Breakout Beyers: Say Moi a confident winner

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

Say Moi

May 16, 7th race, Churchill, MdSpWt81k

Beyer: 81

6f, dirt fast, 1:10.49, 1st by 1 1/4 lengths

ch. f. 3, Union Rags–Sweet Nanette, by You and I

Noteworthy siblings: Sherriff Cogburn (Vindication) – SW $205K

Auctions: Keeneland September 2018 – $300,000

Owner: Bach Stables

Trainer: Bill Mott

Breeder: Tony Holmes and Timothy Thornton

This was nice – probably more impressive in some ways than the Beyer alone. This filly has plenty of speed, and she kept up with a strong pace, albeit under a fairly busy ride, but the jockey’s urging to keep her close only was required until upper stretch. Say Moi went well clear past the three-sixteenths pole, appearing to pull herself up between the eighth and sixteenth poles, which wound up narrowing the final margin, though she quickly galloped out far in front after being cracked with the crop just before the wire. The sire generally is a route influence, but the dam was a multiple sprint-stakes winner. The daughter of Union Rags appears still to have plenty of filling out left, and while her female family and speed suggest she might only be a miler, max, as far as distance, her stride suggests she can go farther than a sprint.

Regal Beauty

May 17, 7th race, Santa Anita, MdSpWt52k

Beyer: 80

1M, dirt fast, 1:38.46, 1st by 3 1/4

ch. f. 3, Malibu Moon–Book Review,
by Giant’s Causeway

Noteworthy siblings: None

Auctions: None

Owner: Gary and Mary West

Trainer: Bob Baffert

Breeder: Gary and Mary West

Must not turn many heads in the morning since she won at 11-1 for Baffert and the Wests. Made two starts, a sprint and a route, earlier this year, wasn’t awful in either. Here, she showed much better tracking speed to get a perfect pressing trip behind a solid pace. Tracked a 100-1 shot down the backstretch and took over when a bit of pressure came outside and behind, and never came close to being headed thereafter. Not the prettiest mover, and they swarmed her in the gallop-out. Grinding type, it seems, has ample stamina in bloodines.

Unrighteous

March 17, 4th race, Gulfstream Park, MdSpWt45k

Beyer: 80

1 1/16M, dirt fast, 1:44.95, 1st by 4 lengths

b. c. 3, Violence–Tapit Ten, by Tapit

Noteworthy siblings: None

Auctions: None

Owner: Calumet Farm

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Breeder: Calumet Farm

Pretty impressive to see him run the half-mile between the quarter and the three-quarters in 47.50, quicker than the opening half-mile, but not so impressive that his quarter-mile split between the six furlongs and the mile was 26.66. Followed that with a last half-furlong in 7.10 for a final 2 1/2 furlongs in a slow 33.76 – a fairly standard Gulfstream main-track race shape. He’s a robust, powerful-looking colt in the main, but his conformation and the stride it produces is considerably less impressive. The big second-start Beyer he got finishing second to Spa City hasn’t yet been replicated and this fifth-out maiden win came in off-turf race against only five foes.