Breakout Beyers: Hozier makes considerable progress after a dull debut
Each week in this space, the top Beyer performances by maiden winners will be featured and analyzed. Click here for a complete archive.
Hozier
Feb. 15, 6th race Santa Anita, MdSpWt61k
Beyer: 84
1 1/16 miles 1:44.64, 1st by 1 3/4 lengths
b. c. 3, Pioneerof the Nile – Merry Meadow, by Henny Hughes
Auction: Fasig-Tipton select Saratoga yearling 2019 – $625,000
Owner: SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Breeder: WinStar Farm
This colt eluded the Baffert 3-year-old hype train, but I suppose losing by 14 lengths in its career debut will do that to a horse. The first start came sprinting, and this route looked entirely different. Tracked pacesetter Fenway while racing inside another rival early, then went to the No. 2 path after drawing clear from the other horse chasing the leader. Fenway still had a clear lead at the quarter pole and appeared to be cruising, but Hozier really got after him at the three-sixteenths pole and wound up hitting the front in plenty of time while under only moderate urging. Raced in blinkers and a shadow roll, changing leads for the run home right on cue. Only an average gallop-out. Mix of speed and stamina on dam’s side; second dam by Allen’s Prospect (speed), but fourth dam by Stage Door Johnny (stamina). More solid than spectacular, but something upon which to build here.
Adventuring
Feb. 16, 6th race Fair Grounds, MdSpWt50k
Beyer: 81
1 mile 70 yards 1:43.34, 1st by 6 1/2 lengths
b. f. 3, Pioneerof the Nile – Questing, by Hard Spun
Noteworthy siblings: Romantic Pursuit (Medaglia d’Oro) – graded-stakes placed, $293K earnings
Owner: Godolphin
Trainer: Brad Cox
Breeder: Godolphin
Fourth foal to race out of Questing, who won the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks and Grade 1 Alabama as a 3-year-old of 2012 for Godolphin and trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. All three races have come in off-turf affairs, the first one on a sloppy track. Second out she improved, finishing second to subsequent Oaklawn stakes winner Will’s Secret, and this race marked a major step forward. Got herself into a good stalking position, had aim on the leading pair at the three-furlong pole, and attacked with a purpose while coming outside at the top of the long Fair Grounds homestretch. Was hard driven to go clear, but this race was decided at the sixteenth pole and she was under little pressure crossing the wire. Keeping in mind this was a watered-down off-turf race and that she didn’t run especially fast, but the steady progress has been noted, and she does move like a horse who could gallop along as far as her mother did.
Shackleford Strong
Feb. 18, 5th race Fair Grounds, MdSpWt50k
Beyer: 87
5 1/2 furlongs 1:04.09, 1st by 4 3/4 lengths
b. c. 3, Shackleford – American Queen, by Quiet American
Noteworthy siblings: Honey I’m Good (Shackelford) – stakes-winner $256K earnings
Owner: James Zahler
Trainer: Steve Flint
Breeders: Ann Fostock
Went to Saratoga last summer with trainer Steve Asmussen, showing some speed before fading to fourth in a maiden race won by Mutasaabeq in his only start. Unseen until this race, and now based in Louisiana with trainer Steve Flint, he got into an off-turf maiden sprint, broke like a rocket from the fence, and never was headed. One rival came within a length or so at the furlong grounds, but this colt cornered nicely and opened up daylight again. Perhaps tiring – perhaps not – he switched to the wrong lead and took an awkward step at about the sixteenth pole but lost no momentum and came past the finish much the best. Very much has the look of a sprinter, and a pretty fast one at that, but the competition here was suspect and we’ll have to see how he looks against some better horses.
Quantum Leap
Feb. 20, 8th race Gulfstream, MdSpWt43k
Beyer: 82
1 1/8 miles 1:51.45, 1st by a neck
b. c. 3, Pioneerof the Nile – Grand Glory, by Distorted Humor
Noteworthy siblings: Superstition (Ghostzapper) – stakes winner; Gloryzapper (Ghostzapper) – graded stakes winner
Auction: Keeneland September yearling 2019 – $270,000
Owner: Lothenbach Stables
Trainer: Ian Wilkes
Breeder: WinStar Farm
What a week in this space for Pioneerof the Nile, right?! Can see why he was ineffective in his first two starts since they were sprints and he is a brute of a colt who lacks quick-twitch acceleration of any sort. Maybe this was confirmation bias, but when I saw the past performances, the running line from this race, the pedigree, and the trainer, I assumed this was a one-paced grinder, and that is exactly how he looked. Pressed from second early but was displaced down the backstretch and wound up three wide as the odds-on favorite set the pace along the fence. Quantum Leap moved back into second around the turn but appeared to have been turned back by the favorite in upper stretch. Whether through his own resolute determination, the leader getting tired, or some combination of the two, he got back on terms at the sixteenth pole and pushed clear to score. One would think he’d get better with racing and route experience, but have to think there are some limitations because of the physical profile.
Warrant
Feb. 16, 9th race Fair Grounds, MdSpWt55k
Beyer: 79
6 furlongs 1:10.76, 1st by a neck
ch. c. 3, Constitution – Whisper Number, by First Samurai
Noteworthy siblings: Ms Locust Point (Dialed In) – graded stakes winner, multiple stakes winner, $676,000 earnings
Owner: Twin Creeks Racing Stable
Trainer: Brad Cox
Breeder: Twin Creeks Farm
The “noteworthy sibling,” Ms Locust Point, hit a peak going seven furlongs and do wonder if this colt is meant to be a sprinter-miler himself. He was solid in his career debut, finishing third behind runner-up Run Classic, who came back with a smart maiden route win at Fair Grounds. Warrant improved marginally here to run down Wild for Wycliff, who also had run all right first time out in a promising maiden heat, but looks like a horse who really might not want more than 5 1/2 furlongs. Decent, but nothing near the league of, say, Prate, a 3-year-old stablemate who was a true Breakout Beyer horse in mid-December at Fair Grounds.