Cyclogenisis tries to prove maiden win no fluke in Laurel Futurity

A big Beyer Speed Figure in what appears to be a strong maiden race at Saratoga stamps Cyclogenisis as a formidable favorite in the Laurel Futurity, one of two $100,000 stakes for 2-year-olds on Saturday’s 12-race program at Laurel Park.

The 5 1/2-furlong Futurity, which drew a field of 10, goes as race 5 on a card with four other turf stakes for older horses.

Cyclogenisis earned by far the best Beyer in the Laurel Futurity field when he got a 77 for his three-length score in a 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint at Saratoga on Aug. 18. The fifth-place finisher, Zandar, came back to win a seven-furlong maiden race at Belmont Park on Sept. 13. Of the other three horses from the Saratoga maiden event to race again, two finished second, and the other was third next time out.

Harlan’s Honor, the easy winner of the Colleen at Monmouth Park, and Miss Bullistic, who defeated nine rivals in her turf debut, head a group of 13 2-year-old fillies in the 5 1/2-furlong Selima in race 3.

LAUREL FUTURITY (RACE 5)

KEY CONTENDERS

Cyclogenisis (Last Beyer: 77)

◗ He will be difficult to beat if he comes anywhere close to a repeat of his debut figure. DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Over the past five years, trainer George Weaver is 0 for 2 with 2-year-old second-time starters on turf who won their debut, including Hot Squeeze, who was second at 2-1 in last year’s Selima.

One Eyed Ray (Last 2 Beyers: 65-22)

◗ He improved dramatically in his second career start against New York-breds.

DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Over the past five years, trainer Mike Trombetta is 2 for 5 with last-out 2-year-old maiden winners on turf.

:: Learn more about Formulator | Follow the @DRFFormulator Twitter feed and get free Formulator facts

Guderian (Last 3 Beyers: 28-59-64)

◗ He makes his turf debut after working a bullet half-mile on grass Sept. 17. His sire, Stroll, produces 13 percent winners on turf with his 2-year-old offspring.

Markakis (Last Beyer: 49)

◗ He came from off the pace to win his career debut against nine opponents, but the Beyer came back slow. He will need to run substantially faster to threaten the favorite.

Daystrike (Last Beyer: 44)

◗ He won a slow maiden race on dirt at Timonium but could move forward in a big way while switching to turf. His sire, Smart Strike, hits at 11 percent with 2-year-olds on turf.

SELIMA STAKES (RACE 3)

KEY CONTENDERS

Harlan’s Honor (Last 3 Beyers: 78-39-58)

◗ She showed substantial improvement when she made her turf debut in the five-furlong Colleen on Aug. 10. She has worked three straight bullets on dirt at Parx since that outing.

Miss Bullistic (Last 3 Beyers: 70-26-36)

◗ She improved 44 points on the Beyer scale when switched to grass, earning a number that puts her in the same ballpark with the logical favorite.

Unhindered (Last 3 Beyers: 50-62-69)

◗ She didn’t run nearly as well on turf as she did in winning the My Dear on Woodbine’s Polytrack in late June. She got a feel for Laurel’s course with an extremely slow three-furlong workout in 40 seconds Wednesday.

Mercer Mill Mae (Last 3 Beyers: 72-46-56)

◗ She opened up a big lead in her turf debut and hung on to narrowly prevail at Kentucky Downs three weeks ago.

DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Trainer Wesley Ward is just 1 for 7 with last-out 2-year-old maiden winners back in fewer than 30 days on turf, but three of those horses came back to finish second in stakes.

Concealedwithakiss (Last 2 Beyers: 71-72)

◗ The question is whether she can transfer her unbeaten form on dirt, which includes the Sorority Stakes, to turf. Her Tomlinson rating of 251 for turf is not a positive sign; neither is trainer Eddie Plesa’s record of 2 for 20 with 2-year-olds making their turf debut while returning in 30 days or fewer.