Breakout Beyers: Dream Shake wows at a price
Each week in this space, the top Beyer performances by maiden winners will be featured and analyzed. Click here for a complete archive.
Dream Shake
Feb. 7, 5th race Santa Anita, MdSpWt63k
Beyer: 96
6 1/2f 1:17.34, 1st by 4 3/4 lengths
b. c. 3, Twirling Candy – Even Song, by Street Cry
Auctions: Keeneland September yearling 2019 - $32,000; OBS spring 2yo 2020 - $75,000
Owner: Exline-Border Racing, SAF Racing and Richard Hausman
Trainer: Peter Eurton
Breeder: Dunwoody Farm
This was the debut race for ballyhooed Bob Baffert-trained Bezos, who was a bust. Dream Shake, meanwhile, was 20-1 but won like he was the talking horse from morning training. There was plenty of firepower, it seemed, even beyond Bezos here, but the easy winner could’ve been had, as you can see above, for a mere $32,000 as a yearling. Two siblings to race didn’t show a whole lot but the dam is out of Brownie Points, herself an excellent racehorse and the dam of three stakes winners, the best of them Synchrony, a strong Grade 2-type turf horse best from 1 1/16 to 1 1/8 miles. Dream Shake broke all right but didn’t show much speed, going along middlingly till the half-mile pole, when he commenced a wide, sustained rally that had carried him to the front at the quarter pole, which is impressive in its own right. Went to the wire willingly and was wrapped up in the very late stages, still galloping out solidly over a slow-playing racing surface. This is one of the higher maiden Beyers you’ll see, especially for a first-time starter, and this colt is going to get plenty of attention in coming weeks.
Obligatory
Feb. 7, 9th race Gulfstream, MdSpWt40k
Beyer: 82
1M 1:37.46, 1st by 2 1/2 lengths
gr. f. 3, Curlin – Uno Duo, by Macho Uno
Owner: Juddmonte Farms
Trainer: Bill Mott
Breeder: Juddmonte Farms
She was an even fourth in her one previous start, a Belmont sprint in October, and this was a very, very nice performance. Broke only so-so from the fence and was behind horses from the start, with the jockey having to wait on a couple occasions when the filly might have probed into contention. Caught behind a horse going nowhere to the three-furlong pole, Obligatory was obliged to pause one final time before being maneuvered to the far outside. Once in the clear she advanced steadily and with a purpose, reaching the pacesetting leader at the sixteenth pole and quickly drawing clear. Attractive filly carried plenty of flesh and shows a nice, reaching stride, though the dam, also a Juddmonte homebred trained by Mott, was strictly a sprinter during her successful racing career. Sire Curlin adds a dose of stamina and Obligatory traces to some real dirt stamina in the female family.
Coulthard
Feb. 5, 1st race Santa Anita, MdSpWt62k
Beyer: 83
6f turf 1:09.05, 1st by 1 1/2 lengths
b. c. 3, Coulsty – Iamnoangel, by Dark Angel
Auctions: Unknown
Owner: Jay Manoogian
Trainer: Phil D’Amato
Breeder: J Waldron and J Barton
He was a five-race maiden overseas, four on turf and one on the all-weather, but ran competitively with some sharp 2-year-olds such as St. Mark’s Basilica and Lipizzaner. Raced on Lasix for the first time but one could imagine it was firm turf as much as the anti-bleeder medication that propelled him to this nice win since all his Irish turf starts came on courses that were to some extent rain-soaked. Broke a half-step slowly from post 2 as the strong favorite, was urged into the running but wound up behind the lead pack, threw his head in the first furlong, settled a bit, threw it once more, and then got into a nice rhythm. He was sixth into the far turn before making a sharp, very athletic move while cornering to reach contention coming wide into the homestretch, where, with all the momentum, he finished things off with some authority. The sire was a sprinter, the dam’s sire tilts toward racing at one mile or less, and he has the look of a one-turn horse, so his future might not hold a stretchout.
Promise Keeper
Feb. 6, 10th race Gulfstream, MdSpWt40k
Beyer: 80
1M 1:36.89 (sloppy track), 1st by 5 lengths
ch. c. 3, Constitution – Mira Alta, by Curlin
Noteworthy siblings: Wicked Awesome (Awesome Again) – stakes-winner, $294k earnings
Auctions: Kee. Sept. yearling 2019 - $160,000
Owner: Woodford Thoroughbreds and WinStar Farm
He faced token pressure very early but otherwise was out on his own on the lead over a sloppy track, the sort of performance that begs to be taken with a grain of salt. He stalked and faded in his lone previous start, a six-furlong dash in January, and even though Promise Keeper set a strong pace, it was he, not the chasers or closers, who kicked on at the top of the stretch in his maiden win. Wore front wraps for the first time, possibly just to keep from running down on the wet track. He is one of those horses who goes low to the ground, his ears not much higher than his withers. He made a couple late lead changes and did not have much of a gallop-out, with the race having been won at the three-sixteenths pole. The successful sibling was a stakes winner over 1 1/16 miles and this colt should go two turns, but would like to see some validation on a dry racing strip.
Gershwin
Feb. 6, 5th race Fair Grounds, MdSpWt50k
Beyer: 80
5 1/2f 1:04.38 (muddy track), 1st by 3 lengths
b. c. 3, Distorted Humor – Music Note, by A.P. Indy
Noteworthy siblings: Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper) – G2 winner $193K earnings
Owner: Godolphin
Trainer: Mike Stidham
Breeder: Goldolphin
The race was scheduled for turf but rained onto a wet main track, and this is an excellent wet-track pedigree. He was third going six furlongs in lone previous start (race won by promising colt Defeater) and connections so far are treating him like a one-turn horse, though he could be sent on a route mission before too long. The super-talented dam was a Grade 1 winner at seven furlongs and 1 1/4 miles, and Gershwin’s brother, conditioned by the same trainer, is a Grade 2 winner over 1 1/8 miles, so, in theory, there should be staying power here. Races in blinkers. Tracked the pace, appeared to be spinning his wheels a touch in upper stretch, but kicked in very late while on the far outside and finished off nicely as the ones he passed struggled. Solid, less than spectacular, but foundation for more to come.
One Fast Cat
Feb. 4, 6th race Turfway Park, MdSpWt31k
Beyer: 80
6 1/2f Tapeta 1:16.41, 1st by 1/2 length
b. c. 3, Fast Anna – Love this Kitty, by Not For Love
Auctions: Keeneland September yearling 2019 - $145,000
Owner: Three Chimneys Farm
Trainer: Wesley Ward
Breeder: Three Chimneys Farm
It looks like he’s a homebred, but our auction info says he was sold. No noteworthy siblings, but dam’s brother is Hootenanny, trained by Ward to win the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. Also worth noting that while One Fast Cat won by a narrow margin, it was more than 10 lengths from second back to third. Big, powerful looking colt dwarfed the rival he edged away from in deep stretch, and the pedigree shows that despite his good sprint speed in debut he’ll have a chance to go somewhat farther.