This column highlights the performances of maidens who have made no more than five starts and who either sold for more than $500,000 at public auction, have siblings that are grade/group winners, or have dams that are grade/group winners. BloodHorse research shows maiden winners in particular who meet these criteria are more likely to go on to be graded stakes winners.
Santa Anita
LNJ Foxwoods' Astute led gate-to-wire in her Oct. 12 debut, taking a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight on turf at Santa Anita Park. The 2-year-old Speightstown filly is a half sister to grade 2 winner Classic Point.
Agent Solis/Litt purchased Astute during last year's Keeneland September Yearling Sale for $425,000 from the Woodford Thoroughbreds consignment. The filly is from a female family that includes the likes of multiple graded stakes winner Any Limit, grade 1 winner Personal Business, and graded stakes winner Ever So Clever.
Trained by Richard Mandella, Astute put up fractions of :22.44, :45.35, and :57.13 through five furlongs under jockey Mike Smith. She entered the stretch two lengths in front, but Evoo, a daughter of Big Blue Kitten and the graded stakes-winning mare Channel Lady, cut into that lead when she surged near the wire to just miss by a neck. Astute finished in 1:03.36 on firm turf.
Bred by WinStar Farm in Kentucky, Astute is out of the Langfuhr mare Discerning, who has produced three winners from three foals to race.
Baoma Corporation's $750,000 purchase Private Mission also won on debut at Santa Anita, taking a 6 1/2-furlong maiden test Sunday. The 2-year-old Into Mischief filly trained by Bob Baffert is out of the Unbridled mare Private Gift, a half sister to Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Secret Status.
Private Mission's sale page at The Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton's select yearling sale in New York, included last year's Alabama Stakes (G1) winner Dunbar Road, Belmont Stakes (G1) runner-up Dunkirk, and graded stakes winner Alumni Hall. She was bred by Mt. Brilliant Broodmares and consigned to the sale by Lane's End.
Drayden Van Dyke rode her to a 1 3/4-length victory after stalking the pace from second.
Charles Town
On Friday, owner-trainer Ernest Haynes sent out Call Me Happy to a 3 3/4-length victory in a 4 1/2-furlong maiden special weight at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races.
The daughter of Runhappy is out of the multiple graded stakes-winning Lawyer Ron mare Call Pat. Haynes purchased the filly, bred by SF Bloodstock in New York, for $20,000 at this year's Ocala Breeders' Sales July 2-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age Sale.
Call Me Happy set the pace early, posting fractions of :22.53 and :46.81 through four furlongs while under pressure. She widened her lead in the stretch and drew off to finish in a final time of :53.41 on a fast track.
In her first start Oct. 7 at Delaware Park, Call Me Happy faded to sixth. Reshawn Latchman rode her to victory in her second start.
Woodbine
The following day, Sleek Lynx broke her maiden in her third start in a six-furlong turf test at Woodbine. Trained by Mark Casse for Gary Barber, Sleek Lynx is out of the grade 1-winning Montjeu mare Sarah Lynx, who raced primarily in Europe but came to the U.S. to win Woodbine's Pattison Canadian International Stakes (G1T) in 2011.
Sleek Lynx was making her third start Saturday, after placing runner-up in a July 23 maiden race at Gulfstream Park and then finishing fifth in the Sept. 20 Natalma Stakes (G1T) at Woodbine.
The 2-year-old War Front filly, purchased by Team Casse for $335,000 at the OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, raced in fourth for the first half-mile under jockey Rafael Hernandez. In the stretch she had moved up to third and then drove home to score by 1 1/4 lengths in a final time of 1:09.90 on a track labeled good.
Sleek Lynx was bred by Haras Don Alberto in Great Britain.
Keeneland
On Sunday, Pharoah's Gold scored in her third start, taking a one-mile maiden claiming race at Keeneland for trainer Brad Cox and owners Kenneth English and Alan Braun.
Bred by Chelston and Orpendale, Pharoah's Gold is out of the multiple grade 1-placed Unbridled mare Santa Catarina, who was runner-up in the 2003 Kentucky Oaks (G1), as well as the 2002 Frizette (G1) and Del Mar Debutante (G1) stakes. She also finished third in the Long John Silver's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) before winning the Hollywood Breeders' Cup Oaks (G2) the following year. Santa Catarina's dam is a half sister to European champion juvenile filly Culture Vulture.
Pharoah's Gold tracked the pace in second before taking over command and posting six furlongs in 1:15.81. The American Pharoah filly drew clear in the stretch under Joe Talamo and stopped the clock in 1:41.78 on a fast track, winning by two lengths.
In her Aug. 11 debut, Pharoah's Gold finished runner-up at Indiana Grand while racing one mile and 70 yards. She returned Sept. 9 to the same track to finish sixth in a 1 1/16-mile maiden race.
Golden Gate
Starlight Stroll scored a one-length win in her debut for owner-breeder KMN Racing and trainer Steve Sherman at Golden Gate Fields. The Indian Evening filly stalked the pace from third early under David Lopez before rallying late to complete the 5 1/2-furlong test in 1:04.12 on the all-weather track.
The California-bred Starlight Stroll is a half sister to last year's All American Stakes (G3) winner Grecian Fire and a full sister to this year's Great Lady M. Stakes (G2) winner Sneaking Out.
| BloodHorse Maiden Watch | ||||||
| Notable 2yo maiden winners for week of Oct. 12-18 | ||||||
| Date | Track | Race | Horse | Sire | Dam | Notes |
| 10/12 | SA | 4 | Astute | Speightstown | Discerning | Half sister to a multiple GSW |
| 10/16 | CT | 1 | Call Me Happy | Runhappy | Call Pat | Dam is a multiple GSW |
| 10/17 | WB | 3 | Sleek Lynx (GB) | War Front | Sarah Lynx (IRE) | Dam is a G1W |
| 10/18 | Kee | 3 | Pharoah's Gold | American Pharoah | Santa Catarina | Dam is MG1-placed and a G2W |
| 10/18 | GG | 8 | Starlight Stroll | Indian Evening | Maddie's Odyssey | Half sister to two graded stakes winners |
| 10/18 | SA | 10 | Private Mission | Into Mischief | Private Gift | $750k yearling, dam is a half sister to G1W Secret Status |
