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.
As a fan of University of Kentucky football, UK alum Kenny McPeek had a right to be dejected the afternoon of Nov. 29 following the University of Louisville's 41-0 dismantling of the Wildcats.
But he was all smiles at Churchill Downs around 4 p.m. ET Saturday for a reason other than the ballgame. Standing in the winner's circle after a second-out victory from Liberty National in the seventh race, McPeek could feel encouraged about what the future holds for the promising 2-year-old. The dark bay or brown son of freshman sire Maxfield delivered a maiden victory that hints he could become a 2026 Kentucky Derby (G1) prospect.
Exhibiting vast improvement after a sixth-place finish when debuting in a sprint Oct. 16 at Keeneland, Liberty National relished the two-turn, 1 1/16-mile conditions, blowing past rivals on the second turn and through the stretch after rating kindly in midpack along the inside under Brian Hernandez Jr. His trip was perfect, but so, too, was his effort. He ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.41, just .08 slower than Further Ado's winning time in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) an hour and a half later.
Showing extension in his stride, he ran his final quarter mile in :24.22, according to Equibase Global Positioning System data. By comparison, Further Ado ran his final quarter in 25.96 in a faster-paced race. (Slower-paced typically races allow for a strong finish as horses have more energy in reserve.)
Liberty National earned a 92 Equibase Speed Figures and an 81 Beyer Speed Figure—both solid, but well behind those of the fastest 2-year-olds in North America, such as presumptive champion Ted Noffey. Based on Liberty National's finish, he should appreciate even longer route distances, such as 1 1/8 miles and 1 1/4 miles.
His stakes class is the question he will need to prove in the months ahead.
Bred by Rock Ridge Thoroughbreds in Kentucky out of the Awesome Again mare Virtuoso, Liberty National sold for $525,000 at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, purchased from the Warrendale Sales consignment. That price was more than double the average for Maxfield colts last year, and the highest-priced yearling of 37 that McPeek purchased as an agent at the sale. Liberty National races for owners Brookdale Racing and Fern Creek Stables.
In securing Liberty National, it marked the first time this decade that McPeek had dipped into the half-million-dollar waters of that sale. Known for having one of the best eyes for identifying eventual stakes winners at public auction, he typically buys horses for a fraction of that price. The median price of his 37 purchases at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale last year was $120,000.
Four months before the sale, McPeek became the first trainer since Ben Jones in 1952 to win the Kentucky Oaks (G1) and Kentucky Derby in the same year, respectively doing so with eventual Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna and Mystik Dan .
He is pointing several quality colts to run in the major 3-year-old stakes races next year, with Liberty National part of a cast that includes graded stakes-placed runners Universe, Very Connected and Blackout Time.
Maxfield, the second-leading first-crop sire in North America, will stand the 2026 breeding season for $50,000 fee at Darley in Lexington. Maxfield won grade 1 races at age 2 and 4.
Cannoneer Explodes in Maiden Win
As much as Liberty National cost at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale last year, it did not compare to Cannoneer's $1.75 million price tag. Monique Delk, executive director of racehorse development for St. Elias Stable, signed to purchase him from the Summerfield consignment, making him the third most expensive horse from the 2024 sale. He now races for Vinnny Viola-headed St. Elias Stable and breeder Stonestreet Stables.
Making his second start in the nightcap Saturday during the second Stars of Tomorrow card of the Churchill Downs fall meet, Cannoneer showed why he commanded such sales attention. The son of Into Mischief took charge from the start and was unfazed by a riderless horse caused by one of the other jockeys being unseated at the break, romping by 7 1/4 lengths in a 7-furlong race in 1:21.63 under Irad Ortiz Jr. for trainer Brad Cox. His time earned him a day's best 105 Equibase Speed Figure and a similarly lofty 90 Beyer Speed Figure.
He has a pedigree to go with high performance. A bay son of six-time leading general sire Into Mischief, Cannoneer is related to four graded stakes winners produced from his dam, the Malibu Moon mare Catch the Moon. That quartet includes Cocked and Loaded , grade 1 winner Girvin , Pirate's Punch, and classic-placed Midnight Bourbon. All of them won at a route.
Sprinting is what Cannoneer has done to date. He set the pace and weakened to third in his debut at 5 1/2 furlongs in June before Saturday's winning scamper when stretched out a bit. Whether he can stretch out two turns might be determined this winter. Speed seems to be his greatest strength, along with an efficient stride.
To date, Cannoneer is reminiscent of CHC and WinStar Farm's Patch Adams , another son of Into Mischief trained by Cox. Patch Adams broke his maiden in an even faster time for 7 furlongs a year ago before running below expectations in two Kentucky Derby prep races early in his 3-year-old year. Cut back to one turn, he became the top 3-year-old male sprinter in the country, winning the Woody Stephens Stakes (G1) and H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes (G1), both over 7 furlongs in New York. He will enter stud next year at WinStar Farm in Kentucky.
Into Mischief, sire of 2025 Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty and on his way to a seventh leading general sire title in 2025, will stand next year for $250,000 at Spendthrift Farm in Kentucky.
The Stars of Tomorrow program, inaugurated in 2005 by then Churchill Downs racing secretary Doug Bredar, has produced more than 50 grade 1 winners since its inception, including Kentucky Derby winners Sovereignty, Mystik Dan, Mandaloun (2021), and Super Saver (2010).
| BloodHorse Maiden Watch | |||||||
| Notable 2-year-old maiden winners for the week of Nov. 24-30 | |||||||
| Date | Track | Race | Horse | Sire | Dam | Start | Maiden Watch Notes |
| 11/25 | ZIA | 2 | Mojo Promise | Into Mischief | More Mojo | 2 | $500K yearling is a full to 2023 St. Louis Derby winner Tabeguache |
| 11/26 | CD | 8 | Just a Minute | Not This Time | Breaking Beauty | 1 | Half to 2025 Hill Prince Stakes (G3T) winner Tiz Dashing |
| 11/27 | FG | 4 | Beekman Street | Street Sense | Lady Montdore | 4 | Dam won the 2018 Glen Falls Stakes (G2T), was grade 1-placed |
| 11/29 | CD | 1 | Sticker Shock | Uncle Mo | Smokey's Love | 2 | Half to 2020 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes (G1) winner Fighting Mad |
| 11/29 | CD | 7 | Liberty National | Maxfield | Virtuoso | 2 | Bought for $525K, more than double his sire's average for yearling colts in 2024 |
| 11/29 | CD | 12 | Cannoneer | Into Mischief | Catch the Moon | 2 | $1.75M yearling is related to graded winners Cocked and Loaded, Girvin, Pirate's Punch and Midnight Bourbon |
| 11/29 | FG | 6 | Pretty Ribbon | Bated Breath | Pretty Paper | 1 | Half to Love and Thunder, who captured the 2022 Athenia Stakes (G3T) |
| 11/30 | DMR | 9 | Plutarch | Into Mischief | Stellar Wind | 5 | Out of six-time grade 1 winner Stellar Wind |
| 11/30 | GP | 8 | Canton | Liam's Map | Appenzell | 2 | Full to 2019 Hopeful Stakes (G1) winner Basin |
