Breakout Beyers: Well-bred Scylla impresses in her debut at Keeneland

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

Scylla

April 15, 6th race Keeneland, MdSpWt100k
Beyer: 83
6 furlongs 1:10.32 – 1st by 2 1/2 lengths
b. f. 3, Tapit – Close Hatches, by First Defence
Noteworthy siblings: Tacitus (Tapit, foaled 2016) – multiple graded-stakes winner, $3.76 million earnings
Owner: Juddmonte
Trainer: Bill Mott
Breeder: Juddmonte

Wow debut from the younger full sister to the mercurial Tacitus. This filly could really be special, and her performance, to me, greatly exceeded her Beyer Speed Figure. Figures that take ground loss into account will like the race even better since Scylla was parked four to five paths wide around the turn. This came after she started a half-beat slow and raced through traffic during the early stages. The rider was asking her a bit to go up to a narrow gap between rivals approaching the half-mile pole, but that spot closed and the jockey swung to the far outside, at which point Scylla finally started showing what she had. Despite racing widest she passed several rivals – and passed them with alacrity – going past the three-furlong pole, and after a fifth furlong in 11.79, she finished things off with a final furlong in 11.95. That was a 23.74 final quarter mile while running straight as a string and hitting the wire full of run. She’s the third foal to start from an excellent racemare, and the sky’s the limit for this homebred.

Saudi Crown

April 16, 6th race Keeneland, MdSpWt96k
Beyer: 97
6 furlongs 1:10.01 – 1st by 4 3/4 lengths
gr. c. 3, Always Dreaming – New Narration, by Tapit
Auctions: Keeneland January all ages 2021 – $45,000; OBS spring 2yos 2022 – $240,000
Owner: FMQ Stables
Trainer: Brad Cox
Breeder: CHC Inc

As if Brad Cox didn’t already have enough 3-year-old talent. This colt looked about as good as anything he’s debuted in 2023, including Bishops Bay and recent Lexington Staks winner First Mission, while also looking like a horse who will handle longer distances. He’s the second foal from an unraced dam with a five-cross pedigree that tilts toward stamina over speed. Haven’t seen many (okay, any) runners by second-crop sire Always Dreaming who looked this good, and Saudi Crown’s Beyer was the highest for progeny of the Bodemeister stallion by 13 points. Saudi Crown broke just all right and took up a stalking position four wide down the backstretch, getting into the No. 3 path by the turn and moving down to the No. 2 path as he passed a couple horses and took aim at the leader approaching the three-furlong marker. With a fifth furlong in 12.01 and a final furlong in 12.42, Saudi Crown easily was fastest in the field through the final quarter-mile. And, speaking of easily, he appeared to do it all easily, galloping out in an ears-pricked cruise. Look out for this dude.

Sweet Cherry Pie

April 14, 1st race Keeneland, MdSpWt100k
Beyer: 94
6 furlongs 1:09.94 – 1st by 2 3/4 lengths
b. c. 3, Twirling Candy – Sweet Cat, by Kitten’s Joy
Auctions: Keeneland November breeding 2021 – $32,000; Keeneland September yearling 2022 – $175,000
Owner: BBN Racing
Trainer Rusty Arnold
Breeder: Theta Holding 1

Second-time starter was solid in his debut but much better here while racing for the first time in blinkers. Broke from post 2 as the only 3-year-old in an eight-runner field (he got seven pounds from his rivals), and while he wasn’t quite quick enough to make the lead, he had speed and steadily moved along the rail to challenge the leader, coming inside him at the half-mile pole, showing courage to hold his spot between opponent and inner rail. Sweet Cherry Pie forged to the front and though he led in upper stretch appeared to be making pretty hard work of it – until he belatedly changed leads at the eighth pole. Then, he leveled off nicely and comfortably held clear the Brad Cox-trained favorite while clocking a fast raw time that yielded a high 3-year-old Beyer. He’s not the prettiest mover and his pedigree does tilt toward turf; wonder if that could be an option at some point.