Breakout Beyers: Mahaamel nearly touches 100

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

Mahaamel

June 4, 4th race Belmont, MdSpWt90k

Beyer: 99

7f 1:22.46, 1st by 3 1/4 lengths

b. c. 3, Into Mischief – Hot Stones, by Bustin Stones

Noteworthy siblings: None

Auctions: Keeneland September yearling 2019 – $900,000

Owner: Shadwell Stable

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Breeder: Clarkland Farm

Second by three-quarters in his debut to First Captain, who went right back off the maiden score to win an N1X allowance with a good figure. The 99 for Mahaamel is as high as I can remember since DRF started this feature. Repo Rocks, who was fifth, went down five points from his last race, but runner-up Askin for a Baskin improved his Beyer 30 points in his second start, while fourth-place Lemon Drop Road, who had raced several times, got a new top by 16 points. Just something to consider. This was no easy trip as Mahaamel went to the lead and took pressure every step until upper stretch, when he found more than any rival could match and began drawing clear. Switched leads perfectly, ran straight to the wire. Seems to have the build and stride rhythm of a miler, and while his New York-bred dam got

1 1/8 miles in statebred-restricted competition, her lone graded stakes win came over seven furlongs.

Beau Liam

May 29, 3rd race Churchill, MdSpWt100k

Beyer: 93

6f 1:08.62, 1st by 7 1/2 lengths

b. c. 3, Liam’s Map – Belle of Perrintown, by Dehere

Noteworthy siblings: Tomlin (Distorted Humor) – multiple stakes winner, $252K earnings; Strike It Rich (Unbridled’s Song) – graded stakes winner, $194K earnings

Auctions: Keenland September yearling 2019 – $385,000 RNA

Owner: Stonestreet Stables

Trainer: Steve Asmussen

Breeder: Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings

Didn’t meet a hefty reserve at a yearling auction and took quite some time to make the races, his first published works having come during spring 2020, but seemingly was worth the wait. Broke alertly from an outside post and fell right into a very favorable outside stalking trip, the jockey, his mount traveling strongly, waiting until the five-sixteenths pole to pounce on two pacesetters. Beau Liam blew right past them, was slightly slow to change leads, but leveled off nicely and drew away mainly under his own courage after the rider checked under his armpit and saw no competition. A little bit of a straight up-and-down-shaped colt, the type that flings the legs forward more than reaching out with his whole body, but can’t fault the performance. His dam won a two-turn dirt stakes as a 3-year-old. Stakes-winning sibling Tomlin strictly was a sprinter, but stakes-winning sibling Strike It Rich excelled in middle-distance turf races.

Wicked Halo

June 2nd, 5th race Lone Star, MdSpWt34k

Beyer: 81

gr. f. 2, Gun Runner – Just Wicked, by Tapit

5f (muddy) 57.77, 1st by 2 lengths

Noteworthy siblings: None

Owner: Winchell Thoroughbreds

Trainer: Steve Asmussen

Breeder: Winchell Thoroughbreds

Pretty big horse for a June 2-year-old filly, and a pretty quick horse for a pretty big horse. Broke from inside post and busted straight to the lead, seemingly going along well within herself despite racing with her ears pinned. She was 5-2 in the wagering and another 5-2 shot ranged up at the eighth pole, but Wicked Halo easily turned her back and galloped out like a longer sprint would be no problem. While the win margin wasn’t huge, there were more than 10 lengths between second and third, and the racing surface wasn’t very wet, so tend to view this figure as legit representation of performance level. Second foal to race from filly who won the Adirondack at Saratoga; would figure that and/or the Schuylerville would be on her agenda. Lots of black type showing in this Winchell pedigree. Third winner – and best so far – for first-crop sire Gun Runner.

Mainstay

June 3, 3rd race Monmouth, MdSpWt47k

Beyer: 72

4 1/2f (sloppy) 52.59, 1st by 7 3/4 lengths

b. f. 2, Astern – Vero Amore, by Mineshaft

Noteworthy siblings: Vequist (Nyquist) – champion 2yo filly, multiple G1 winner, BC Juvenile Fillies winner

Owner: Swilcan Stable and LC Racing

Trainer: Robert Reid Jr.

Breeder: Swilcan Stable

Briefly outrun for the lead but came inside the early pacesetter to take over before the turn and dominated from there. Vequist’s younger sister is very, very fast and has an appealing way of going, though she appears to lack scope and at this point might be more precocious than anything (aside from very talented). Won’t downgrade because of the wet track and while drawing away and winning easily, she was asked for next to nothing by her rider. First winner for Australian-bred sire, Astern, and she is likely stakes-bound at Saratoga.

Wit

June 5, 2nd race Belmont, MdSpWt

Beyer: 70

5 1/2f (good track) 1:04.70, 1st by 6 lengths

b. c. 2, Practical Joke – Numero d’Oro, by Medaglia d’Oro

Noteworthy siblings: Barkley (Munnings) – G3 winner, multiple stakes winner, $369,000

Auctions: Keeneland September yearling 2020 – $575,000

Owner: Repole Stable, St. Elias Stable, Gainesway Stable

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Breeder: Rosilyn Polan

Third winner for first-crop sire Practical Joke also his most expensive horse sold at auction. Bet down like he couldn’t lose, the unusual part of that being his lack of early speed, since these fast, live, early-season first-time-starting 2-year-olds typically are quick from the gate. This guy ran along seven lengths off the early lead before commencing a rally coming off the turn that he easily sustained to the wire, burying his rivals with a bold outside move. Obviously developed early enough to win at a short sprint trip in early June but has plenty of stamina on the bottom side of his pedigree. Interesting prospect.

Behave Virginia

May 28, 3rd race Churchill, MdSpWt98k

Beyer: 71

5 1/2f (wet fast) 1:04.15, 1st by 5 3/4 lengths

b. f. 2, Unified – She’s Behaving, by Mineshaft

Noteworthy siblings: None

Auctions: Keeneland November breeding 2019 – $30,000; Keeneland September yearling 2020 – $115,000

Owner: Lucky Seven Stable

Trainer: Ken McPeek

Breeder: Khalid Mishref Alkahtani

Tough rail draw for first-time starter in a short sprint, but she had good gate speed, survived a speed duel, and drew away for a very comfortable win. Another first winner for a first-crop sire, this one a son of Candy Ride. Bargain buy as a weanling has some real speed.

Naval Laughter

June 3, 3rd race Arlington, MdSpWt34k

Beyer: 96

1 1/16 miles Polytrack 1:45.41, 1st by 19 3/4 lengths

ch. f. 4, Midshipman – In Stitches, by Medaglia d’Oro

Auctions: Fasig-Tipton summer yearling 2018 – $90,000

Noteworthy siblings: None

Owner: Two Hearts Farm

Trainer: Chris Davis

Breeder: Two Hearts Farm

Hard to know what to make of this performance, at least in terms of what kind of quality it denotes, but you just don’t see many 20-length victories. Went to the front, set a moderate tempo in this two-turn route, and drew farther and farther in front while not asked for much run. Second career start came for a new barn and after an 18-month layoff. Let’s see her do it again, and if she does, synthetic stakes beckon this summer.