This column highlights the performances of 2-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.
With a current 2-year-old crop that includes grade 1 winners Super Corredora and Brant, Gun Runner is currently the third-leading juvenile sire in North America, trailing only Not This Time and Into Mischief .
Recent results from the 12-year-old Three Chimneys Farm stallion show he is adding to his tally and is poised for a banner 2026 when Northern Hemisphere juveniles become 3-year-olds on Jan. 1. For the racing week of Nov. 17-23, Gun Runner was represented by five maiden special weight juvenile winners, including four that qualify under BloodHorse Maiden Watch criteria. Here's a look at two of those 2-year-olds:
Churchill Downs
As one of six first-time starters in the nightcap at Churchill Downs Nov. 23, Mob could have been excused for running greenly, as many of his counterparts did. But he ran like a seasoned colt for trainer Brian Lynch, darting to the lead under Luis Saez and leading at every call. Shrugging off a couple of bids from rivals on the turn, the bay opened up a 2 1/2-length advantage in midstretch on his way to notching a 1 1/2-length victory over the slow-starting Boss Dylan in the 6 1/2-furlong race. (More on Boss Dylan later.)
His fast-track time of 1:17.34, following splits of :22.16, :45.30, and 1:10.58, earned him a 90 Equibase Speed Figure and a 79 Beyer Speed Figure. He paid $12.60 to win.
A $560,000 purchase by Flying Dutchman Breeding and Racing from Lane's End consignment to the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, the Alpha Delta Stables-bred Mob is the first foal from Onslaught, his unraced dam. The latter is a full sister to grade 1 winner Callback and a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Defy Gravity.
Though Mob has some stamina elements in his pedigree—besides being out of a Street Sense mare, her second dam Quickest is a half-sister to 2010 Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver (G1)—Mob performed Sunday like a horse whose best races are likely to come around one turn, as suggested by a final sixteenth in :6.76. Down the road, he may finish a bit quicker as he gains more fitness with racing.
As promised regarding Boss Dylan, here are some thoughts.
Though he is not yet a Maiden Watch qualifier—he ran second, not first —expect him to soon be earning more ink in this space. Away last when debuting and climbing early when taking dirt in his face from 9 lengths off the pace, he made up 7 1/2 lengths on the winner, galloping out well in front, not only past the wire but furlongs later under encouragement from jockey Tyler Gaffalione. The colt showed no signs of fatigue.
A gray and/or roan son of Liam's Map out of the twice-winning Blame mare Sweet, he has a pedigree for route and turf success. Three of his four siblings to race have scored at a route, including 2024 Pebbles Stakes (G3T) winner No Mo Candy (Uncle Mo).
A $460,000 purchase earlier this year at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring Sale of 2-year-olds in Training, Boss Dylan figures to be odds-on in his next start for trainer Brendan Walsh and owners Towners G and O Racing, High Step Racing, JR Ranch, and KAS Ultimate Racing. Look for that next race to come in a longer contest, likely around two turns.
Laurel Park
Two days earlier, another Gun Runner juvenile, the 2-year-old bay filly Lyudmila, legitimized her $1 million sales price in whipping maidens Nov. 21 at Laurel Park.
Confidently handled by jockey Jean Briceno, Lyudmila raced three- or four-wide around the turn, before out-quickening the opposition in the stretch. She pulled away by 6 lengths, covering 6 furlongs in 1:12.36 over a track rated as "good." Lyudmila, who paid $7 to win, earned an 89 Equibase Speed Figure and 76 Beyer Speed Figure.
Video
Bred in Kentucky by Edward and Beverly Seltzer, Lyudmila still races for Edward Seltzer under his Stonebase banner. Krista Seltzer, as agent, signed for the purchase of Lyudmila from the Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment to the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
"For the million dollars, Mr. Seltzer was dissolving a partnership," trainer Justin Nixon said. "He had to put everything through the Keeneland sale, and he was obviously very keen to get her back because he has lots of the family."
She is out of the Into Mischief mare Lucrezia, who won the 2019 Sandpiper Stakes and 2020 Suncoast Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs before later finishing second to eventual champion Swiss Skydiver in the 2020 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) for co-owners Edward Seltzer and Beverly Anderson. The Sandpiper Stakes came at six furlongs, the Suncoast at a mile and 40 yards, and the Gulfstream Park Oaks at 1 1/8 miles.
Lucrezia was retired later in her 3-year-old season with a 3-2-0 record in nine starts and earnings of $219,640. Lyudmila is her dam's second foal following Medici Road, who was twice unplaced in two starts this summer in New York.
Lyudmila "came to me in great order, and I was thrilled to get a Gun Runner out of a really nice mare like that," Nixon said. "I thought she had some talent. It's just nice to see that she lived up to what I thought she could do."
Nixon expects Lyudmila to race this winter at Tampa Bay Downs.
| BloodHorse Maiden Watch | |||||||
| Notable 2-year-old maiden winners for the week of Nov. 17-23 | |||||||
| Date | Track | Race | Horse | Sire | Dam | Start | Maiden Watch Eligibility Criteria |
| 11/20 | AQU | 1 | Britain | Quality Road | Toasting | 2 | $1.05 million 2yo; dam was SW, G1-placed |
| 11/20 | FG | 9 | Creole Chrome | Volatile | Funny Moon | 1 | Dam was G1 winner; half to twice graded placed This Tea |
| 11/21 | GP | 1 | Timeforpeace | Not This Time | Peace Preserver | 4 | Dam was a G3 winner |
| 11/21 | LRL | 6 | Lyudmila | Gun Runner | Lucrezia | 1 | $1 million yearling; dam was dual SW, graded placed |
| 11/22 | CD | 8 | Marjoram | Quality Road | Cardamon | 1 | Half to G3 winner Spiced Up |
| 11/22 | FG | 6 | Arabia Wild | Gun Runner | Alpha Spirit | 3 | Half to four-time graded winner Protonico |
| 11/23 | CD | 10 | Mob | Gun Runner | Onslaught | 1 | $560,000 yearling |
| 11/23 | DMR | 8 | Nimah | Gun Runner | E. T. Indy | 1 | $550,000 yearling, half to minor SW My Indy |
