Breakout Beyers: Life Is Good is even better

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

Life Is Good

Nov. 22, 2nd race Del Mar, MdSpWt57k
Beyer: 90
6 1/2f, 1:15.50, 1st by 9 1/2 lengths
b. c. 2, Into Mischief – Beach Walk, by Distorted Humor
Auctions: Keeneland September yearling 2019 – $525,000
Owner: China Horse Club and WinStar Farm
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Breeder: Gary and Mary West

Guess the secret was a little bit out on this colt – debuted at odds of 1-5, a ridiculously short price for a first-timer. Still, Life Is Good almost looked like value. Wore a shadow roll but no blinkers, broke on top, tried briefly to get rank under Mike Smith but came back to the rider after a half-furlong and “settled” down to run a quarter in 21.80 seconds and a half in 44.84 – effortlessly. Smith moved his hands some at the quarter pole, looked back past the furlong grounds and saw nothing close, so you know he put Life Is Good on cruise control from there, yet the colt still widened and galloped out with his ears up roughly a furlong in front of the competition. The pedigree tilts toward miler, but how many times have we seen Team Baffert get this sort of really fast colt to stretch beyond that? Goes into the winter a leading prospect for 2021 3-year-old stakes.

Caddo River

Nov. 15, 8th race Churchill, MdSpWt83k
Beyer: 82
1 mile, 1:35.22, 1st by 9 1/2 lengths
b. c. 2, Hard Spun – Pangburn, by Congrats
Owner: Shortleaf Stable
Trainer: Brad Cox
Breeder: Shortleaf Stable

Nice to see Brad Cox come up with a horse that can run for a change. Kidding! As if Cox wasn’t already loaded, this colt threw his hat into the stakes ring with a blowout third-start victory following good losses in his Saratoga debut and his second out at Belmont. There was a tailwind, yes, but Caddo River set the pace going an opening half-mile in 44.59, and as the exhausted pace-presser dropped away, this colt just opened up, cruising home while never appearing to turn a hair. Second foal to race from dam who was listed to Grade 3 class as a dirt-route horse. This guy has the stride rhythm and appearance of a colt who could get nine furlongs. Very interested to see what’s next.

Wolfie’s Dynaghost

Nov. 14, 5th race Aqueduct, MdSpWt80k
Beyer: 77
7f, 1:24.52, 1st by 1 1/2 lengths
b. c. 2, Ghostzapper – Dynaire, by Dynaformer
Noteworthy siblings: Sadler’s Joy (Kitten’s Joy) – multiple graded stakes winner, $2.5M earnings; Lunaire (Malibu Moon) - $256K earnings; Dyna Passer (Lemon Drop Kid) – stakes-placed, $232K earnings
Owner: Woodslane Farm
Trainer: Tom Albertrani
Breeder: Woodslane Farm

We’ve got a bunch of short-priced debut winners on this week’s list – this was not one of them. Comfortably best after giving himself a perfect trip at odds of 33-1, which was quite a price for a brother to Grade 1-class turf stalwart Sadler’s Joy, especially since this colt is by more of a dirt influence, Ghostzapper. Sadler’s Joy himself needed four starts to win a maiden race and never started off on turf, making this an especially promising unveiling for a colt with the same connections as Sadler’s Joy. He broke alertly and worked himself into a perfect trip stalking two leaders, quickening when asked, and finishing this off with a straight, solid run to the finish and a good gallop-out. Debuted in blinkers, goes just fine on dirt. Likely to stay far next year.

Harper’s in Charge

Nov. 15, 4th race Aqueduct, MdSpWt80k
Beyer: 75
6f, 1:11.55, 1st by 6 1/2 lengths
b. f. 2, Malibu Moon – Azara, by More Than Ready
Auctions: Keeneland September yearling 2019 – $220,000
Owner: Cheyenne Stables
Trainer: Christophe Clement
Breeder: Bridlewood Farm

Could’ve won by 10 or more but the jockey, after looking back twice in the stretch, really wrapped up hard on her the final 75 yards or so. (The only trouble the filly had came in the gallop-out, when her hind end appeared to brush the rail as she went into the club turn). Fabulous break and first few strides and had total command of this race before 100 yards had been run. She’s fast but appeared to race well within herself, really quickening into it after being let out a notch at the quarter pole. Crouches low to the ground when she goes and from the look of this and on pedigree, she should have decent chance to at least get a mile. The second dam is the blue hen mare Life Happened, whose offspring include the mighty Tepin, as well as multiple stakes winner Vyjack. Lone sibling to race I’ll Fight Dempsey (Into Mischief) won debut last February with an 84 Beyer and working toward first start after long layoff.

Abrogate

Nov. 12, 8th race Churchill, MdSpWt87k
Beyer: 75
6f, 1:10.53, 1st by 6 lengths
b. f. 2, Outwork – Hot Coffee, by Burning Roma
Auction history: Keeneland November 2018 – $75,000; Keeneland September yearling 2019 – $270,000
Owner: Alex and JoAnn Lieblong
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Breeder: Sandra Sexton and Silver Fern Farm

Typically professional Asmussen debutante broke on top and never looked back, changing leads on cue, etc. The dam, who’s had one other horse to race, was a low-level claimer during her career, though the third dam, Riveting Drama, produced all kinds of high-level runners, most notably BC Sprint winner Big Drama as well as multiple Grade 1 winner Sheer Drama. The dam did best in races at seven furlongs or a mile and all things considered this filly, who won very easily and galloped out strongly, looks like she’ll have a solid chance to stay a middle distance.

Santa Cruiser

Nov. 15, 5th race Churchill, MdSpWt83k
Beyer: 76
1 mile, 1:35.79, 1st by 1 1/2 lengths
b. r. 2, Dialed In – Sweet Sermon, by Tapit
Owner: Calumet Farm
Trainer: Keith Desmormeaux
Breeder: Calumet Farm

Debuted with a third behind BC Juvenile winner Essential Quality and broke through here with a nice win in his third start. Inside draw, early speed, and what was best about this performance was the way he fended off a pace-presser and pulled clear late from that horse and another who had rallied into contention in upper stretch, though the final furlong, 13.08, suggested the others were stopping more than Santa Cruiser was finishing.

White Frost

Nov. 21, 6th race Aqueduct, MdSpWt80k
Beyer: 78
1 1/16M, turf, 1:45.67, 1st by 1 1/2 lengths
b. f. 2, Candy Ride – Miss Frost, by Curlin
Owner: Gainesway Thoroughbreds
Trainer: Bill Mott
Breeder: Gainesway Stable

Very strong turn of foot for a 2-year-old after she was taken off the fence at the quarter pole (nearly fouling an outside rival to find room) and ran down the leader, who finished almost five lengths clear of the show runner in a 12-horse field. Third start but first on turf and around two turns, and she moved forward 27 Beyer points off her second race. Brother Torres del Paine (Karakontie) had a moment as a 2-year-old turf horse before failing to progress. We’ll see how this one goes over the winter in Florida.