Breakout Beyers: Ganadora looks like a million in impressive maiden victory

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

Ganadora

Feb. 26, 6th race Santa Anita, MdSpWt68k

Beyer: 84

6 1/2f 1:17.15 – 1st by 6 3/4 lengths

b. f. 3, Quality Road – Beloveda, by Ghostzapper

Auctions: Keeneland September yearling 2020 - $1 million

Owner: Baoma Corporation

Trainer: Bob Baffert

Breeder: Gainesway Thoroughbreds, Brian Graves, and Michael Hernon

Looked like a million bucks out there in her career debut – literally. This seven-figure yearling purchase posted her first work during May 2021 and breezed through early July, but then went quiet until late November, after which she worked steadily into her first start. Racing over a slow-playing Santa Anita surface, she went off favored and more than justified the short price. Breaking from the outside post in a six-horse field, Ganadora jumped right into the race, going head and head with an inside pace rival until the quarter pole, whereupon she put her front-running companion away. An outside stalker loomed at the three-sixteenths pole, but that didn’t last long, Ganadora sprinting away nicely to go clear by the furlong grounds and win in a romp. She galloped out a good 15 lengths ahead of her closest pursuer, which was not surprising considering she crossed the finish full of run, but also a positive sign regarding her route potential. Her two nearest dam’s sires are Ghostzapper and Saint Ballado, the dam was at heart a miler, and her full sibling Hana Road has won two in a row (maiden and first-level allowance route races) this winter at Fair Grounds. In other words, all signs point to Ganadora stretching out.

Elector

Feb. 26, 8th race Santa Anita, MdSpWt68k

Beyer: 93

7f 1:23.21 – 1st by 4 3/4 lengths

b. c. 4, Constitution – Oh Kay See, by Notional

Auctions: Keeneland September yearling 2019 - $65,000

Owner: West Point Thoroughbreds, Edwin Barker, William Sandbrook

Trainer: John Shirreffs

Breeder: Cloyce Clark

The Beyer came back strong for a maiden, but this is a 4-year-old making his second start, a colt who didn’t debut until December of his 3-year-old season. Obviously, this means the horse has suffered physical setbacks and that forecasting development based upon his staying sound is a dicey proposition. That being said – impressive showing. He was stuck inside just behind the pace down the backstretch but pushed through a gap to take the lead at the half-mile pole, going clear around the turn and never facing a challenge thereafter. He won with only modest encouragement, and we took note of how his ears came up before the eighth pole as he wandered slightly off his line, a sign there was plenty of gas in the tank as a lightly raced horse tried to process exactly what he was doing. What he was doing was winning easily – hope there’s more to come.

Highly Respected

Feb. 26, 5th race Aqueduct, MdSpWt80k

Beyer: 83

6f 1:09.69 – 1st by 1 1/4 lengths

b. c. 3, Dialed In – Revered, by Dixie Union

Noteworthy siblings: By Your Side (Constitution) – G3 winner, $202K earnings

Auctions: Keeneland September yearling 2020 - $65,000

Owner: Klaravich Stables

Trainer: Chad Brown

Breeder: Columbiana Farm

He cost a relatively small amount considering these high-profile connections and went off at win odds of 7-1, but there is nothing wrong with this colt, who debuted on a fast-playing surface. Was urged out of the gate and took up a forward position while several lengths behind the solo pacesetter. Highly Respected began closing the gap around the turn and came into the homestretch well balanced and in a good rhythm, reaching the leader at the eighth pole and edging clear to the finish. He was a touch awkward changing leads but otherwise raced very professionally and willingly. Highly Respected doesn’t appear to have a huge amount of scope. His stakes-winning brother developed early and plateaued quickly, though he is a two-turn horse. The dam did not have much of a racing career, while her dam, Lady Tap, was a stakes horse who preferred sprints to routes.

Heartyconstitution

Feb. 26, 1st race Oaklawn, MdSpWt84k

Beyer: 82

6f 1:11.13 – 1st by 2 3/4 lengths

b. f. 3, Constitution – Distinct Sparkle, by With Distinction

Noteworthy siblings: Chateau (Flat Out) – multiple stakes winner, graded stakes winner, $615K earnings

Auctions: Keeneland January all ages 2020 - $165,000; Fasig-Tipton select Kentucky yearling 2020 - $150,000 (RNA); Fasig-Tipton October yearling 2020 - $200,000

Owner: Wayne Sanders and Highlander Training Center

Trainer: Joe Sharp

Breeder: Roberta Schneider

She broke from the rail and finished a solid third of 10 making her career debut, and Heartyconstitution took a considerable forward step in her second start to clear the maiden ranks. The filly broke mid-pack and stalked three in front of her into the far turn, and with no other real options, the jockey just left her parked four paths wide around the entire bend. That meant clear sailing but serious ground loss, yet Heartyconstition held her momentum even when spun even wider into the homestretch, attacking the leaders at the furlong pole and pulling away to a very nice victory followed by an appealing gallop-out. Even considering the gallop-out, there’s plenty of pedigree evidence this horse won’t want to race beyond one turn. Chateau, her most successful sibling, recently won the six-furlong Gravesend and is a sprinter through and through. The dam’s best Beyer came in a 5 1/2-furlong race and the female family broadly speaking leans sprint – not that there’s anything wrong with having a stakes-class one-turn horse, and this filly does appear to be a nice physical specimen.