Breakout Beyers: Loggins not fastest but super impressive; gallops out powerfully
Each week in this space, the top Beyer performances by maiden winners will be featured and analyzed. Click here for a complete archive.
Loggins
Sept. 17, 5th race Churchill, MdSpWt120k
Beyer: 89
6 1/2 furlongs 1:15.87 – 1st by 8 1/2 lengths
b. c. 2, Ghostzapper – Beyond Blame, by Blame
Auctions: Fasig-Tipton Saratoga select yearling 2021 – $460,000
Owner: Spendthrift Farm, Steve Landers Racing, Martin Schwartz, Michael Dubb, Ten Strike Racing, Jim Bakke, Titletown Racing Stables, Kueber Racing, Big Easy Racing, and Winners Win
Trainer: Brad Cox
Breeder: Popatop
Flashy, flashy, flashy. Didn’t quite hit 90 on the Beyers and is a long way from the fastest 2-year-old maiden figures of the year, but this was about as impressive a first-time starter as we’ve seen during 2022. Loggins was bet to 4-5 favoritism and clearly had turned some heads in the morning. His gate speed was all right, nothing fancy, and jockey Florent Geroux stuck his mount between horses in the chasing pack going down the backstretch before coming between rivals to get in just behind the pacesetters going around the turn. Geroux gave Loggins some rein early, at about the three-eighths pole, and the colt, showing a real dirt turn of foot while going along easily, had made the lead while three to four paths wide at the five-sixteenths pole. Geroux kept somewhat busy as Loggins got his final half-furlong in 6.20 seconds while continuing to draw clear, and by the seven-eighths pole he had galloped out some 15 lengths in front. This is the first foal to race from a dam Cox trained to a nine-furlong graded stakes win on grass, and as sharp as Loggins looked sprinting, he should stretch out to good effect, as well.
Tuskegee Airmen
Sept. 24, 1st race Parx, MdSpWt102k
Beyer: 77
7 furlongs 1:24.64 – 1st by 5 1/2 lengths
b. c. 2, Street Sense – Lucky Cover, by Medaglia d’Oro
Auctions: Fasig-Tipton October yearling 2021 – $290,000
Owner: Cash Is King and L C Racing
Trainer: John Servis
Breeder: Nice Guys Stable
Very promising debut from a colt who beat 13 rivals in his career debut and did about everything right while looking like a route horse winning a sprint race. Tuskegee Airmen didn’t have a lot of early speed and was ridden along to take just a bit of early position, then had to be steadied as the field came out of the chute and crossed the main track to the backstretch. He took that in stride, was guided to the fence while traveling nicely into and around the turn, then came outside at the quarter pole and comfortably ran down the two in front of him, one of whom was 19-10 favorite Didinger. Tuskegee Airmen was just a couple strides later than ideal changing his leads, leveling out nicely after doing so while cruising to the wire with the stride rhythm of a horse suited to longer distances, route capability also suggested by first two broodmare sires. Medaglia d’Oro and A.P. Indy.
Webslinger
Sept. 17, 11th race Monmouth, Nownownow $510k
Beyer: 80
1 mile turf 1:36.52 – 1st by a half-length
b. c. 2, Constitution – Arana, by Hard Spun
Auctions: Keeneland September yearling 2021 – $45,000 (RNA); Fasig-Tipton October yearling 2021 – $25,000; OBS spring 2yo 2022 – $45,000 (RNA); OBS 2yo and horses of racing age 2022 – $50,000
Owner: D. J. Stable
Trainer: Mark Casse
Breeder: Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey
Quite the move by trainer Mark Casse even running this horse, a 14-1 shot, in a half-million stakes race as a twice-started maiden. Webslinger had shown little making his career debut in an Ellis Park dirt sprint, and second out he ran better but still was defeated turf sprinting at Saratoga in a maiden race restricted to horses sold at auction for $50,000 or less. After breaking near the rear of the field from a wide draw, he tried to get out going around a clubhouse turn for the first time in a race before Dylan Davis wrangled him in behind rivals. The pace was quick, even by Monmouth turf standards, and that might in the end have gotten odds-on favorite Oxymore beat, since he raced just a couple lengths behind the leaders. Webslinger briefly looked on the far turn like he was spinning his wheels, but past the three-eighths pole he found a good stride while wide, reaching contention in upper stretch and pushing past a fairly game Oxymore. Unsure whether this is truly an elite 2-year-old grass-route horse, but am sure this was an extremely lucrative maiden win.
Last Call
Sept. 17, 10th race Woodbine, G1 Natalma $383k
Beyer: 79
1 mile turf 1:36.49 – 1st by 1 length
ch. f. 2, English Channel – Overserved, by Black Minnaloushe
Noteworthy siblings: English Tavern (English Channel, foaled 2017) – stakes-placed, $245k earnings, 91 Beyer
Auctions: Keeneland September yearling 2021 – $30,000
Owner: X-Men Racing 2, SF Racing
Trainer: Kevin Attard
Breeder: English Channel Co-Owners and Jodi Cantwell
Second going six furlongs in a maiden turf sprint, then fourth going seven furlongs in another maiden turf sprint – and now a Grade 1 winner. Unsure what gave trainer Kevin Attard the confidence to put this two-start maiden in the Natalma, but it worked, and she won despite losing all the ground with a sustained four-wide turn bid. The filly had raced unprofessionally second time out, which likely is what led connections to race her for the first time without blinkers, and also went for the first time without Lasix. The race was not strong by historical standards, Last Call’s speed figure jumping 16 points as she posted a 21-1 upset.
Protege
Sept. 21, 6th race Churchill, MdSpWt120k
Beyer: 81
6 furlongs 1:09.93 – 1st by 1 3/4 lengths
ch. c. 2, Good Magic – Tabboo, by Forestry
Noteworthy siblings: Der Lu (Orb, foaled 2016) – graded-stakes placed, $165k earnings
Auctions: Keeneland September yearling 2021 – $140,000 (RNA); Fasig-Tipton spring 2yo 2022 – $80,000
Owner: Harry Rosenblum
Trainer: Ron Moquett
Breeder: Merriebelle Stable
Broke sharply and got into a perfect spot racing in the clear from third behind dueling leaders, and he made the most of a favorable trip. Beyond the win margin, the runner-up had six lengths on the third-place horse in a 12-runner field. He was a little sloppy with his lead change in upper stretch, and you wouldn’t say he’s the sweetest mover, but he was effective enough. Sold for $60K less earlier this year than the reserve he failed to meet at a yearling auction. His second dam produced good young dirt-route horses Destin and Creative Cause as well as the staying turf mare Vexatious, but wonder if this colt won’t be more sprint-oriented.