First-Time Starters

1st-OP, $115K, Msw, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:30 p.m. ET. Under the baton of Ken McPeek, MIDSUMMER MARCH (Mendelssohn) debuts for Walking L Thoroughbreds. The dark bay initially sold to Sycamore Hall for $280,000 at the 2021 Keeneland November Sale before hammering down for $425,000 during the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Sale, which was the highest priced yearling for her sire in 2022. Bred by David Fennelly's Mountmellick Farm, the filly is out of GIII Torrey Pines S. winner Munny Spunt (Munnings), who sold for $340,000 at Fasig-Tipton Winter Mixed Sale...

2nd-DMR, $61K, Msw, 2yo, 6f, 4:00 p.m. A couple of pricey colts will lineup for their Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert on Saturday at Del Mar. IMAGINATION (Into Mischief) was purchased for $1,050,000 as a yearling at Keeneland September by SF Bloodstock/Starlight Racing/Madaket before adding investors Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Robert Masterson, Waves Edge Capital, Catherine Donovon and Tom Ryan. The bay colt out of GSW Magical Feeling (Empire Maker) counts Oaklawn Mile S. hero Exulting (Tapit) as a half-brother and GIII Monmouth Oaks heroine Occult as a full-sister....

9th-SA, $61K, Msw, 2yo, 6f, 8:11 p.m. ET. The rail-drawn URBAN LEGEND (Into Mischief) is one of three Bob Baffert trainees to debut in the Santa Anita finale. Out of MSW Singing Kitty (Ministers Wild Cat), the bay colt went for $300,000 at Keeneland September before bringing $1.3 million at the OBS April Sale. He is campaigned by Morplay Racing LLC, Rosedown Racing Stables, LLC and Kerri Radcliffe. The Hall of Fame conditioner will also saddle Nysos (Nyquist), who was purchased by Baoma Corp. for $550,000 at OBS April, and...

5th-BAQ, $90K, Msw, 2yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 2:44 p.m. ET On Friday at the Belmont at the Big A meet, trainer Cherie DeVaux and co-owners Martin Schwartz and David Ingordo celebrated Reagan's Flame (Flameaway) coming home a winner over the turf in her first start. Now Schwartz and DeVaux send PURLOIN (Arrogate) to the post looking for a similar outcome. A $200,000 Keeneland September purchase by Midnight Bloodstock, the gray filly went for $400,000 during the OBS April Sale with DeVaux signing the ticket after she went 10 2/5 during...

5th-CD, $120K, Msw, 2yo, 7f, 2:45 p.m. Currently in fifth place on TDN's first-crop sire tally behind fellow Spendthrift Farm leader Maximus Mischief, Vino Rosso will look to add to his haul when MASMAK hits the track for the first time Friday afternoon. Originally purchased for $70,000 by Tom McCrocklin at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, the chestnut colt went to FMQ Stables at the OBS Spring Sale earlier this year for $475,000. Trained by Brad Cox and ridden by Florent Geroux, Masmak's dam GSP Nite in Rome is also...

3rd-DMR, $82K, Msw, 2yo, 6f, 5:30 p.m. As the summer winds down, there is still more than enough time for juvenile first timers to make their debut. At Del Mar, $1.25-million Fasig-Tipton Yearling Sale buy MC VAY (Constitution) is set for his inaugural trip. Out of Dothraki Sea (Union Rags), who counts both GISW Dixie Chatter (Dixie Union) and GSW Rumor (Indian Charlie) as half-siblings, the dark bay colt is trained by John Shirreffs and will be ridden by Mike Smith. Also entered is $250,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale grad...

1st-DMR, $82K, Msw, 2yo, f, 5fT, 6:00 p.m. PERSIA (War Front), making her juvenile debut for breeder Ramona Bass and her son Perry, is the first offspring to race out of Miss Temple City (Temple City), who posted two of her three career Grade I wins against the boys. Purchased by Steve Young for $2.5 million at Fasig-Tipton November in 2017, Miss Temple City is a full-sister to GSW Pricedtoperfection, herself a $775,000 FTKNOV grad. Trained by Richard Mandella, Persia will have the services of Hector Berrios. Also entered is...

10th-KD, $150K, Msw, 2yo, 1mT, 6:28 p.m. The European-style grass course situated on the Kentucky side of the southern border with Tennessee cards a maiden finale which draws $450,000 Keeneland September graduate from last year, PUBLIUS (Constitution). Bred by Twin Creeks Farm, the bay colt debuts out of Sharp Instinct (Awesome Again), who is the dam of seven winners from nine to race. The Brad Cox trainee, ridden by Florent Geroux, is a half-brother to GIII Excelsior S. hero Send It In (Big Brown). Also entered is the well-bred Tapitoro...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 7th-GP, $84K, Msw, 3yo, f, 6f, 3:07 p.m. Debut filly HOLLYWOODLAND (Quality Road) was a $500,000 KEESEP purchase as a yearling by owner Joseph Allen, who bred and campaigns recent GIII La Prevoyante S. winner Personal Best (Tapit). This filly's dam, Union City, is a sister to MGSW Dixie City, whose own offspring Reef Point (Giant's Causeway) produced MGSW Bubble Rock (More Than Ready). Not to be outdone, Union City is responsible for GII Peter Pan S. hero Unified (Candy Ride {Arg}). Breaking from the...

9th-Fair Grounds, $58,000, Msw, 1-22, 3yo, 6f, 1:11.65, ft, 2 3/4 lengths. FEROCIOUSLY (c, 3, Violence--Brinkley {SP}, by City Zip), sent off the 5-2 choice while facing a pair of seven-figure purchases, settled in a close-up second behind 9-1 chance Vintage Vinyl (Maclean's Music), who led through :22.15. Meanwhile, $1.5-million Fasig-Tipton grad Vincoe (Quality Road), sent off at 7-2, tried to make a grab for the lead along the inside but had the door slammed in his face, and soon found himself in last, about six lengths off the front....

7th-Ellis, $51,080, Msw, 7-3, 3yo/up, f/m, 6f, 1:10.05, ft, 1/2 length. PALM COTTAGE (f, 3, American Pharoah--Walkwithapurpose {MSW & GSP, $297,210}, by Candy Ride {Arg}), installed the 4-5 top choice in this first go, broke a step slow, but quickly put her self into a close-up third as Upandcomingstar (Into Mischief), prompted by Strong Silent (Wicked Strong), led through an opening quarter mile in :22.53. Hemmed in along the rail exiting the far turn, Palm Cottage swung out three wide turning for home, ground her way to the fore with...

In addition to the news about the GI Belmont S. and stakes schedule at the upcoming Belmont meet, the New York Racing Association announced new safety initiatives and entry rule changes for the 25-day meet. Among them are new rules for horses coming off of long layoffs and horses making belated career debuts. Horses which have not started in more than 180 days, but fewer than 365 days, will be placed on the Veterinarians' List and must be presented to the NYRA Veterinarian prior to racing, while horses which have...