Breakout Beyers: Nadal serves up an ace
Each week in this space, the top Beyer performances by maiden winners will be featured and analyzed. Click here for a complete archive.
Nadal
Jan. 19, 7th race, Santa Anita, MdSpWt56k
Beyer: 98
6 1/2f, 1:15.82
Owner: George Bolton, Arthur Hoyeau, Barry Lipman, Mark Mathiesen
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Breeder: Sierra Farm (KY)
There are home runs in the pinhooking world, and then there are grand slams – like Nadal. This colt was purchased as a yearling for $65,000 and sold as a 2-year-old in training last year for $700,000. Going, going, gone – just like Nadal in his debut performance. Nadal broke from the fence and didn’t get away particularly well, was edged up to make the front in the first furlong, and pretty much dominated from there. He ran a swift 6 ½ furlongs – so swift that it produced the highest 3-year-old Beyer so far in 2020, a 98. Obviously plenty of speed, but he’s by stamina-oriented sire Blame, and the broodmare sires going back in his pedigree are Pulpit, Pleasant Colony, Stage Door Johnny, and Northern Dancer. That’s an inordinate amount of route blood. Promising, to say the least.
Echo Town
Jan. 18, 8th race, Fair Grounds, MdSpWt54k
Beyer: 92
6f, 1:09.39
Owner: L & N Thoroughbreds
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Breeder: Betz, J. Betz, Burns, CHNNHK Thoroughbreds, Magers, et al
Asmussen barn had even-money first-timer Earner in this Fair Grounds sprint. Whoops. Echo Town was 13-1 and ran like the even-money shot. Was working strongly at Ellis Park when he had a problem this summer and came into this off a string of strong Houston drills. Stalked, pounced, raced professionally – and very fast. Top sib is Gotham winner J Boys Echo. One-turn mile might be max but he’s stakes-quality if things go well.
Quixotic
Jan. 18, 3rd race, Aqueduct, MdSpWt68k
Beyer: 80
6 1/2f, 1:19.09
Owner: Ralph Evans
Trainer: Jonathan Thomas
Breeder: Kim Nardelli, Rodney Nardelli, William Werner
Well – he can handle snow. Wintry day and slow track, as you can see by the final time and Beyer Figure. Went to the lead but did this nicely in his second start, easily turning back a challenge at the three-sixteenths pole to win going away. Galloped out decently and, big picture, has plenty of stay in his pedigree, though he himself could work out to be more a miler. Not as flashy as a horse like Nadal but not without hope to develop usefully.