Breakout Beyers: Carl Spackler looks like star in maiden romp

Each week in this space, the top Beyer performances by maiden winners will be featured and analyzed. Click here for a complete archive.

Carl Spackler

Feb. 25, 12th race Gulfstream, MdSpWt70k

Beyer: 93

1 mile turf 1:34.13 – 1st by 8 3/4 lengths

ch. c. 3, Lope de Vega – Zindaya, by More than Ready

Owner: e Five Racing Thoroughbreds

Trainer: Chad Brown

Breeder: Fifth Avenue Bloodstock

It’s hard to believe that Carl Spackler and Far Bridge debuted in the same turf-route maiden race on Jan. 21 at Gulfstream. I’d be surprised if right now, March 7, these aren’t the two best American 3-year-old grass horses going. I’m still not sure how Far Bridge got up to beat Carl Spackler in that race, the two finishing far clear of third, but here, Carl Spackler, who was 1-5, looked like a winner a long way from the finish. Tracking the pace kindly under Jose Ortiz, Carl Spackler jumped on two leaders while coming three wide at the quarter pole and flew home, getting his last quarter-mile in about 22.60 seconds. He did that comfortably, too, and that after showing positional pace. This is the second foal to race out of Zindaya, a seven-furlong grass specialist also trained by Brown. Sky’s the limit.

Conclude

March 4, 1st race Santa Anita, MdSpWt70k

Beyer: 91

5 1/2 furlongs turf 1:01.57 – 1st by 4 1/4 lengths

ch. c. 3, Collected – Believe You Can, by Proud Citizen

Noteworthy siblings: Believe in Royalty (Tapit, foaled 2014) – stakes winner, $194K in earnings

Auctions: Keeneland September yearling 2021 – $140,000 RNA

Owner: Little Red Feather Racing, Madaket Stables, Brereton Jones

Trainer: Phil D’Amato

Breeder: Brereton Jones

Well, that was dazzling. Hard to believe this colt finished second in his career debut; is it possible 6 1/2 furlongs was too far? That seems unlikely considering the way he finished off this race. Conclude showed good gate speed, was hooked by a pace rival to his outside, and ran with that horse lapped on his flank around the turn to upper stretch. And then – zoom. Conclude went from the three-sixteenths pole to the finish like he was shot out of a cannon, and that after setting a pretty strong pace. Really enjoyed the way this colt got low and put his head down, a coiling spring launching to the wire after being asked to quicken by Flavien Prat. He’s out of a Kentucky Oaks winner. The breeder stayed in as an owner after the colt failed to meet his reserve at Keeneland September.

Bo Cruz

March 4, 7th race Fair Grounds, MdSpWt50k

Beyer: 92

1 mile 70 yards 1:42.25 – 1st by 12 1/4 lengths

gr. c. 3, Creative Cause – Quick Breeze, by Ghostzapper

Auctions: Keeneland September yearling 2021 – $45,000

Owner: Bruno De Julio

Trainer: Al Stall

Breeder: Douglas Scharbauer

This was just a six-horse field, the favorite was a first-time starter, and other than Bo Cruz, an encouraging sprint second in his career debut, there wasn’t much form in the race. Also, the speed figure feels somewhat high to me; there was only one other dirt-route race on the card, the dirt sprints went in relatively quick times, and the raw time here wasn’t especially fast. That said, Bo Cruz won in a laugher and looked good doing it. Breaking alertly from post 1, he raced in hand and stayed relaxed even when pressed down the backstretch and around the far turn by an outside pace rival. The jockey sat chilly to the quarter pole and when he asked Bo Cruz for more run, the colt immediately delivered. Bo Cruz did drift out several paths under a right-handed crop, though he straightened out in the final 50 yards or so. The dam, a sister to Preakness winner Cloud Computing, has gotten several foals to race but none of note.

Scotland

March 4, 4th race Gulfstream, MdSpWt70k

Beyer: 86

7 furlongs 1:23.44 – 1st by head

ch. g. 3, Good Magic – Gemswick Park, by Speightstown

Noteworthy siblings: Tapped (Tapit, foaled 2014) – multiple stakes-placed, $176K in earnings

Owner: LNJ Foxwoods

Trainer: Bill Mott

Breeder: LNJ Foxwoods

This homebred first-time starter debuted as a gelding and was entered and withdrawn from an auction as a yearling, but he looked just fine out on the racetrack. He started working last fall at WinStar and got on a steady pattern at Payson when shipped into the Mott stable. Scotland lacked early speed and was at the back of the field in short order, but he held his position down the backstretch and came with a five-wide run around the turn. Most first-timers with a trip like this would flatten out a bit from the eighth pole to the wire after reaching contention; not this guy, who went hard for the win and got his final furlong in a robust 12.10 to beat sharp debuting pacesetter Let It Ride by a head. The dam, a 2006 model, won the Old Hat over seven furlongs, which was about her trip. This horse is no sure thing, either, to excel beyond a one-turn mile, but he looks like a runner.

Squire Creek

March 2, 8th race Fair Grounds, MdSpWt50k

Beyer: 86

6 furlongs 1:10.05 – 1st by 6 1/4 lengths

b. c. 3, Uncle Mo – Covenant, by Speightstown

Auctions: Fasig-Tipton select yearling Saratoga 2021 – $525,000

Owner: WinStar Farm, Twin Creeks Racing Stables, 4 G Racing, Ronald Ortyl

Trainer: Brad Cox

Breeder: WinStar Farm

The betting public made first-timer Wicked Again the odds-on favorite, but they had the wrong horse, and this was no contest. Wicked Again led along the inside with Squire Creek, who broke alertly, pressing the pace on his flank, and at the quarter pole, Wicked Again came under heavy pressure while Squire Creek clipped along mainly under his own courage. Florent Geroux eventually did ask the colt for something in midstretch, but after pulling well clear of Wicked Again, Squire Creek was geared down in the last 50 yards or so, galloping home an easy winner in what looked on paper like a solid contest. They went very fast early here, and clearly this colt has ample speed, but he might well stretch out to longer distances, too. Squire Creek is the first foal to race from a Bill Mott-trained filly who won a Saratoga maiden special weight at second asking with an 89 Beyer. She’s a sister to the long-winded multiple graded stakes winner Commissioner.