Two horses shade 10 seconds in Midlantic breeze-up show

TIMONIUM, Md. -- It's rare for a 2-year-old to shade 10 seconds while working a furlong, the traditional breeze-up distance, on the dirt track at the Maryland State Fairgrounds. Prior to this week, only one horse had done so in the past 11 editions of the under-tack preview for the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May 2-year-olds in training sale. That was Hejazi, who subsequently was rewarded with a sale-record $3.55 million price tag.

In a double rarity, two colts, by Street Boss and Vekoma, respectively, worked a furlong in 9 4/5 seconds to share the bullet work of the three-session breeze show for this year's edition of the Midlantic May sale, taking place May 20-21.

Both colts worked during Thursday's second of three sessions of the under-tack preview, on a fast track and with tailwinds in the stretch.

The Street Boss colt hit the mark first, breezing early Thursday afternoon in the day's third set. The colt, consigned by Longoria Training and Sales, is out of the winning Sky Mesa mare Snow Mesa, who is a full sister to graded stakes winner Fort Prado, from the immediate family of Grade 1-placed stakes winner Red Vine.

“It’s very difficult here,” consignor Jessie Longoria said of the time. “So for him to come out here and do that, it’s unbelievable.”

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The colt is a pinhook prospect after the youngest two of Longoria's three daughters - ages 19 and 21 at the time - selected him at last year's Keeneland September yearling sale, with their father bidding $35,000 to acquire him under the moniker 3 - Sister.

"He's just worked out perfect," Longoria said. "It's just unbelievable. It's awesome. ... They've got a pretty good eye, and he was real athletic."

In Thursday's day's seventh and final set, the colt from the first crop of Grade 1 winner Vekoma - who recently sired his first winner - matched the bullet furlong time.

The Florida-bred colt, consigned by Ciaran Dunne’s Wavertree, as agent, is out of the unraced Wildcat Heir mare Scion Power, whose first foal is a winner. Scion Power is a full sister to graded stakes winner Derwin’s Star.

The Vekoma colt is an example of how young horses can change and develop through the season, requiring consignors to be flexible in finding the best spot to showcase their stock. The colt, a $175,000 yearling purchase at the Fasig-Tipton July sale, was entered in the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.’s March sale, the first auction of this breeze-up season. He breezed a furlong in 10 seconds flat on the all-weather surface, behind a logjam of 50 youngsters who shaded 10 seconds. He was ultimately withdrawn from the sale, and now has showcased himself on dirt.

“The sales [in Florida] are a little different, because it’s a lot of horses, and a lot of horses go fast,” consignor Randy Hartley of Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds, said. “When you come here and you get on the dirt, they separate themselves.”

Hartley/DeRenzo consigns three of the 12 juveniles who tied for the next-fastest time at 10 seconds flat - a Vekoma colt, a filly by fellow freshman sire Volatile, and a colt by Triple Crown winner Justify.

Rounding out that group of a dozen were another Volatile filly; a colt by Honest Mischief and a filly by Gift Box, both freshman sires; two fillies by Bolt d'Oro; a Practical Joke colt; and fillies by Bernardini, Mitole, and The Big Beast.

Five juveniles tied for the fastest quarter-mile work of the week, at 21 1/5 seconds. The group included a pair of juveniles from the first crop of Horse of the Year Authentic, both consigned by Hartley/DeRenzo. One is a Florida-bred colt out of the Grade 1-winning Uncle Mo mare Gomo. The other is a Kentucky-bred filly out of the Afleet Alex mare Truly Gifted, dam of four winners from as many starters.

Hartley said he likes what he has seen from Authentic, an Into Mischief stallion who won the 2020 Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup Classic.

“I love them so much, I bred my Uncle Mo mare to him this year,’ he said. “The one we sold for $1 million [at OBS March], he was just a machine.”

Rounding out the quintet of quarter-mile bullet workers were colts by Bolt d’Oro and Maclean’s Music, and a filly from the first crop of Instilled Regard.

Behind those tied for the fastest quarter-mile, an Authentic colt was the solo holder of the next-best time at the distance, in 21 2/5 seconds.

For complete results from the under-tack show, click here.

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