Saturday TimeformUS Highlight Horse: Tavin can build on encouraging debut
Belmont at the Big A | Race 9 | Post Time 4:54 p.m. (ET)
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There are some intriguing first-time starters in this New York-bred maiden special weight finale. That group is led by Beach Cruiser (#6), a $195,000 weanling purchase who is by Catalina Cruiser. She is owned by Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and partners, and is a half-sister to the owner’s stakes-winning turf horse Silver Skillet, who did handle dirt early in her career. Christophe Clement is 14 for 51 (27%, $2.75 ROI) with first-time starters in dirt sprints over five years, and he’s 7 for 26 (27%, $3.02 ROI) in statebred and restricted races in New York within that sample. However, she’s fairly obvious and figures to take money.
Ashburn Alley (#10) may fly under the radar as she ships in from Monmouth to make her debut. She sold for $135,000 after working a furlong in 9 4/5 at the OBS June sale this year. Tapiture is a solid debut sire, getting 14 percent winners among his 2-year-old first-time starters. Her best half-sibling is $564,000 earner Mosienko, who is a solid dirt sprinter on this circuit. Kelly Breen can win on debut, and a New Jersey-based jockey is named to ride.
Among those with experience, Book of Wisdom (#8) figures to attract the most support of her three consecutive second-place finishes. She’s run into well-meant first-time starters in each of those losses, but I was still hoping to see a bit more progression from her last time out.
I’m much more interested in second-time starter Tavin (#7), who comes out of that same Sept. 28 race. This filly broke well, but was a little green during the running. She got a good education, taking kickback sitting behind horses towards the inside early. Trevor McCarthy tried to angle her out into the clear in midstretch, but she swerved back inside under a left-handed whip. She eventually straightened out to finish up with some interest before galloping out well. That was a day when horses with forward position seemed to have an advantage, so she deserves credit for staying on so well. Brittany Russell is 35 for 103 (34%, $2.28 ROI) with maiden second-time starters on dirt over the past five years.