This column highlights the performances of 2- and 3-year-old 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 graded/group winners, or have dams that are graded/group winners. BloodHorse research shows maiden winners, in particular, who meet these criteria are more likely to go on to be graded stakes winners.
Keeneland
Celebrity chef Bobby Flay has been associated with a number of top racehorses over the years, including his homebred Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Fillies (G1T) victress Pizza Bianca. While Candied, a filly Flay owns in partnership with Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, could fare no better third in the April 18 Doubledogdare Stakes (G3), 3-year-old Crudo more than made up for the loss with a glittering maiden victory the following afternoon at Keeneland.
A half or full sibling to 10 winners, grade 1-winning juvenile Sippican Harbor among them, Crudo would not make his debut at the races until February of this year. The colt, a son of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify , was not the flashy debut winner his sire was, but instead finished a so-so fourth as the favorite in a six-furlong Gulfstream Park maiden special weight.
Stumbling at the start, the colt rushed into the fray, forging a three-wide bid for the lead before fading down the lane. The winner that day, fellow Maiden Watcher Multiverse, would return to finish runner-up in Gulfstream's Hutcheson Stakes.
Racing for the partnership of Flay and James Ventura and trained by Todd Pletcher, Crudo was again favored in a maiden special weight for 3-year-olds contested over Keeneland's signature Beard course, which is run at a distance of seven furlongs and 184 feet. Crudo jumped out smartly in his second go-around, dashing to the front and leading a merry chase around the Lexington oval. Cruising through fractions of :24.02, :47.87, and 1:12.61, jockey John Velazquez let the colt out a notch turning for home, and he coasted clear the easiest of winners.
Crudo hit the wire 7 1/4 lengths in front in a final time of 1:28.47.
| BloodHorse Maiden Watch | |||||||
| Notable 2- and 3-year-old maiden winners for the week of April 14-20 | |||||||
| Date | Track | Race | Horse | Sire | Dam | Start | Maiden Watch Eligibility Criteria |
| 4/17 | KEE | 4 | Backtrack | Khozan | Ephyra | 2 | Full Sibling to G3SW Background |
| 4/17 | KEE | 9 | Love You Anyway | Tapit | Princess La Quinta | 3 | Dam is a G3SW |
| 4/18 | AQU | 5 | Limes Don't Lie | McKinzie | Clothes Fall Off | 2 | Half Sibling to G2SW Meshtri |
| 4/18 | KEE | 2 | Victoria's Shances * | Shancelot | Yankee Victoria | 1 | Half Sibling to G2SW Shang Shang Shang |
| 4/19 | AQU | 4 | Strategic Focus | Gun Runner | Curlin's Mistress | 1 | $500K Yearling |
| 4/19 | AQU | 7 | Turn and Count | Curlin | Tizahit | 3 | Half Sibling to G1SW Come Dancing; Dam is a G2SW |
| 4/19 | GP | 6 | Vibe | Into Mischief | Nonna Mia | 2 | $3M Yearling; Half Sibling to G1SW Outwork |
| 4/19 | KEE | 2 | Crudo | Justify | Blossomed | 2 | Half Sibling to G1SW Sippican Harbor |
| 4/19 | LS | 7 | Inaclassofmyown | Into Mischief | Win the War | 4 | $700K Yearling |
| 4/19 | OP | 7 | Super Cruise | Uncle Mo | Sensitive | 2 | $575K Weanling |
| 4/19 | TAM | 7 | Cafe La Paix | Hello Youmzain | Ilanga | 4 | Dam is a G3SW |
| *Denotes 2-year-old winner | |||||||
