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.
Churchill Downs
Godolphin homebred Pretty Mischievous, the second foal to race out of grade 1 winner Pretty City Dancer, scored on debut Sept. 18 at Churchill Downs for trainer Brendon Walsh.
The Into Mischief filly took on a field of 11 other 2-Year-old fillies in a 6 1/2-furlong maiden special weight under jockey Tyler Gaffalione. She stalked from four wide as fractions went in :22:57 and :45.94 for a half-mile, took over in upper stretch, and pulled clear to win by 2 1/4 lengths in a final time of 1:17.17 on a fast track.
Pretty City Dancer, a daughter of Tapit —Pretty City (Carson City), won the 2016 Spinaway Stakes (G1) in a deadheat with Sweet Loretta. The mare was sold by Taylor Made Sales Agency for her owner, John Oxley, at The November Sale, Fasig Tipton's Kentucky Fall mixed sale, for $3.5 million to Stroud Coleman Bloodstock.
The day prior, Peacock Lass won her second start and Loggins earned a debut score at the Louisville track.
Storyteller Racing's Peacock Lass led wire to wire to score a four-length win for trainer Rodolphe Brisset in a one-mile maiden test.
The American Pharoah filly faced the field of 11 other juvenile fillies under Joel Rosario and posted fractions of :22.75, :46.11, 1:11.42 through six furlongs before coming home in 1:37.19 on the fast going.
Bred by Woodford Thoroughbreds, Peacock Lass is out of the grade 3-winning Bernardini mare Via Villaggio. She is a half sister to last year's Stymie runner up and Kelso Handicap (G2) third-place finisher Doubly Blessed.
Loggins took to the track a few races later for trainer Brad Cox and won his debut impressively. Owned by partners that include Spendthrift Farm, Steve Landers Racing, Martin Schwartz, Michael Dubb, et el., the Ghostzapper colt raced to an 8 1/2-length victory over a field of 10 other 2-year-olds.
Ridden by Florent Geroux, Loggins was third as the first quarter-mile went in :22.91 and second by a head as Easy Action got a half-mile in :45.80. He took over the lead entering the lane and sped away to win the 6 1/2-furlong maiden race in 1:15.87.
Bred by Popatop, Loggins is the first foal to race out of the grade 3-winning Blame mare Beyond Blame.
Belmont at the Big A
Cox had another first time starter who found the winner's circle Friday at Belmont at the Big A where Quick Hammer won a six-furlong maiden test by 1 1/4 lengths.
The Mor Spirit colt, ridden by Luis Saez, raced just off the pace in the early going and then rallied to take over the lead a furlong from home, stopping the clock in 1:12.12 on a fast track.
Bred by Spendthrift Farm, Gold Square and Joe Hardoon's Quick Hammer is out of the Malibu Moon mare Malibu Cove who also produced last year's La Brea Stakes (G1) winner Kalypso (Brodys' Cause). Malibu Cove is a full sister to multiple graded stakes winner Prospective.
| BloodHorse Maiden Watch | |||||||
| Notable 2-year-old maiden winners for week of Sept. 12 - 19 | |||||||
| Date | Track | Race | Horse | Sire | Dam | Starts | Notes |
| 9/12 | PID | 4 | Deceitful | Hard Spun | Girls Secret | 2 | Half brother to G3 winner/G1-placed Will’s Secret |
| 9/14 | DEL | 1 | Essaouira | Super Saver | Eden’s Moon | 2 | Dam is a G1 winner |
| 9/14 | KD | 4 | American Apple | American Pharoah | Miss Mary Apples | 4 | Half sister to G3 winner Lady Apple |
| 9/16 | BAQ | 1 | Quick Hammer | Mor Spirit | Malibu Cove | 1 | Half brother to G1 winner Kalypso |
| 9/17 | CD | 2 | Peacock Lass | American Pharoah | Via Villaggio | 2 | Dam is a G3 winner |
| 9/17 | CD | 5 | Loggins | Ghostzapper | Beyond Blame | 1 | Dam is a G3 winner |
| 9/18 | CD | 7 | Pretty Mischievous | Into Mischief | Pretty City Dancer | 1 | Dam is a G1 winner |
| 9/18 | WO | 5 | J’adoro | Medaglia d’Oro | Caren | 4 | Dam is a G3 winner |
