Idol looks ready to go longer after 94-Beyer maiden win

IDOL

Sept. 26, 7th race, Churchill, MdSpWt74K

Beyer: 94

7f, 1:22.04 , 1st by 2 1/2 lengths b. c. 3, Curlin – Marion Ravenwood, by A.P. Indy Noteworthy siblings: None

Auctions: Keeneland September yearling 2018 – $375,000

Owner: Calvin Nguyen

Trainer: Richard Baltas

Breeder: My Meadowview

I watched some of this colt’s works before his career debut and wasn’t much taken with them, but other people must’ve been since he went off at 13-10. Defeated that day but was much the best in this, his second start, running down a Brad Cox-trained first-timer, The Sound, who himself turned in a strong performance finishing nearly nine lengths clear of the show horse. The immediate family doesn’t knock your socks off, but Idol’s list of damsires includes A.P. Indy, Quiet American, Nureyev, and Raise a Native, an impressive array. Stalked the pace, moved to contend in upper stretch, drew away the final half-furlong, and galloped out powerfully. He’s got a long, reaching stride to match the routeleaning pedigree and would assume he’s quickly stretched out now. Worked during 2019 in August, September, November, and December, and in January this year before a gap in works until July. Hopefully, he can stay on track because he’s got stakes potential.

STARFRONT

Oct. 2, 4th race, Belmont, MdSpWt63k

Beyer: 89

6f, 1:09.62, 1st by 4 3/4 lengths ch. f. 3, Malibu Moon – Comic Marvel, by Distorted Humor

Noteworthy siblings: Eloquent Riddle (Harlan’s Holiday) – graded stakes-placed

Auctions: None

Owner: Juddmonte Farms

Trainer: Chad Brown

Breeder: Juddmonte Farms

October is late for a 3-year-old to debut, and this filly steadily worked over the winter before they had to stop on her in February. The video shows some imperfect conformation, and one would imagine her size, which is considerable, could have led to delays. But Starfront is a boss. For a bulky horse, she was quick out of the gate and fast into stride, and she asserted her dominance from the start, opening a clear lead and never looking like she was losing. Urging in midstretch was an exercise in whip-flagging as the filly was doing fine on her own, and she galloped out with a bounce in her step. No really notable performers from the dam, the best of them the Brown-trained Eloquent Riddle, second in the Tempted, a filly who looked like a middle-distance type, as did the dam, who was trained by Mott.

OYSTER BOX

Oct. 3, 2nd race, Belmont, MdSpWt63k

Beyer: 74

6f turf, 1:10.06, 1st by one length ch. f. 3, Tapit – Starformer, by Dynaformer Noteworthy siblings: Flavius (War Front) – 1st Tourist Mile, earnings $541,000 Auctions: None Owner: Gainesway Stable Trainer: Graham Motion Breeder: Juddmonte Farms Well, okay then! Love this filly. She broke a half-beat slow from the rail but quickly recovered to establish a decent position while rating kindly behind a moderate tempo. Always traveled in the bridle and alert and was ready when the jockey guided her off the fence at the top of the stretch. Shied ever so slightly when asked to cross over heels getting to the outside, but plenty athletic to accomplish that maneuver and immediately leveled off to take aim at the leader. Bounding strides, accelerated beautifully under strong hand urging, and finished this off with an exclamation point. All this from a filly very much bred to go longer as the daughter of a multiple graded stakes winner at 11 to 12 furlongs on turf.

FARSIGHTED

Oct. 2, 2nd race, Keeneland, MdSpWt69k

Beyer: 70

6f 1:11.11, 1st by 7 lengths b. f. 2, Bernardini – Elusive Fate, by Elusive Quality Noteworthy siblings: None

Auctions: None

Owner: G. Watts Humphrey

Trainer: Rusty Arnold

Breeder: G. Watts Humphrey

Barely qualified for this list (2-year-old cutoff is a 70 Beyer), but the visual surpassed the speed figure, and she did win in an absolute romp. Eighth early last time in her career debut, but the splits in that Churchill race were far faster than the ones here, and after a sharp break she was right up with the leaders, four wide into the turn and three wide most of the bend. Assumed command and quickly drew away in midstretch while never being asked for anything by the rider. Her dam was a listed-stakes class sprintermiler with just one other foal to race, a winless horse named Fugitive. Would expect her to go one mile or a route next out, probably at Churchill, and knowing this trainer’s approach, likely in an allowance race.

LIAM’S LIGHT

Oct. 3, 3rd race, Monmouth, MdSpWt48k

Beyer: 74

6f, 1:11.10, 1st by 4 3/4 lengths gr. f. 2, Liam’s Map – Lemon Splendor, by Lemon Drop Kid

Noteworthy siblings: Mo Maverick (Indian Charlie) – stakes-winner, $376K earnings

Auctions: Fasig-Tipton October yearling 2019 – $190,000

Owner: Gentry Stable

Trainer: Kelly Breen

Breeder: Stoneway Farm

Races without Lasix and led a one-two finish for sire Liam’s Map. Entered in a five-furlong turf race in September, it came off, she finished third. This was far, far better. Broke on top from post 11, pressed, pounced, took over, and 3-2 favorite who wound up second could make no inroads. Will say that this filly appeared to run pretty hard today, and that despite a route-leaning pedigree she has some sprinty characteristics.

SMILEY SOBOTKA

Oct. 4, 7th race, Keeneland, MdSpWt61k

Beyer: 71

1 1/16M, 1:45.96, 1st by 2 lengths ch. c. 2, Brody’s Cause – Dancethewayyouare, by Mineshaft

Noteworthy siblings: None

Auctions: Fasig-Tipton August Select 2019 – $185,000

Owner: Albaugh Family Stables

Trainer: Dale Romans

Breeder: Track West Racing

Professional second-start, sprint-route maiden win for Romans and Albaugh, who campaigned the firstcrop sire. Goes efficiently and gallops along with his head held low; doesn’t appear especially scopey or impressive, but he was plenty effective. Beyer came back modest and on paper the field looked similar, but obviously plenty of room to grow this early in his racing life.

CATMAN

Oct. 3, 8th race, Pimlico, Laurel Futurity150k Beyer: 71 1 1/16M turf (yielding) 1:50.51, 1st by a nose b. c. 2, Kitten’s Joy – Fab Flowers, by Lewis Michael Noteworthy siblings: None

Auctions: Fasig-Tipton summer yearling 2019 – $65,000; OBS March 2yo 2020 – $85,000

Owner: Paradise Farms, David Staudacher, John Piehowicz, Angelo Carlesimo, Mike Maker

Trainer: Mike Maker

Breeder: Steve Feiger, Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey Was part of a big weekend for trainer Mike Maker, who within the hour of the Laurel Futurity won a second stakes race in this division, 2-year-old turf males, when Fire At Will captured the Grade 2 Pilgrim at Belmont. Maker signed the ticket for Catman at a 2-year-old in training sale and is in on the ownership group. Ran a winning maiden race at Kentucky Downs only to fall short by a nose, and just lasted here after leading throughout, holding clear a run from Wootton Asset, a Graham Motion-trained French import making his U.S. debut. The fractions look glacial, but the wet Pimlico course just was playing that way. Inherently impressive to some extent to clear the maiden ranks in a stakes, but he seems more a “C” prospect in terms of a true breakout performer.

TELLMEONASUNDAY

Sept. 30, 5th race, Penn National, MdSpWt27k

Beyer: 89

1M 70yds 1:41.51, 1st by 8 3/4 lengths b. f. 3, Quality Road – Showtime Samurai, by First Samurai

Noteworthy siblings: None

Auctions: Keeneland September yearling 2018 – $190,000

Owner: Lael Stable

Trainer: Arnaud Delacour

Breeder: Farfellow Farms and W.S. Farish

Had started twice at Delaware and just missed first time out with a 78 Beyer, so not entirely sure why she wound up shipping to Penn National, though the best guess is there was no maiden two-turn dirt race for her at any of the more major tracks where trainer Delacour races. She and her entrymate were 1-20 favorites and ran 1-2 by a mile, with this filly leading all the way. Went at an even pace and finished with plenty of energy, and the two turns seems to be what she wants. Runner-up, named Bonkers, isn’t bad, but still hard to know how to judge what amounted to a paid workout.