Juvenile winners impress on turf

Their pedigrees do not immediately appear to cry out for the turf, but the winners of the meet's first stakes for 2-year-olds on grass last Saturday obviously have a future over it. Both Justaclown and Timely Reflection displayed professionalism well beyond their brief careers.

"I was just along for the ride," jockey Quincy Hamilton said after guiding Justaclown to an impressive win in the $75,000 Sunny's Halo for colts and geldings. "This colt was just push button."

Justaclown is a Texas-bred by Valid Expectation,s whose own exploits on the track and those of his progeny usually bring to mind sprinting on dirt, not two turns on the turf.

"Most people think that," Justaclown's trainer Robert Young said. "But I have seen some run on. A lot depends on what you do with them and what approach you take."

Young pointed out that Justaclown's dam, Smokin N Jokin, by Metfield, ran well on turf.

Justaclown impressed Young from the start.

"We thought we had a pretty good colt after he got stopped about three times in his debut when he still managed to run second," he said.

Young went on to say that he is looking at several options for Justaclown, including the $200,000 Sunday Silence on the Sept. 22 Super Derby undercard and the $100,000 El Joven at Retama in late October.

Although she had to work harder, Timely Reflection's win in the Donnie Wilhite Memorial was every bit as businesslike as her male counterpart's. Trapped along the rail turning for home, the Yankee Victor filly waited patiently before hooking up with longshot Vengeful Shadow for a spirited stretch run. The effort belied her short career, which consisted of only one dirt sprint maiden score.

"That's her," trainer Bret Calhoun said. "She is not as experienced as a lot of our 2-year-olds but she is smart. She just does what it takes and does everything right. Things seem to come mentally very easy for her.

"There is a little turf on the bottom of her pedigree, but the reason we decided at the 11th hour to enter her on the grass is she seems to pick everything up. That and she worked six furlongs last week in 1:13 and change. You don't see too many 2-year-olds do that."

The $200,000 Happy Ticket, also on Super Derby Saturday next month, is next for Timely Reflection, according to Calhoun.