed Figures*:
Top winning 2yo BRIS figs last week: J C's Pride–107; Giant Surprise–95; Take Charge Indy–94; Shared Property–93.
Winning 2yo Beyers last week: J C's Pride–101; Giant Surprise–90; Take Charge Indy–84; Shared Property–75.
Futures:
