McLaughlin hitting stride with juveniles

ELMONT, N.Y. – Even as he spends the next few weeks preparing three top contenders for the Breeders’ Cup, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin has a lot to look forward to beyond racing’s championship days.

McLaughlin’s high-priced and high-powered-pedigree juvenile crop has started cranking out winners of late, led by the $2.2 million yearling purchase Mohaymen and the $600,000 2-year-old-in-training buy Annual Report.

On Sept. 19, hours before Frosted won the Pennsylvania Derby at Parx, Mohaymen won a six-furlong maiden race at Belmont Park by a half-length over Seymourdini, a high-priced 2-year-old prospect trained by Linda Rice.

Mohaymen, a son of Tapit out of the multiple Grade 2-winning mare Justwhistledixie, ran six furlongs in 1:10.16 under Junior Alvarado and earned an 87 Beyer Speed Figure. Owned by Shadwell Stable, he is being pointed to the Grade 2 Nashua on Nov. 4 at Aqueduct.

McLaughlin said Mohaymen did everything “and more” than what was expected of him first time out.

“I say more because I thought Linda had us at the eighth pole,” said McLaughlin, noting that Seymourdini had put a head in front of Mohaymen in midstretch. “For him to come back was impressive. The jock just said he was still green, waiting on a horse. When a horse got to him, our horse dug in. That part of it was impressive.”

On Sept. 20, McLaughlin ran Annual Report at Parx, and that horse dueled for the lead on the rail and galloped to a 5 1/4-length victory. He ran 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:06.02 and was assigned a modest Beyer of 58.

Annual Report, owned by Godolphin Racing, is a son of Harlan’s Holiday. The second dam is the Grade 1 winner Furlough.

McLaughlin said he chose to run Annual Report at Parx because he didn’t want to run his two horses against each other in the same maiden race.

“Annual Report ran very well,” McLaughlin said. “He, too, surprised me the way he finished. He opened up five. It was impressive from the 1 hole.”

Annual Report could run next in either the Grade 2, $200,000 Futurity here on Oct. 17 or the Nashua.

On Saturday at Belmont, McLaughlin was scheduled to run Party Barn, a 2-year-old colt by Bernardini out of the seven-time graded stakes winner Hystericalady.

On Sunday, McLaughlin will send out the 2-year-old filly Felini in the fourth at Belmont. Felini, a half-sister to the Grade 1 winner It’s Tricky, finished fifth at Saratoga in her debut. She gets Lasix for the first time on Sunday and stretches out from 5 1/2 furlongs to a mile.

“She had quite a bit of trouble, traffic,” McLaughlin said of Felini’s first race. “She wants the mile. She will improve. It’s a nice race, tough race, but she will definitely run well.”

Kendrick Carmouche rides Felini because Irad Ortiz Jr., who rode her in her debut, is at Keeneland on Sunday.

Meanwhile, McLaughlin’s Breeders’ Cup trio of Frosted (Classic), Wedding Toast (Distaff), and Cavorting (Filly and Mare Sprint) are likely to work next Friday.