Breakout Beyers: Two touch 90 on figure scale

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

Well Connected
May 23, 6th race, Gulfstream, MdSpWt40k
Beyer: 90
6 1/2f , dirt fast, 1:16.07, 1st by 5 lengths
ch. c. 3, Distorted Humor–Bev’s Summer Song, by Birdstone
Noteworthy siblings: None
Auctions: Keeneland September yearling 2018 – $80,000
Owner: Michael Dubb and David Simon
Trainer: Mike Maker
Breeder: Dr. Aaron Sones

Second career start, first as a 3-year-old, for colt previously trained by Jason Servis. Got a perfect pressing trip here because he broke alertly and had good positional speed, albeit behind a modest pace. Hard ridden from five-sixteenths to eighth poles to put away pace rival, who was the odds-on favorite, and he looked awkward for much of the stretch run when failing to change leads. He finally did swap to his proper lead at the sixteenth pole and, after having lugged in a bit, straightened out and, the rider finally easing off the pressure, finished very nicely with a strong gallop-out. On pedigree, distance should be his friend. Not a lot of high quality in the immediate family but his female line, going back further, is quite strong.

Per Capita
May 24, 7th race, Churchill, MdSpWt81k
Beyer: 93
1M, dirt fast, 1:35.34, 1st by 1/2 length
b. c. 4, Tapit–Successful Outlook, by Orientate
Noteworthy siblings: Iron Fist (G3 winner, $1.1M career earnings), Anchor Down (G2 winner), Sweet Lulu (G1 winner)
Auctions: Keeneland September yearling 2017 – withdrawn
Owner: Peter Brant and Gainesway Stable
Trainer: Chad Brown
Breeder: Gainesway Farm

Had been disqualified from a last-start maiden win at Gulfstream and bumped his Beyer Speed Figure by 16 points here. Four wide no cover down backstretch of this one-turn mile, three wide with no cover first part of turn, then two wide as he pushed past a couple horses to challenge the leader, Established. Traveled strongly from the start and jumped into contention when given his head past the half-mile pole. Established fought him tooth and nail through the stretch, a 3-year-old getting seven getting seven pounds from this 4-year-old, and the top two drew 7 1/2 lengths clear of the third horse, galloping out even farther in front. His age, coupled with stop-and-start career so far, puts a cap on his upside, and while this was good, he’ll need further development to be a graded-stakes horse.

Hard Lighting
May 24, 1st race, Gulfstream, MdSpWt40k
Beyer: 80
1M, dirt sloppy, 1:37.14, 1st by neck
b. c. 3, Hard Spun–The Magic Stone, by Malibu Moon
Notable siblings: None
Auctions: Keeneland September yearling 2017 – $55,000; OBS Spring 2yo 2019 – withdrawn
Owner: Partner Stables
Trainer: Alexis Delgado
Breeder: Fred Hertrich III and John Fielding

Got into this five-horse, off-turf affair as a main-track-only entrant and scored a third-start win in part because the rider was able to steer inside and cut the corner as he and Hard Lighting closed in on a pair of tiring leaders. The runner-up, who was getting to the winner in the late stages, was forced to rally wide, though to Hard Lighting’s credit, he quickly opened daylight again on the gallop-out. Pretty high knee action; maybe turf in his future?