Breakout Beyers: Kingpin may have been aided by turf course bias

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

Kingpin

Jan. 20, 6th race, Fair Grounds, MdSpWt40k

Beyer: 87
5 1/2f, firm turf, 1:03.06
b. c. 3, Quality Road–Underserviced, by Hook and Ladder
Owner: Twin Creeks Racing Stable and Rick Ortyl
Trainer: Michael Stidham
Breeder: Helen Barbazon, Joseph Barbazon, W.S. Farish

Difficult to know what to make of this breakthrough performance. On the one hand the turf debut might have brought forth latent talent (most successful sibling, Lucky Mike, was all grass), but on the other, this Fair Grounds turf course tilted heavily toward front-runners, and Kingpin burst straight to the front from an inside draw. Did stride out nicely to the wire but we’ll have to wait and see if this is reproduceable.

Alba’s Star

Jan. 20, 8th race, Fair Grounds, MdSpWt40k

Beyer: 80
1m, firm turf, 1:36.95
ch. f. 3, Elusive Quality–Dinner at Arlene’s, by Forestry
Owner: Vintage Thoroughbreds and Bradley Thoroughbreds
Trainer: Michael Stidham
Breeder: Godolphin and Lannister Holdings

Same Fair Grounds card, same trainer as Kingpin – and like Kingpin, a front-running blowout win over a turf course that appeared to really play to the strengths of qualified front-runners. This was third day of the racing week after the temporary rails were taken down the evening of Jan. 17 and inside paths were preferred. All that said, filly was making second career start and remains interesting prospect.

Cyril’s Boy

Jan. 25, 6th race, Fair Grounds, MdCl45k

Beyer: 80
6f, dirt fast, 1:10.98
b. c. 3, Trappe Shot–Castle Road, by Bellamy Road
Owner: Hugh Robertson
Trainer: Hugh Robertson
Breeder: Hinkle Farms

Don’t typically include maiden-claimers in this space but owner-trainer Robertson is liable to debut for a high tag a horse that could turn out to be useful. $15K sales purchase professional from start to finish and ran faster than many MSW winners this meet. Robertson’s stable star, millionaire Hotshot Anna, also by Trappe Shot.

Candy Tycoon

Jan. 25, 2nd race, Gulfstream, MdSpWt43k

Beyer: 83
1 1/16m, fast dirt, 1:45.03
b. c. 3, Twirling Candy–Liberty Lyric, by Unbridled’s Song
Owner: Mathis Stable
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Breeder: Jerry Romans Jr.
Hardly the first Gulfstream maiden winner trained by Pletcher to make this space this year. Eleven-point Beyer jump might be real since it came in his first two-turn dirt start. Second-highest Beyer was a turf route, so the key here might be a distance of ground. Made lead, turned back serious challenge at quarter pole and was drawing away. Looks somewhat light-framed and has made five starts without a break, so even if he’s found his niche, fair to wonder how much near-term improvement we’ll see.

Market Analysis

Jan. 25, 4th race, Gulfstream, MdSpWt43k

Beyer: 84
7f, fast dirt, 1:24.13
gr. c. 3, Honor Code–Interest Free, by Exchange Rate
Owner: China Horse Club and WinStar Farm
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Breeder: W.S. Farish

From first crop of Honor Code, and darned if he doesn’t travel somewhat like his papa. Dam was more a sprinting type but there’s stamina deeper down in the female side of pedigree. Perfect outside pressing trip, was slightly slow to change leads, might have gotten a little lost after hitting the front and going clear in upper stretch. Figure he’s a stretchout candidate for next start. Plenty of promise.

K P All Systems Go

Jan. 25, 9th race, Santa Anita, MdSpWt57k

Beyer: 82
1 1/8m, firm turf, 1:47.85
b. c. 3, More than Ready–Salonsun, by Monsun
Owner: Karl Pergola
Trainer: Jeff Mullins
Breeder: Vivien Malloy

Well, okay then! Granted, he got a great setup racing last behind a sprint pace in a nine-furlong grass race, but this was a breathtaking performance. Twelve-point Beyer improvement came with blinkers added. The turn of foot he showed from the five-sixteenths pole to the sixteenth pole, by which point he had crushed his rivals, made him look like a key contender, say, for the Belmont Derby this summer.

Silent Fury

Jan. 26, 4th race, Santa Anita, MdSpWt56k

Beyer: 86
5 1/2f, fast dirt, 1:03.70
ch. c. 3, Violence–Silent Emotion, by Ghazi
Owner: Jay Em Ess Stable
Trainer: Brian Koriner
Breeder: Mike Abraham

Twenty-point Beyer jump in second career start following debut last July. Good gate speed, strong pace, turned back 4-5 favorite and, while ridden along lightly much of the trip, appeared to win with something left. He’s fast and a powerful-looking colt, and both races short sprints, but the dam did well at nine furlongs on grass and her two best foals to race were turf-route horses.

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