Breakout Beyers: Winning Map touches ’em all

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

Winning Map

Oct. 3, 7th race Santa Anita, MdSpWt262k

Beyer: 85

6f 1:10.38 – 1st by 4 1/4 lengths

gr. c. 2, Liam’s Map – Starlet O’Hara, by Discreetly Mine

Auctions: Keeneland September yearling 2020 – $55,000; OBS March 2021 – $525,000

Owner: HRH Prince Sultan bin Mishal al Saud

Trainer: Bob Baffert

Breeder: H & E Ranch

What you call a “home run” pinhook, selling for nearly 10 times more as a 2-year-old than the yearling purchase price. And “they knew” about him for this career debut – he went off at 1-2 and won like that was a fair price. Alert break and made the front, cruising into the turn, before first-time starter Sir London made a run at him approaching the quarter pole. Winning Map would have none of that. He kicked clear in upper stretch and drew away to an easy win; Baffert doesn’t seem to focus on the gallop-out, but this colt quickly opened up many lengths into the clubhouse turn before easing back down to a jog. Ran with his ears pinned most of the way. His body seems fairly compact, but his stride looks longer. Third foal to race from a dam who developed early but ran only seven times, six of those starts sprinting, though there is some dirt stamina a little further back in this family. He’s a really dark gray – not dissimilar to Arrogate’s color. Just saying.

Howling Time

Sept. 25, 11th race Churchill, MdSpWt120k

Beyer: 82

6f 1:10.15 – 1st by 1 1/2 lengths

b. c. 2, Not This Time – Werewolf, by Arch

Auctions: Keeneland September yearling 2020 – $200,000

Owner: Albaugh Family Stables

Trainer: Dale Romans

Breeder: Springhouse Farm

Like this dark bay colt more than his figure, and here’s why: He made a very quick move when asked to get into contention at about the nine-sixteenths pole, then leveled off nicely in the homestretch with a reaching stride that suggested route racing in his future, as did the good gallop-out. Clipped past the leader in midstretch with a solid, sustained move and should have room to grow off his debut performance. The trainer also conditioned the sire, who was super talented.

Concept

Sept. 26, 4th race Remington, Kip Deville75k

Beyer: 92

6f 1:10.12 – 1st by 1 1/2 lengths

ch. c. 2, Gun Runner – Majestic Duel, by Cindago

Auctions: Keeneland September yearling 2020 – $75,000 (RNA)

Owner: Tony Holmes and Winchell Thoroughbreds

Trainer: Steve Asmussen

Breeder: Tony Holmes and Winchell Thoroughbreds

Flashy chestnut with plenty of chrome on him – and another running Gun Runner. Beyer pattern goes 54-58-92, so we’ll keep an eye on things to see whether this very high number gets validated. On the one hand, it was 16 lengths back from second to third here, but on the other there were only five horses racing and one of them blew the turn. Defeated in a Lone Star maiden, Concept since has raced in two stakes, so the Hall of Fame trainer clearly thought something of him. Made the lead and turned away a strong quarter-pole challenge from runner-up Tejano Twist. His dam was a pure sprinter but is a sister to Evening Jewel, a multiple Grade 1-winning filly over nine furlongs on dirt.

Trafalgar

Oct. 2, 7th race Churchill, MdSpWt122k

Beyer: 81

1M 1:35.61 – 1st by 2 1/4 lengths

b. c. 2, Lord Nelson – Southern Drifter, by Dixie Union

Auctions: Fasig-Tipton select yearling 2020 – $100,000; OBS spring 2-year-old 2021 – $310,000

Owner: Columbine Stable

Trainer: Al Stall

Breeder: Machmer Hall

They went 22.29 and 44.82 up front in this one-turn mile for 2-year-olds, which you’d think was a taxing pace, and, indeed, Trafalgar closed from ninth down the backstretch to win going away. But the horses that were first and second through the early and middle stages finished second and third and this race didn’t actually fall apart. Surprisingly, his $310,000 sales price is only the fifth-highest paid for an offspring of first-crop sire, the recently deceased Lord Nelson, who had three winners as of Oct. 7. Fourth foal – and already the best – from a dam who had a mere maiden win from 15 starts, a mix of sprints and routes. This colt was second behind Classic Causeway, who romped sprinting at Saratoga, and his run here was sustained and smooth over a track surface that favored front-runners throughout this meet.

Dr. Perry

Oct. 2, 6th race Churchill, MdSpWt121k

Beyer: 82

6 1/2f 1:16.20 – 1st by 5 1/4 lengths

gr. c. 2, Into Mischief – Not in Jest, by Unbridled’s Song

Auctions: Keeneland September yearling 2020 – $690,000

Owner: Courtlandt Farm

Trainer: Steve Asmussen

Breeder: Aaron and Marie Jones

Won from the same post with the same jockey (Joel Rosario) the race before Trafalgar but ran an entirely different race than that colt, who also made this list. Missed the break in his Saratoga debut but came out running and led all the way in this sprint, turning back all challengers with a nice burst at the quarter pole. He’s very fast but goes pretty smoothly and from the way he crossed the wire and galloped out, you’d think he could get at least a mile. While the figure wasn’t exceptional, there were huge margins between all the top finishers. Second foal to race from a dam who started only four times and never won or ran fast, but Into Mischief crossed with Unbridled’s Song could get you places. The dam in fact is a sister to Cross Traffic, who won the Grade 1 Whitney.

Sweet Dani Girl

Sept. 26, 8th race Churchill, MdSpWt90k

Beyer: 84

6f 1:09.69 – 1st by 1 length

ch. f. 2, Jess’s Dream – My Sweet Dani Girl, by Scat Daddy

Owner: J & J Stables and Carlo Vaccarezza

Trainer: Carlo Vaccarezza

Breeder: J & J Stables and Nicholas Vaccarezza

Godolphin first-timer Famed, trained by Brad Cox, was heavily favored here, but Sweet Dani Girl, another firster, made a nice move from midpack at the half-mile pole to get into contention by the three-furlong marker, took aim at Famed at the top of the stretch, and pushed past to victory, though the runner-up did hold her own through the very late stages. Was a 45-1 shot, but the race looked legit with Famed more than seven lengths in front of the show horse. Both the first and second dam were unraced; third dam produced Grade 1-winning sprinter In Summation. The stride turnover here was fairly rapid but efficient.

Happy Medium

Sept. 30, 3rd race Belmont, MdSpWt90k

Beyer: 103

6f 1:09.22 – 1st by 9 1/4 lengths

b. g. 3, Runhappy – Well Spring, by Coronado’s Quest

Noteworthy siblings: Paddle Board (Harlan’s Holiday) – stakes-placed, $184K earnings, 90 Beyer: Dig Deep (Candy Ride) – stakes-winner, $126K earnings, 95 Beyer

Auctions: Keeneland September yearling 2019 – $300,000

Owner: Jay Em Ess Stable

Trainer: Michelle Nevin

Breeder: Colts Neck Stable

Good third this past March in lone previous start – but not as good as this. Takes a really strong showing for an older maiden to make the list this time of year, and a 103 Beyer qualifies. Good gate speed, took over partway around the turn, came under pretty heavy pressure in upper stretch but continued to widen to the wire when the jockey turned off the gas at the sixteenth pole. Good first dam and the third dam is La Chaposa, who produced Grade 1 winners Chaposa Springs and You and I.

Varatti

Sept. 30, 6th race Belmont, MdSpWt90k

Beyer: 83

6 1/2f 1:17.19 – 1st by 4 1/2 lengths

b. c. 2, Into Mischief – Artemis, by Empire Maker

Auctions: Keeneland September yearling 2020 – $350,000

Owner: WinStar Farm and Siena Farm

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Breeder: Siena Farm

Not a ton of speed in his debut but enough to track the pace, challenge into the turn, and take the lead at the three-furlong marker. Odds-on Chad Brown-trained second-time starter Triple Elvis came to Varatti approaching the five-sixteenths pole, but Varatti repelled that bid and drew away as Triple Elvis barely held second. Modest gallop-out but would not discount this colt’s route prospects. His third dam is the excellent broodmare La Gueriere, and he did travel here like a horse who would handle a longer trip.

Hicksy

Oct. 3, 5th race Woodbine, MdSpWt85k

Beyer: 85

6f Tapeta 1:09.78 – 1st by 6 lengths

b. c. 2, Hootenanny – Fantastic Score, by Even the Score

Auctions: Fasig-Tipton October yearling 2020 – $45,000

Owner: Lanni Bloodstock LLC

Trainer: Kevin Attard

Breeder: Richard Forbush

His second quarter-mile was second fastest among nine runners, but he was fastest for the first quarter and the last quarter, delivering a 12.03 final furlong .34 of a second faster than the next-quickest horse home. Second-time starter from sire’s first crop (Hootenanny has had only four starters so far) had been all right in his debut and was first Lasix here, for whatever that’s worth. Changed leads professionally and do like the way he quickened. First foal from a dam who was a pretty low-level claiming horse who sprinted and ran miles. Notable family members from the first three generations include multiple graded stakes winner Kaigun and multiple stakes winner Bold Thunder.