Maiden Watch: Carson Street, Greenwich Village Shine

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.

Two well-bred colts racing on dirt—Carson Street and Greenwich Village—put forth solid initial victories to highlight this week's Maiden Watch from Dec. 1-7.

Fair Grounds

A son of Street Sense  and a half brother to a graded stakes winner on turf in Canoodling (by Pioneerof the Nile), Carson Street delivered a dominant maiden win in his fourth lifetime start, scoring by 11 1/4 lengths. After facing more talented maidens in Kentucky, his breakthrough arrived in a Dec. 4 race at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots that came off the turf because of rain. That change played to the advantage of the established dirt runner entered to race on the main track only.

Facing a depleted field caused by the usual scratches that follow a change in surface, he splashed his way to a widening victory at odds of 1-2. Though his final time was ordinary, 1 1/16 miles in 1:47.45 under Ben Curtis, the wet conditions resulted in a slow surface and generated him a still respectable 81 Equibase Speed Figure and 79 Beyer Speed Figure.

The win marked an important leap forward after three earlier efforts in Kentucky that showed ability, but not yet the polish required to break through.

Carson Street seems an allowance-level runner for the moment, yet his progression isn't capped. This decisive victory could serve as a catalyst for further progress.

Brendan Walsh trains the dark bay or brown colt, a May 7 foal, for owners Dawn and Ike Thrash. They purchased him for $125,000 at the 2024 September Yearling Sale from the consignment of Stoneheaven Steadings, who bred him in Kentucky out of the Harlan's Holiday mare Miza Kella.

Los Alamitos Race Course

As for Greenwich Village, he's the latest Bob Baffert-trained maiden graduate on the West Coast owned by the partnership headed by SF Racing, Starlight Racing, and Madaket Stables. Making his debut, the son of Quality Road  shot to the lead shortly after the start and fended off a sustained bid from Spendthrift Farm's Into Mischief  colt Easy Company, a second-time starter, to prevail by a half-length.

Racing on a Los Alamitos Race Course surface that routinely plays quickly, he was clocked in 1:15.70 for 6 1/2 furlongs, a time that earned a 93 Equibase Speed Figure and 76 Beyer Speed Figure. His final sixteenth in :06.63 was ordinary.

The winner sold for $350,000 last year at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale from the Gainesway Farm consignment. Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings bred the colt out of the I Am Invicible mare Houztzen. Houztzen was a group 3 winner in her native Australia and also placed in multiple grade 2s. She also competed in Europe late in her career, running second to Battash in the 2019 King George Qatar Stakes (G2). 

Houtzen herself was a high-class sprinter, and perhaps the cross to Quality Road provides enough of a staying influence for Greenwich Village to stretch out a bit. Greenwich Village is the second winner from as many starters for her dam, Mitigory. His dam's other foal to race, Migratory, posted his lone victory at six furlongs, an outcome that runs counter to the typical stamina profile of Curlin 's offspring.

Stonestreet is also a partner in Greenwich Village, along with Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Golconda Stable, Waves Edge Capital, and Catherine Donovan.

With 2-year-old dirt winners relatively scarce in California and allowance options slim, Greenwich Village may be forced to jump straight into stakes company, where he likely would encounter other Baffert runners in a division on the West Coast largely defined by the Hall of Famer's influence.