By Randy Moss
This week, we debut a new feature: who were the five fastest maidens to race in North America last week, as measured by the Beyer Speed figures? We count them down.
5. TROUBLESHOOTING, KEE 4/10 – 5 1/2f (turf)
Beyer Speed Figure: 86
(c, 3, Not This Time–Into Trouble, by Into Mischief)
O/B-Donamire Farm; T-Greg Foley; J-Edgar Morales. Video Replay.
After three losses as a 2-year-old, Foley did a little “troubleshooting” and switched this colt to grass–with immediate results. Morales positioned him in the rail pocket behind the Bill Mott-trained 5-2 favorite Bright Skittle (Twirling Candy) and Flavien Prat, slid beautifully outside that one into the stretch and gradually edged past him. His pedigree doesn't scream turf and he had no published turf workouts, but he was bet down from 20-1 morning line to 7-2 third favorite, so perhaps his training was good enough to indicate that he'll be just as effective on either surface.
4. DR. PARK, KEE 4/9- 6f.
Beyer Speed Figure: 86
(c, 4, Uncle Mo–Queen Caroline, by Blame)
O-CRK Stable LLC; B-South Gate Farm; T-Peter Eurton; J-Flavien Prat. Sales history: $850,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP. Video Replay.
If the pedigree sounds familiar, it should: the $850,000 Keeneland September yearling is a half-brother to GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile and GI Florida Derby winner 'TDN Rising Star' Forte (Violence), as the second foal to race from dam Queen Caroline. He was bet down to 3-5 on the basis of his debut fourth in January at Santa Anita behind talented runners Santarena (Omaha Beach) and Extensive (City of Light), and was given a beautiful solo stalking trip here by Prat. He swung four wide into the lane and ran down pacesetter Chaching Chaching (Munnings) while bumping up his debut Beyer a couple lengths.
3. SHANGRALA ROAD, KEE 4/8- 1 1/16m.
Beyer Speed Figure: 87.
(c, 3, City of Light–Hi So Ci, by Scat Daddy)
O-James Rupp; B-Claiborne Farm; T-Brad Cox; J-Joel Rosario. Sales history: $130,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP. Video Replay.
A distant second to the runaway Pletcher maiden winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Disruptor (Gun Runner) in his seven-furlong debut, the Claiborne-bred colt was stretched out by Cox and went wire-to-wire, setting moderate fractions and nicely turning back a strong stretch bid from Godolphin/Mott runner Chillax (Bernardini).
2. INVICTUS, KEE 4/8- 7f.0
Beyer Speed Figure: 87.
(c, 3, Into Mischief–Serengeti Empress by Alternation)
O-CHC Inc. and WinStar Farm; B-Joel Politi; T-Brad Cox; J-Flavien Prat. Sales history: $1,200,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP. Video Replay.
How about a $1.2 million son of Into Mischief out of a Kentucky Oaks winner? Serengeti Empress's owner Joel Politi parted ways with this one, and understandably so given the seven-figure bid. And he can run. He was taken out of training in late August after fading in his Saratoga debut in Chancer McPatrick (McKinzie)'s 'TDN Rising Star'-worthy maiden win, and made his comeback here in style. He might be even better than his number, too–his Beyer figure here was projected downward on the basis of a track surface that appeared to be faster for this first race than for the later dirt races, so stay tuned.
1. BIG TRUZZ, KEE 4/12- 6 1/2f/
Beyer Speed Figure: 88.
(c, 3, Justify–Saralin, by Curlin)
O-Flying Dutchmen Breeding and Racing LLC; B-Orpendale/Chelston/Wynatt & Kaleem Shah Inc; T-Brian Lynch; J-Luis Saez. Sales history: $300,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP. Video Replay.
Dutch Bros. Coffee co-founder Travis Boersma will be in the Kentucky Derby this year, but Owen Almighty (Munnings) isn't his only nice 3-year-old. Big Truzz was bet down to 7-2 on debut, dropped 4-5 lengths back early after bobbling just a touch at the break, and made an extended run to open daylight on these despite greenly leaning left in the upper stretch to become a 'TDN Rising Star'. His dam is a half-sister to $1.5-million earner Salutos Amigos (Salute the Sarge), but this one's pedigree doesn't suggest distance limitations. He tops a parade of Keeneland fast maiden graduates; the eight fastest maidens of the week and nine of the top 10 came out of Keeneland races.
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