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 Wednesday, August 8, 2007

  Saratoga, Race 2, Msw, 62,000, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 1:04 2/5, gd

  Maimonides, C, 2, by Vindication

1st Dam: Silvery Swan, by Silver Deputy

2nd Dam: Sociable Duck, by Quack

3rd Dam: Unsociable, by Never Bend

As a half-brother to El Corredor (Mr. Greeley), GISW, $727,920; Silver Tornado (Maria's Mon), GSW, $133,075; and Roman Ruler (Fusaichi Pegasus), GISW, $1,220,800; Maimonides attracted plenty of attention when offered as a yearling at Keeneland September and wound up becoming the most expensive member of his sire’s first crop when selling for $4.6 million. The handsome colt had been training impressively in California and had been slated to make his debut at Del Mar, but was shipped east with the remainder of Ahmed Zayat’s string. The dark bay had a pipe opener over this strip Aug. 4 and was bet down to 1-2 here. Breaking alertly, the Zayat colorbearer jumped out in front and showed the way through splits of :22.04 and :45.37. Jockey Rafael Bejarano shook the reins at him in the lane and the favorite responded, opening up impressively on his way to an 11 1/2-length triumph. Sam’s Passion (Seeking the Gold) completed the exacta. "This is a very nice horse," said winning trainer Bob Baffert. "He does it so easy and effortlessly. This horse is like his sire--he wants to get out there and run." As far as the colt’s next start, Baffert said, "I have to sit down and map out a plan. I’m not going to leave anything out, but I felt like I was in the [GI] Hopeful [S., Sept. 3] today." Maimonides is named for the famed medieval Jewish philosopher who later served as the Sultan’s physician in Egypt. The fifth winner for his freshman sire (by Seattle Slew), he has a Grand Slam half-sister slated to sell on the opening day at Keeneland September. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $37,200.

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O: Zayat Stables LLC | B: Needham/Betz Thoroughbreds, Liberation Farm & Hill 'N' Dale (KY) | T: Bob Baffert