Breakout Beyers: Keep eye on Keepemeinmind

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

Keepmeinmind

Nov. 28, 11th race Churchill, Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club S.
Beyer: 80
1 1/16M, 1:44.52, 1st by neck
b. c. 2, Laoban – Inclination, by Victory Gallop
Owner: Cypress Creek and Arnold Bennewith
Trainer: Robertino Diodoro
Breeder: Southern Equine Stables

Now with multiple Grade 1 placings and a Grade 2 winner while also only a one-time winner in four starts. Began career in an off-turf one-mile maiden, lost, and since has kept only to two-turn graded stakes racing. Has no speed and went last to first to get up here, but it’s hard to get too excited over the performance since, frankly, the race was slow. This final time came off a six-furlong split of 1:12.81, and Keepmeinmind’s success had as much to do with the horses in front basically slowing to a gallop as it did with his turning in some sort of blazing finish. He does obviously have form to more than validate the performance, this race coming after a second to Essential Quality in the Breeders’ Futurity and a third to that same horse and the improbable Hot Rod Charlie in the BC Juvenile, a race that fell apart late. We saw Simply Ravishing (another horse by this surprisingly “hot” sire, Laoban) bounce to the moon in the Golden Rod Stakes earlier on this Churchill card, finishing a well-beaten fourth. It might be argued that Keepmeinmind reacted similarly to the quick return after a potentially taxing performance but managed to bounce into a win.

Swiftsure

Nov. 26, 8th race Fair Grounds, MdSpWt47k
Beyer: 87
6f, 1:10.15, 1st by 3 1/4 lengths
b. c. 2, Uncle Mo – Island Saint, by Speightstown
Auctions: Keeneland September yearling 2019 – $95,000 RNA
Owner: Siena Farms and Asmussenequine.com
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Breeder: Siena Farms

Curious that this colt, who ran straight, strong, and true on debut, didn’t meet a mere $95,000 reserve at Keeneland September, especially given pedigree. First named foal from a Todd Pletcher-trained dam who won her career debut well as a 2-year-old at Saratoga, hit a 90 Beyer Speed Figure going six furlongs in December of her 2-year-old season, finished second in the seven-furlong Forward Gal, and never raced again. The sires of this colt’s dam line – Speightstown, Saint Ballado, A.P. Indy, and Mr. Prospector. Broke like a rocket, raced in hand on the lead, could not have changed leads any more professionally after turning for home, and cruised under minimal urging, perhaps tiring a touch in the late stages. Fair to wonder if he’ll be a true route horse, but seven furlongs or a mile should at least be within range.

Miss Brazil

Nov. 29, 5th race Aqueduct, MdSpWt80k
Beyer: 93
61/2f, 1:17.12, 1st by 2 1/2 lengths
b. f. 3, Palace Malice – Baytree, by Forestry
Noteworthy siblings: Hammers Vision (Court Vision) – $409K earnings
Auctions: Keeneland September yearling 2019 – $170,000
Owner: Team D
Trainer: Tony Dutrow
Breeder: Haymarket Farm

Among the highest 2-year-old filly Beyers this year, and it’s probably fair to keep an open mind about the figure since this was a tough day for making numbers at Aqueduct. Only four races on this card were contested on dirt, with quite a gap between the third of them – the one this filly won – and the Fall Highweight, the last of the day’s main-track contests. The race before Miss Brazil’s, The Sound won off in a first-level allowance and earned a 104 Beyer, way up from the 89 and 86 he’d gotten in his first two starts. Miss Brazil and the runner-up here did spread the field, with eight lengths between second and third and more than six lengths between third and fourth. Miss Brazil showed good gate speed and took a two-length lead around the turn, and she had plenty left for odds-on favorite Caramel Swirl, who tried to make a run past the quarter pole. Dam’s side gets a little obscure not too far back in the pedigree. Interested to see where it goes from here.

Runway Magic

Nov. 28, 12th race Churchill Downs, MdSpWt87k
Beyer: 83
7f, 1:23.31, 1st by 3 3/4 lengths
b. c. 2, Runhappy – Divine Escapade, by A.P. Indy
Noteworthy siblings: King of the Court (Speightstown) – stakes-winner, $216K earnings
Owner: Hill ‘n’ Dale Equine & Bruce Lunsford
Trainer: Rusty Arnold
Breeder: Bruce Lunsford and Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm

Very nice win. This trainer doesn’t rush horses along and after a modest debut and an improved second race, the colt really put it together here. Lost a lot of ground on the turn while stalking the pace wide, but that made not a whit of difference in the end as he was much the best. Closed in from about five lengths off the pace despite some moderate fractions and after working a bit to get past the leader at the furlong grounds, he was drawing comfortably away at the finish. The unraced dam is out of Grade 1-winning millionaire Madcap Escapade, and, to be honest, this colt’s way of going isn’t dissimilar to hers. Three seven-furlong starts to begin career. Figures to get a chance over a longer trip after settling into winter quarters, presumably in Florida.

Parnelli

Nov. 28, 4th race Del Mar, MdSpWt58k
Beyer: 79
1M, 1:38.58, 1st by 5 3/4 lengths
b. c. 2, Quality Road – Sip Sip, by Bernardini
Auctions: Keeneland September yearling 2019 – $500,000
Owner: C R K Stable
Trainer: John Shirreffs
Breeder: Gainesway Thoroughbreds

Was coming off narrow losses to BC Juvenile runner-up Hot Rod Charlie and to Spielberg, who returned with a clunker in the Grade 3 Bob Hope. Did get a perfect trip but went about his business the right way, albeit at odds of 3-10, drawing away smartly under minimal encouragement in a dominant performance. That said, while he appears to be a sizable, powerful colt, don’t love the way he travels, and, in the end, he did require four starts to win a maiden race. Beyer was down here from a top of 86. Could be more to come over the winter – time will tell.

Proxy

Nov. 26, 6th race Fair Grounds, MdSpWt47k
Beyer: 74
1 1/16M, 1:44.37, 1st by 2 lengths
b. c. 2, Tapit – Panty Raid, by Include
Noteworthy siblings: Micheline (Bernardini) – multiple stakes winner, $546K earnings
Owner: Godolphin
Trainer: Mike Stidham
Breeder: Godolphin

Came from well behind a moderate pace debuting at Monmouth in an off-turf mile, just missing getting up, but had better speed here in second start breaking from the fence. Got away second but soon made the front, setting a slow pace while under token pressure down the backstretch and around the far turn. Still green, he jinked right under a left-handed stick at the three-sixteenths pole and was fortunate to be clear of two chasing rivals but lost no momentum from that and cruised home comfortably best, albeit in a relatively modest clocking. The dam won Grade 1’s on turf and dirt and this colt’s 3-year-old sister, Micheline, is a talented turf route performer.