Breakout Beyers: Kopion waltzes in maiden, looks like big dances ahead

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

Kopion
Nov. 26, 3rd race Del Mar, MdSpWt61.5k
Beyer: 83
6 1/2 furlongs 1:16.18 – 1st by 3 3/4 lengths
b.f.2, Omaha Beach – Galloping Ami, by Victory Gallop
Noteworthy siblings: Ami’s Gizmo (Giant Gizmo, foaled 2013) – graded stakes winner, multiple stakes winner, $800k earnings; Ami’s Flatter (Flatter, foaled 2012) – graded stakes winner, $536k earnings; Aragorn Ami (Aragorn, foaled 2011) – stakes winner
Auctions: Keeneland September yearling 2022 – $270,000
Owner: Spendthrift Farm
Trainer: Richard Mandella
Breeder: Tall Oaks Farm

Not exactly a secret, this filly debuted at odds of 3-10, a price that she somehow made look something less than ridiculous after a ridiculously easy victory. Granted, Kopion had just five rivals, and, granted, the 83 Beyer won’t knock your socks off, but a horse cannot win a race with less real effort put forth than this. Kopion broke just fine from the outside post and settled into stride several lengths off the leaders. She jumped into the fray with a wide run at the half-mile pole that propelled her into a pressing second around the turn, and despite the fact jockey Flavien Prat barely moved his hands at the head of the homestretch, Kopion took off, whistling away from second-time starter She’s a Tempest, a decent second with a 67 Beyer in her debut. Sure, this was a very good performance in and of itself, but Kopion looked like she could be star, though, of course, one never knows how much is in the tank even when the gas pedal barely is pressed. She’s the 10th foal from an unraced dam, Galloping Ami, who has been an excellent broodmare. Galloping Ami’s most accomplished offspring, Ami’s Gizmo, has more purse earnings than any horse by Giant Gizmo, and another stakes winner, Aragorn Ami, is by Aragorn, hardly a household name.

Track Phantom
Nov. 25, 8th race Churchill, MdSpWt123k
Beyer: 87
1 1/16 miles 1:44.72 – 1st by 4 3/4 lengths
b.c.2, Quality Road – Miss Sunset, by Into Mischief
Noteworthy siblings: None
Auctions: Keeneland September yearling 2022 – $500,000
Owner: L and N Racing, Clark Brewster, Jerry Caroom, Breeze Easy
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Breeder: Breeze Easy

This is the second foal to race from a dam who was a crack sprinter, but there’s little doubt Track Phantom wants at least a middle distance. Trainer Steve Asmussen started the colt out in a pair of one-turn miles, where Track Phantom ran well without winning, before this strong score in his two-turn debut. Distance preference aside, the colt broke running like a sprinter, making the lead while racing two paths off the rail and staying cool as a horse directly to his inside attempted to bolt and / or run off with his rider. Track Phantom got the briefest of longshot challenges midway around the far turn, shrugged off that foe, and really showed something after the rider somewhat belatedly and very forcefully got him to change leads, bursting several lengths clear of his nearest rival between the three-sixteenths and eighth poles. Couple that move with his strong break and rateable speed, and we might have something here.

Otello
Nov. 24, 4th race Aqueduct, MdSpWt85k
Beyer: 81
1 mile 1:37.18 – 1st by a neck
ch.c.2, Curlin – Isabella Sings, by Eskendereya
Noteworthy siblings: None
Auctions: None
Owner: Siena Farm and WinStar Farm
Trainer: Christophe Clement
Breeder: Siena Farm

An 81 for a late-November 2-year-old maiden falls on the low end of noteworthy, but there are reasons beyond the number to include Otello here. Debuting at a one-turn mile, Otello broke on top but was outrun by three horses through the first furlong, settling two paths off the rail going down the backstretch. At the half-mile pole, it looked like he might have a chance to sneak up the fence as Bold Ambition began to fade, but Bold Ambition was ridden to maintain position and went forward to contest the lead again with J D Factor. That put Otello fourth behind three horses stacked in front of him from the three-furlong marker to the top of the homestretch. There, with the outside horse, For Your Pleasure, flagging just a bit, Joel Rosario tipped outside to go between J D Factor and For Your Pleasure, but Kendrick Carmouche, riding recklessly and dangerously on For Your Pleasure, steered his mount left, not only closing the gap, but running smack into the flank of Otello. No matter. Otello bounced off For Your Pleasure and switched to an inside run, showing a nice dirt turn of foot, especially for a debuting colt who’d just been clobbered by a rival, to quickly take the lead. He hit the wire well enough and galloped out solidly (as far as we can see, since NYRA’s video feed for some reason did not show a gallop-out) while racing and looking like a raw, unformed horse who will improve with maturation and more distance. Plenty of pedigree here, too.

Legalize
Nov. 25, 2nd race Churchill, MdSpWt123k
Beyer: 87
7 furlongs 1:23.05 – 1st by 1 1/2 lengths
b.c.2, Constitution – Allez Marie, by Unbridled’s Song
Noteworthy siblings: Workaholic (Sky Mesa, foaled 2016) - stakes winner; Fouette (Nyquist, 2018) – stakes placed, $304k earnings
Auctions: Keeneland September yearling 2022 – $250,000; OBS spring 2023 2yo – $500,000
Owner: Twin Brook Racing Stables, Belladonna Thoroughbreds, Nice Guys Stable, West Point Thoroughbreds
Trainer: Cherie DeVaux
Breeder: Stud TNT

Bet to favoritism in his debut at Keeneland in October, Legalize broke from post 1 facing 10 foes, wasn’t quick enough to make the lead, and ran solidly for fifth considering the circumstances. This one was a no-doubter, Legalize breaking sharply under Luis Saez and hitting the front before the field came out of the chute and onto the track proper. He held a clear lead through a moderate pace around the turn and into the homestretch, changed leads on cue, and was well clear before perhaps spying a shadow on the track surface and jumping back to his “wrong” lead. That cost Legalize some momentum, but he still won comfortably and galloped out in front to the end of the clubhouse turn. His second dam, Summerly, won the Kentucky Oaks, and Legalize is bred to get a distance of ground, but we’ll have to see on that one. He appears to be a colt of modest size with plenty of speed, a horse who really gets low to the ground when he races.