Litfin's preview: Million-dollar baby stretches out
$1 million baby in Friday opener
A field of six 2-year-olds will attempt to negotiate 1 1/16 miles in race 1, and all eyes will be on Gold Shield, a $1 million colt by Medaglia d’Oro who stretches out in his second start for Shug McGaughey.
Gold Shield’s yearling price is a mere $7,680 less than the career earnings of his dam, Dream Supreme, whose six graded stakes victories included the Test and Ballerina.
Dream Supreme has produced three stakes winners thus far: Crystal Current, Evolutionist, and Majestic Warrior, who captured the 2007 Hopeful.
Gold Shield was beaten a dozen lengths when unveiled in a seven-furlong sprint at Saratoga on Aug. 30, a day that featured a powerful inside speed bias.
Gold Shield, who will be first-time Lasix, is one of two horses in the race bred by the late George Steinbrenner’s Kinsman Farm along with General Bellamy, who makes his career debut for Bill Mott.
Two sharpshooters take down pick six
Despite upset wins by Bernstein Flambe ($32.40), Special Selection ($15.40), and Defining Product ($26.80), two winning tickets successfully navigated through Thursday’s tricky pick six.
A fresh $102,599 was bet into a one-day carryover of $27,437, and the sequence was anchored by a pair of odds-on favorites sent out by Chad Brown – Kerjillion ($3.40) and Bakken ($3).
Only four horses were covered in the final leg, including the favored winner, Media Kid ($5.60), who capped a $45,458 payoff for two winners.
Love That first-time starter?
According to a Wednesday tweet from DRF Formulator, Love That rates a long look as she begins her career in race 6 for Todd Pletcher.
Pletcher sent out eight first-time starters in September, and no fewer than seven of them got the money, including win mutuels of $12.90, $15.40, and $54 for Savoy Stomp in Belmont’s first race last Saturday.
The otherwise inscrutable-looking maiden sprint contains three other newbies, all of whom are half-sisters to six-figure earners; as well as Glacken’s Gift and Garzoni, who are both first-time Lasix for their first outings since finishing a length apart here 366 days ago.
Horse to watch
FIRST SUMMATION
Trainer: Christophe Clement
Last race: Oct. 1, 4th
Finish: 2nd by nose
Beyer: 71
A bit headstrong and steadied through the middle stages, gained a short lead between calls in deep stretch and just missed a maiden win in her first outing since last October.