The Top 20 most memorable Juvenile Maiden winners of 2014 follows. Part One focused on Maiden performance #40-#21.
To recap from part one. This is not a talent ranking. This will focus on impressive maiden wins. Longer distances count more, bigger tracks are represented and a horse must win. Horses with “tough trips” who did not win are not included.
I also prefer dry surfaces to sloppy or muddy maiden wins, but did include a couple of high-profile slop performances. Visual performance, speed figures and uniqueness of victory are the 3 measurements used in compiling this list.
#20 Luminance – This filly made one start and made a move from 6th place to win going away for trainer Bob Baffert. She had a slow start in this race, rated 3 wide, then was shuffled 5 wide going into the turn and exploded through the lane to win in hand. She had shin problems after the race, but her one effort at Old Delmar was a dominating performance.
#19 Moonlight Bandit – Dominated the post parade with a shiny coat and his head bobbing up and down, captured my attention. A vigorous warm-up and entered the gate ready the run, he wasted no time out of the gate establishing a solid position. Son of Malibu Moon engaged the leaders with a half mile to go and quickly took the lead out of the turn, opened up the lead late, winning by 4 lengths
#18 Toasting Again – Was ridden aggressively in 2nd lifetime start and dominated a Maiden Special Weight race at Churchill Downs. Quick strides and a light frame he showed speed and a keen focus showing speed and brilliance.
#17 Light the City – The second filly to make this list. Light the City debuted in a contentious Maiden race and was sent off at 6/1 odds. Showing speed, Light the City went to the lead, and then maintained that advantage the entire race drawing off late with a solid speed rating in the process. Built like a router her natural speed was used to her advantage in this race.
#16 A. Rod Again – It was Deja Vu all over again for the General A Rod Connections. Same trainer, and owner entered this son of Awesome Again at Churchill Downs in November and he drew away to the 4 length victory at 8/1 odds. He warmed up well, and was prominent early, laying close to the pace and visually opened up down the lane on a race that featured some nice pedigrees.
#15 Eagle – the Pea Patch was the scene for this visually impressive maiden breaker. Eagle a son of Candy Ride was well positioned out of the gate and was running calmly in 5th place, split between horses and secured position on the turn in 2nd place and entering the stretch revved up, taking the lead mid stretch and was geared down late. The maturity and quick moves should serve him well in the future.
#14 Prime Engine – The Pride of Emerald Downs debuted at even money and started from the six post position in a 6 horse field, two strides out of the gate this race was over. Prime Engine was on the engine, zipped a half in 45 flat and cruised to a 10 length victory in hand. He cantered the final 1/8th of a mile and was geared down. Raw speed, broke from the gate like a shot and opened up coming out of the turn.
#13 Conquest HioSilver – The hands down “gutsiest” maiden win of the top 40. Conquest was “hounded” from the opening strides by One Lucky Dane and those two went around the track in a one mile race never separated by more than a half-length. Conquest HioSilver was making his debut and at the tough one mile distance. He was all heart, guts and moxy down the lane never letting anyone take the lead from him. A pure guts race and one I will remember from this class.
#12 Ocho Ocho Ocho – hip number 888 rated in 3rd place in his debut race, coming around the turn, Smoking Joe Talamo, swung him out 3-wide and this diminutive son of Street Sense, burst to the lead in a few strides, running five and a half furlongs in under 1:03.
#11 Sky Hero – Making his 2nd lifetime start at Keeneland after losing he debut as the favorite. This son of Sky Mesa left no doubt in this race. Rating in 3rd place approaching the turn while being full of run, Bridgmohan let him loose on the turn and Sky Hero exploded to the lead with quick and purposeful strides, once taking the lead, he shifted leads and finished with a smooth, rhythmic stride and could have won by more if asked.
#10 First Down – With a quick burst of speed, First Down went from 4th to 1st and drew away down the lane defeating stablemate Frosted in his maiden victory. he was bet down at the windows and was shuffled back to mid-pack at the half mile pole. The jockey was riding confidently and was patiently waiting for his opening to happen.
#9 Handy Candy – This well named son of Candy Ride out of Hand Crafted – lived up to his name in debut race. Circling the field and coming from 10 lengths behind a speed duel, came wide for the drive and put his nose in front in the last stride when the money was on the line.
#8 Ostrolenka – The Pride of Musket Man threw down the gauntlet in one of the most surprising Maiden breakers in 2014. Showing little in his debut race. Ostrolenka dominated a New York Bred race in his second lifetime start. Visually it was a performance that was one of the best Maiden wins of the year, he was not going to lose this race, efficient strides and drawing off down the stretch, running the competition off their feet.
#7 Imperia – One of the few turf horses to make the list. Imperia has the pedigree to be a quality horse. The mare Cocoa Beach was a solid horse on turf and synthetic. This home-bred was idling in 6th place entering the stretch at Belmont, found room and with a quick burst of speed, inhaled about 3 horses, final margin was only 1 length but he was a winner with a 1/16th of a mile to go.
#6 Unblunted – Making his 2nd lifetime start against a well-bred field. Cyrus Alexander a 1.7 million dollar yearling took all the money, but Unblunted sat in 5th place early, swung out for the drive and engulfed the three dueling leaders and drew away to a 2-length victory. The gallop out was impressive and this guy won with long fluid strides.
#5 Frosted – Put it all together in career start #3, with a romping 5 length win at the Big A. This long-legged gray son of Tapit dueled with another well-bred horse for half mile and then shifted leads down the lane, opened up by 3 lengths in a couple of strides and lowered his head at the wire and finished with a vigorous gallop out – lengthening his margin after the race.
#4 American Pharoah – Broke his maiden in a stakes race. He was hammered late at the windows and when the gates opened he burst to the lead in a couple of strides and with powerful long strides that gobbled up ground drew away to a maiden win in a stakes race. Powerful Stride, long legs and a muscled back side this guy dominated the Delmar Futurity in every way.
#3 Dortmund – While people were still arguing about the Breeders Cup Classic on November 2nd, this big tank of a horse a son of Big Brown stepped on the track like a bull in a china shop. He was blocked early and down the backside was being hemmed in 6th place, a small hole opened up and this guy let loose while dueling and running 3 wide. Around the turn he engaged the leader and put him away in a couple of strides. This guy is all muscle and just flat-out faster than the rest of the field. Raw speed and a huge engine. They called Point Given T’Rex and this guy seems bigger than Point Given.
#2 Punctuate – The past performances listed him as a son of Distorted Humor out of the Pride of New Mexico – Peppers Pride. Big hopes were on his shoulders and he was entered in a race with 12 horses. Breaking from the outside post, he lost contact with the field early, shuffled back as far as 12th place. Entering the stretch it looked hopeless with 3 horses running well on the lead, but in the final 1/8th of a mile, he passed 5 horses and won in hand by over a length and dominated the gallop out. Big rear end and carries a lot of weight. Not often you can dominate a race for just a sixteenth of a mile.
#1 Om – This guy is so good, he had a race “named” after him. His victory was so impressive and produced so many next out winners it became The “Om race. It was a second lifetime start for the son of Munnings and it was apparent from the opening of the gate he had his mind on business. A quick turn of foot and just opened up and destroyed this field. He increased his margin of victory from the half mile pole to finish line, winning by 7 1/2 lengths and stopping the clock in 1:15 and change. He clocked a Beyer Speed Figure over 100 on this race. Several highly rated opponents like American Pharoah, One Lucky Dane, Daddy D.T. came back to win out of this race.
Update on Dortmund following the monster Allowance win at Churchill Downs. Dortmund was bet down to 3/5 odds and from the 12 post ran wide down the backstretch, rated off horses, without the blinkers and drew off to a 7 length win and a vigorous gallop out. Los Al Futurity possible next start.