Breakout Beyers: McGaughey has pair with promise

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

Private Mission

Oct. 18, 10th race, Santa Anita, MdSpWt57k

Beyer: 76

6 1/2f, 1:16.82, 1st by 1 3/4 lengths

b. f. 2, Into Mischief – Private Gift, by Unbridled

Noteworthy siblings: Secret Someone (A.P. Indy) – Multiple stakes-winner, $409K earnings

Auctions: Fasig-Tipton Select Saratoga 2019 – $750,000

Owner: Boama Corp.

Trainer: Bob Baffert

Breeder: Mt. Brilliant Broodmares

This space – and many others – loves debut sprint winners bred to run long, and here we have one. Stakes-winning dam hasn’t been a blue hen by any stretch but has produced runners and is a sister to multiple Grade 1 winner Secret Status as well as long-winded dirt-stakes horse Alumni Hall. This filly broke on top but wasn’t at all speed-crazy, settling into a pressing trip from second. Jockey moves his hands past the three-furlong marker, and she immediately went alongside the leader to take over. Well-bet Frosteria tried to get involved at the quarter pole, but while the jockey on that filly was asking, the rider on this one was sitting, eventually offering mild encouragement at the furlong grounds before gearing down the last sixteenth. Win margin looked larger than the official one, and she galloped out smoothly and solidly. Bright future.

Ten for Ten

Oct. 16, 8th race Belmont, MdSpWt63k

Beyer: 78

1 1/16 miles, sloppy track, 1:43.43; 1st by 8

gr. c. 2, Frosted – Summer Vacation, by Eskendereya

Noteworthy siblings: None

Auctions: Keeneland September yearling 2019 – $410,000

Owner: Courtlandt Farms

Trainer: Shug McGaughey

Breeder: George Krikorian

Wasn’t a flashy win, considering the eight-length margin, and, as always, one has to consider the advantages of leading on a sloppy track, but even taking that into account, this was definitely a breakout 2-year-old performance. McGaughey added blinkers and stretched this colt out after a promising sprint debut, and he was always in the bridle. Went from narrow lead approaching the homestretch to open-lengths lead straightening for the wire, in just a matter of strides. A little green once clear, shying, perhaps, from the couple cracks of the whip, but that just means there’s room to improve. The unraced dam is a sister to Grade 1 winner Vexatious, Grade 1 winner Creative Cause, Tampa Bay Derby winner Destin.

Kalypso

Oct. 18, 8th race Santa Anita, Anoakia Stakes

Beyer: 78

6f 1:10.30; 1st by 2 1/4 lengths

b. f. 2, Brody’s Cause – Malibu Cove, by Malibu Moon

Noteworthy siblings: None

Auctions: Fasig-Tipton summer yearling 2019 – $240,000

Owner: Rockingham Ranch and David Bernsen

Trainer: Bob Baffert

Breeder: Spendthrift Farm

Guess Baffert has a sense for how his horses are progressing, yes? This filly was third in her debut, second by a half-length second time out while showing more speed, after which Baffert went for the stakes win – and got it. Blasted to the front from post 1 and never looked back, winning decisively, albeit over just four foes. All the speed she’s shown so far, she sure looks like a sprinter, pedigree aside. First foal to race from dam is winless in three starts. There are hints of stamina influences through the female family, but a look at the individual and her traits usually says more.

Cafe Society

Oct. 18, 2nd race Belmont, MdSpWt80k

Beyer: 73

6f, 1:10.84; 1st by 3 1/2 lengths

b. f. 2, Empire Maker – Full Tap, by Tapit

Noteworthy siblings: None

Auctions: Keeneland September yearling – $135,000; OBS Spring 2-year-old 2020 – $475,000

Owner: Allen Stable

Trainer: Shug McGaughey

Breeder: Anderson Farms

A second McGaughey 2-year-old on the list this week. Good week for Shug! Early favorite for the 2021 Queen’s Plate? Maybe not, as one wonders, looking at her body, seeing how quick she was here first time out, if she’d be a 1 1/4-mile candidate. She’s by Empire Maker, but the odd thing about many of his talented offspring is how they slant toward speed. Must’ve caught the eye at the 2-year-old sale to fetch close to a half-million bucks. She blew past odds-on favorite Exact here and, while under some pressure, kept giving plenty while much the best.

Himiko

Oct. 18, 2nd race Santa Anita, MdSpWt55k

Beyer: 88

6f 1:09.64; 1st by 2 1/4 lengths

b. f. 3, American Pharoah – Untouched Talent, by Storm Cat

Noteworthy siblings: Bodemeister (Empire Maker) – G1 Arkansas Derby, millioinaire

Auctions: Fasig-Tipton fall mixed 2017 – $1 million

Owner: Grand Farm Family

Trainer: Bob Baffert

Breeder: Eaton

Million-dollar auction buy, sister to Bodemeister, at least has a maiden win on her ledger, but there might be more here than merely that. She’d been away since late July and was racing for the first time without blinkers, and after seeming to hang a touch finishing second in her two most recent starts, this was a decisive score. Debuted on grass and maybe now with blinkers off they try that again? Or stay on dirt, since she easily hit a career top here. Don’t see a whole lot of horses these days with Storm Cat in their second generation.

Full Impact

Oct. 18, 6th race Monmouth, MdSpWt46k

Beyer: 86

6f 1:09.92; 1st by 2 1/4 lengths

gr. c. 3, Street Sense – Four Gifts, by Even the Score

Noteworthy siblings: None

Auctions: Keeneland September yearling 2018 – $140,000

Owner: Gary and Mary West

Trainer: Kelly Breen

Breeder: Barry Becker and Judith Becker

First posted a work in June 2019 but needed quite a bit of time after showing breeze activity through last November. Plenty ready for belated career debut off four published drills and had to fight off major pace pressure to win going away, beating seven in a very solid showing. The dam hasn’t yet produced much but was a multiple Grade 3 winner who could handle a longer one-turn trip.