Breakout Beyers: Asmussen busts out two good-lookers on same card
Each week in this space, the top Beyer performances by maiden winners will be featured and analyzed. Click here for a complete archive.
Parlance
Nov. 13, 5th race Churchill, MdSpWt113k
Beyer: 81
5.5f 1:04.32 – 1st by 4 1/4 lengths
b. f. 2, Maclean’s Music – Taparri, by Tapit
Noteworthy siblings: None
Auctions: Keeneland September yearling 2020 – $100,000
Owner: Brereton Jones
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Breeder: Woodford Thoroughbreds
Went to the lead and faded badly making career debut in September, but we saw an entirely different performance in this, her second race. Out of the gate alertly, Parlance let another horse lead while pressing the pace outside after breaking from post 8, traveling strongly while rating willingly. Overtook the pacesetter at the quarter pole and had two horses coming up to her outside, but the jockey set her down and the filly responded, easily getting the better of the leader and the pair of stalking rivals while drawing away to a visually impressive victory. She’s a lot of filly, bulky with the stride turnover of a sprinter/miler. Her third dam is La Paz, who produced three graded stakes winners, and she is the second foal to race from a dam who also won her maiden at this 5 1/2-furlong trip but eventually hit a career-peak Beyer in a two-turn turf race.
Epicenter
Nov. 13, 8th race Churchill, MdSpWt120k
Beyer: 80
1M 1:36.26 – 1st by 3 1/2 lengths
b. c. 2, Not This Time – Silent Candy, by Candy Ride
Noteworthy siblings: None
Auctions: Keeneland September yearling 2020 - $260,000
Owner: Winchell Thoroughbreds
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Breeder: Westwind Farms
Flashy? No. Encouraging? Yes. Trainer Steve Asmussen’s second “Breakout Beyer” winner on the same Churchill card got a marginally lower figure but might have been more impressive, at least as a two-turn stakes prospect, than the filly Parlance. Like Parlance, this was a second-time starter, and, also like Parlance, he’d gone to the lead and faded in his debut, finishing sixth. Second in that race was a horse named Seal Beach, and Epicenter, improving markedly, this time easily turned away Seal Beach, the runner-up again. In fact, the late section of the race where Epicenter repulsed Seal Beach’s challenge was his most impressive segment. Going straight to the lead in this one-turn mile, the colt set a quick pace over a quick-playing track but did so well within himself. He switched leads on cue and jockey Joel Rosario gave him one pop of the crop before hand-riding to the finish. Epicenter’s steady, efficient stride was plenty strong to carry him to a decisive score in a spread-out field. Moreover, the colt did not look especially honed, suggesting there could be more to come in late autumn and over the winter. Looks like he’ll stay a good, long way and his pedigree – tracing to Euro turf stamina just a few generations back – backs up that visual impression.
Kid Corleone
Nov. 13, 5th race Del Mar, MdSpWt71.5k
Beyer: 82
6.5f 1:15.78 – 1st by 1 length
b. c. 2, Shackleford – Corleone, by Indian Charlie
Noteworthy siblings: Mad Munnys (Munnings) - $305K earnings
Auctions: CTBA Jan. Mixed 2021 – $10,000; Fasig-Tipton Santa Anita 2021 – $62,000
Owner: Roadrunner Racing and Barbara Evenson
Trainer: Doug O’Neill
Breeder: The Quarter Company
California-bred with an obscure sales history, but this race looked legitimate enough, even if the race shape was all speed, no closing from the middle or back of the field despite a strong pace. Kid Corleone was 15-1 after a moderate career debut; the key here quite possibly was the addition of blinkers. Went straight to the lead and was dogged around the turn and into the stretch by odds-on favorite Sir London, second in his career debut with a 75 Beyer. Sir London tried to draw abreast of Kid Corleone in upper stretch, but the leader never allowed him to get alongside and, despite failing to change leads, opened a crack of daylight at the sixteenth pole. Yet another horse on this list out of a mare by Indian Charlie.
Higher Standard
Nov. 14, 6th race Churchill, MdSpWt108k
Beyer: 76
5.5f (muddy) 1:05.63 – 1st by 5 3/4 lengths
b. c. 2, Into Mischief – Minks Aprise, by Northern Afleet
Noteworthy siblings: None
Auctions: Keeneland September yearling 2020 – $290,000 RNA; OBS March 2yo 2021 – $345,000 RNA
Owner: David Campbell, Douglas Arnold, Marc Winston, David Clement
Trainer: Tom Amoss
Breeder: Buck Pond Farm
First foal to race from a multiple stakes winner who could sprint and route effectively. This colt twice was in auctions with a high reserve, neither met, and he clearly has some talent. How much? Hard to say, since this was merely a 5 1/2-furlong dash contested on a wet track and he got a sweet outside pressing trip. Still, he beat nine here, taking over fairly early and never coming close to being challenged in a visually taking performance.
Strategic Bird
Nov. 13, 6th race Gulfstream, FL-bred MdSpWt45k
Beyer: 79
5.5f 1:04.35 – 1st by 12 3/4 lengths
b. f. 2, Noble Bird – Strategize, by Afleet Alex
Noteworthy siblings: None
Auctions: OBS 2yo, yearling, HRA 2020 – $2,000; OBS 2yo & HRA 2021 – $40,000
Owner: Gary Barber
Trainer: Mark Casse
Breeder: John Oxley living trust
Won’t make too much of a front-running winner short-sprinting against Fla.-bred maidens, but the margin of victory was wide enough and the Beyer high enough that we’ll go on the record with the debut victory. Never challenged here, and after the jockey really asked her before the furlong grounds, she agreed to switch leads. Slightly sloppy stride but clearly effective enough with this bunch.