By Randy Moss
Topping the list (technically it's at the bottom) are the 1-2-3 finishers from Keeneland's Madison Stakes, deeper in quality than any race so far this year.
6–MUNNINGS EXPRESS, AQU, Apr 4–WON, 6 1/2 furlongs
Beyer Speed Figure–90 (video)
(f, 4, Munnings–Freudie Anne, by Freud)
O-Team Spoor; B-Fergus Galvin, Marc Detampel, Jayne Johnson & Adrian Wallace (NY); T-Linda Rice; J-Jose Lezcano.
Aqueduct's runaway leading trainer Rice stuffed the entry box with 11 runners on Wood Memorial day and came away with four winners, including Richard Spoor's ascending New York-bred filly who has two romping allowance scores in three weeks–this one against open company. Spoor, back in the sport after a 15-year hiatus, bought Munnings Express for $325,000 as a yearling at Fasig-Tipton's Saratoga New York-bred sale.
5–AMORITA, SA, Monrovia Stakes-GIII, 6 1/2 furlongs (downhill turf)
Beyer Speed Figure–91 (second) (video)
(f, 4, Liam's Map–Cara Bella, by Ghostzapper)
O-Augustin Stables & Stone Farm; B-Stone Farm (KY); T-Richard Mandella; J-Mirco Demuro.
Co-owned by racing legends, Amorita has come tantalizingly close to SW status, with seconds in the China Doll, GIII Senorita Stakes and now GIII Monrovia Stakes. George Strawbridge has boarded broodmares at Arthur Hancock's Stone Farm, but they haven't often partnered in ownership. Strawbridge bought Amorita for $260,000 from Hancock and the two cut a deal to race her together. Background nugget: Hancock bought unraced Cara Bella–a half-sister to Frank Stronach's GI Preakness Stakes victor Red Bullet–in 2017 from Stronach and she immediately provided Hancock with Swore (Broken Vow), a long-distance maiden winner on the flat who transitioned into a current steeplechase star and 2025 Eclipse Award finalist in that genre. That longtime steeplechase aficionado Strawbridge winds up with a half-sister to Swore seems to be coincidental, as he purchased Amorita nearly two years before Swore ever raced over jumps.
4–SPIRITED BOSS, SA, GIII Monrovia Stakes, 6 1/2 furlongs (downhill turf) (video)
Beyer Speed Figure–93
(f, 4, Street Boss–Spirited Storm, by Stormy Atlantic)
O/B-TAG Stables (FL); T-Jose D'Angelo; J-Mike Smith.
While champion sprinter Bentornato eases back into his routine after a trip to Dubai, Florida-based D'Angelo has found fertile new territory to target: Santa Anita's downhill turf course. Quereme Pass was shipped for the March 14 GIII San Simeon Stakes and came within a nose of a 9-1 upset, followed by this 18-1 shocker that gave D'Angelo his first Santa Anita victory. Quereme Pass improved his career-high Beyer from 85 to 92; in the Monrovia, Spirited Boss took her Beyer top from 81 to 93 in her first turf sprint.
3–R DISASTER, KEE, GI Madison Stakes, 7 furlongs
Beyer Speed Figure–96 (third) (video)
(m, 5, Awesome Slew–Making Havoc, by Gottcha Gold)
O-Averill Racing, Two Eight Racing & ATM Racing; B-Ocala Stud & J Michael O'Farrell Jr (FL); T-Saffie Joseph Jr; J-Tyler Gaffalione.
This underrated Florida-bred mare has been running lights-out her entire career while being beautifully spotted by Joseph. R Disaster hadn't finished worse than second in 14 starts until the Madison–and yet her third in this incredibly star-studded field was arguably her best accomplishment to date.
2–GRAND JOB, KEE, GI Madison Stakes, 7 furlongs
Beyer Speed Figure–108 (second) (video)
(m, 5, Justify–Sure Route {GB}, by Ishiguru)
O-Bell Tower Thoroughbreds, Medallion Racing & Mark Stanton; B-Fullbury (KY); T-Bill Mott; J-Junior Alvarado.
At least losing the Madison by half a nostril has two silver linings. The first is huge: already a Grade II winner, the Justify filly is now Grade I placed. The second: she's the first female to run a Beyer of 108+ in a losing effort since 2023, when Goodnight Olive ran 108 in the Aug. 26 GI Ballerina Stakes only to lose to Echo Zulu's 112. It was truly a grand job when Thomas Turner's Bell Tower Thoroughbreds bought the Justify filly from her Coolmore-adjacent ownership and returned her to the U.S. to race on dirt.
1–ECLATANT, KEE, GI Madison Stakes, 7 furlongs
Beyer Speed Figure–109 (video)
(f, 4, Into Mischief–Downside Scenario, by Scat Daddy)
O-Stonestreet Stables; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY); T-Brad Cox; J-Irad Ortiz Jr.
And what might this uber-talented Stonestreet filly be worth now? The daughter of Into Mischief and full-sister to Grade II-winning 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Mutasaabeq was given eight months off after her form careened downward last spring, but she returned with a 104 Beyer in a Feb. 15 allowance at Gulfstream, crushing her previous top by 21 points. “I'm not sure what to make of that figure,” Cox told DRF before the Madison. He knows what to make of it now. Eclatant not only followed up with her first Grade I score but showed guts to outduel Grand Job while improbably elevating her figure once more.
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