Each week in this space, the top Beyer performances by maiden winners will be featured and analyzed. Click here for a complete archive. Ways and Means Aug. 6, 2nd race Saratoga, MdSpWt105k Beyer: 90 6 furlongs 1:10.51 – 1st by 12 3/4 lengths b.f.2, Practical Joke – Strong Incentive, by Warrior’s Reward Noteworthy siblings: Highly Motivated (Into Mischief, foaled 2018) – graded stakes winner, $667K earnings; Surge Capacity (Flintshire, foaled 2020) – graded stakes winner  Owner: Klaravich Stable Trainer: Chad Brown Breeder: Klaravich Stable All the makings of a star. Love when a 2-year-old runs up a huge win margin like this and doesn’t just do it with a mere display of early speed. Ways and Means did not love rating behind horses, but she did accept it. Maybe the filly would have led – she clearly has plenty of speed – had she broken better, but at odds of 3-5 she made a sharp left turn into her next-door rival leaving the gate and wound behind the leaders. Ways and Means’s head came up a little, as she wanted to get on with it, but the jockey kept her behind horses until midway around the turn. Once outside, her move was sharp and decisive, and the filly had the lead turning for home, widening quickly before being seriously geared down in the final half-furlong and restrained from galloping out like she wanted. Soon, if all goes well, Ways and Means will be allowed to do more. Heartland July 30, 1st race Del Mar, MdSpWt82k Beyer: 90 5 1/2 furlongs 1:03.20 – 1st by 2 lengths ch.c.2, Justify – Sambuca Classsic, by Cat Thief Noteworthy siblings: Classic Empire (Pioneerof the Nile, foaled 2014) – multiple G1 winner, $2.5 million earnings; Uptown Twirl (Twirling Candy, foaled 2013) – multiple stakes winner; Anytime Magic (Fusaichi Pegasus, foaled 2010) – multiple stakes winner Auctions: Keeneland September yearling 2022 – $575,000 Owner: CHC Inc, Siena Farm, WinStar Farm Trainer: Bob Baffert Breeder: CHC Inc  This debut ended far, far better than it began. Breaking from post 1, Heartland came out of the gate sideways, lurched left into the gap beside the starting gate, and nearly dislodged jockey Juan Hernandez from his irons. Hernandez did not panic nor rush the colt into contention, and when he got after Heartland with his crop past the half-mile pole, the colt still near the back of a short field, it was because Heartland was climbing from the kickback and threatening to fall out of contention. Hernandez got Heartland’s attention and when the colt’s head came down past the three-furlong marker he began closing ground. Hernandez dove inside two rivals coming into the homestretch rather than going wide, and now firmly in stride, Heartland easily overtook them to win going away. Baffert surely debuted Heartland at 5 1/2 furlongs due to timing rather than distance questions; the colt is bred to run long, moves like a route horse, and galloped out like the seven furlongs of the Del Mar Futurity will be well in range. Just Steel Aug. 5, 2nd race Saratoga, MdSpWt105k Beyer: 88 6 furlongs 1:10.22 – 1st by a nose b.c.2, Justify – Irish Lights, by Fastnet Rock Noteworthy siblings: Omei Sword (High Chaparral, foaled 2013) – graded stakes winner; Lipizzaner (Uncle Mo, foaled 2018) – stakes winner Auctions: Keeneland  September yearling 2022 – $500,000 Owner: BC Stables Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas Breeder: Summerhill Farm He’s come a long way in three starts, his Ellis Park debut producing a 16-length loss. Just Steel’s second race was much better, and this marked another step forward, the colt turning back a stern challenge from the well-meant first-time starter Be You. The winning margin was narrow, but nearly three lengths separated place from show and the third-place horse was more than six lengths in front of the fourth horse home, suggestive of a truly fast race. Just Steel made the most of his outside draw and speed to work out a good pressing trip, and he turned for home having put away his inside pace rival, Then Be You, who had stalked, jumped outside, made a run, and put his nose in front at the furlong grounds. Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. on Be You steered left and to get very close to Just Steel and try to intimidate him, but Just Steel was up for the fight, regaining the momentum at the sixteenth pole, pushing out to a good win. The two siblings of note are grass horses, the female family Australian. Julia’s Dream Aug. 6, 1st race Del Mar, MdSpWt85k Beyer: 88 5 furlongs turf 56.97 – 1st by 5 1/2 lengths ch.f.2, Flameaway – Cinnamon Girl, by Meadowlake Auctions: Keeneland September yearling 2022 – $15,000; OBS spring 2yo 2023 – $180,000 Owner: Talla Racing Trainer: Michael McCarthy Breeder: David Soblick Total domination from the start. Julia’s Dream broke like a rocket, took command within a few strides, and never came close to being threatened. Not only was she fastest through the first quarter-mile, she was fastest coming home, too, getting her final furlong in 11.38 while not asked for much. The dam, who didn’t come close to winning a maiden race in six starts, has had a slew of foals to race that all were middling at best. This filly sold for a song as a yearling before fetching real money at a breeze-up sale. This display of speed suggests a sprinter, but she was sharp enough to start thinking about goals as high as the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. West Saratoga Aug. 5, 4th race Ellis Park, MdSpWt70k Beyer: 79 1 mile 1:37.57 – 1st by 1 1/4 lengths gr.c.2, Exaggerator – Mo Wicked, by Uncle Mo Auctions: Keeneland September yearling 2022 – $11,000 Owner: Harry Veruchi Trainer: Larry Demeritte Breeder: Two Hearts Farm He debuted in April at Keeneland and this already was the colt’s fifth career start, an unusually busy schedule for an American 2-year-old. West Saratoga had improved last out when stretched to seven furlongs and took another forward step at this 1 1/2-turn mile, where he’d opened a big lead in upper stretch and might have idled through the final furlong. This owner bought the horse for a song, and you’d have to think off this solid route Beyer he could be sold. Goes with a high, turfy action. Worcester Aug. 4, 5th race Del Mar, MdSpWt83k Beyer: 94 1 mile 1:35.99 – 1st by 4 1/4 lengths b.c.3, Empire Maker – Lil Super Bear, by Super Saver Auctions: Keeneland September yearling 2021 – $180,000 Owner: SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Robert Masterson, E. Schoenfarb Trainer: Bob Baffert Breeder: Jerry Dixon Revocable Trust and Empire Maker Syndicate America’s most famous and most traveled 3-year-old maiden finally got a win in his eighth start. Three of those eight races came in stakes, including a flop in the UAE Derby thousands of miles from home. Talent has never been in question here, but Worcester has struggled to put together complete races. Even here, while winning easily on the front end, after switching to his proper lead just after turning for home, he immediately swapped back to the wrong lead and pegged along that way to the wire.