Back in the summer of 2018 I profiled some two-year-old colts and fillies that I felt had the potential to become winners, and possibly even future stars. Their imposing, athletic frames and dazzling bloodlines stood out to me when they went through the sales ring as yearlings and two-year-olds, and now many of them have stepped up to the plate and proved their worth. Not long ago, these newly turned three-year-olds were virtually unheard of, but are now on the right path to becoming something special.
We will start by catching up with Positive Spirit, as she is one of the most accomplished horses among the group that I had previously profiled. This regal bay daughter of Pioneerof the Nile is a half-sister to 2017 Kentucky Derby winner, Always Dreaming, as well as multiple graded stakes winner, Hot Dixie Chick. With such a stellar family tree, Positive Spirit paraded to post for the first time in September of 2018, with a lot of hype to live up to. The young filly could only manage to finish third in her seven furlong test, but came back in her next start with some improvement, finishing a game second in a maiden special weight at Keeneland. The third time proved to be the charm for Positive Spirit, as she put it all together and claimed victory in a one mile maiden special weight at Churchill Downs. With a win finally under her belt, Positive Spirit was ready to target fiercer competition.
Only 21 days after breaking her maiden, Positive Spirit traveled to Aqueduct to compete in the $250,000 Demoiselle Stakes (Gr.2) on December 1. It would be her toughest task to date, but the intrepid filly proved up for the challenge. Positive Spirit broke swiftly from the gate and eagerly set sail in the 1 1/8 mile event. Positive Spirit swept up to the front and settled three wide, just off of the leaders.
As the far turn appeared, the front runners began to turn things up a notch. Positive Spirit and Enliven drew even with pace setter, Filly Joel, and before her competition even knew what was coming, Positive Spirit overtook both of them. With a sharp and decisive kick of her legs, Positive Spirit launched herself forward and unleashed her devastating speed. Overwhelmed by the striking power before them, Enliven and Filly Joel proved no match for Positive Spirit as she began opening up on the field, and lengthening her jaw dropping advantage. With breathtaking ease, Positive Spirit soared into the stretch and finished the race all alone, romping to glory by 10 1/2 lengths. With jockey Manuel Franco in the saddle, Positive Spirit completed the race in a final time of 1:56.01, leaving her competition soundly defeated and destroyed.
Trained by Rodolphe Brisset and owned by Michael J Ryan, Positive Spirit has a current record of 2-1-1 from four lifetime starts. With earnings of $206,700 and a graded stakes victory to her name, Positive Spirit is off to a very promising start in her young career. Her dominating score in the Demoiselle Stakes earned her 10 points toward the illustrious Kentucky Oaks (Gr.1), on the first Friday in May, making her a very interesting one to watch moving forward. With her half-brother being a Kentucky Derby champion, wouldn't it be something if this filly brought home the glory in the Kentucky Oaks? Gifted with blazing speed, unyielding stamina, and an obvious drive to win, it isn't impossible to think that this filly might end up storming beneath the legendary Twin Spires, come May.
Another winner from my group of future stars is the royally-bred, Kingly. Owned by Clearview Stables, this handsome bay son of Tapit is out of the mare, Justwhistledixie, making him a full-brother to multiple graded stakes winner, Mohaymen, and a half-brother to Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner, New Year's Day. This hulking, bay beast proved to be as bold as he is competitive, pulling off a gutsy victory against stiff competition in his career debut.
Sent off at odds of 4-1, Kingly courageously charged from the Del Mar starting gate and went right to the front for trainer Bob Baffert and jockey Drayden Van Dyke. The fleet-footed youngster enthusiastically dashed through sharp opening fractions of :22.52 and :45.65, swiftly shooting down the determined challenge of My Mandate, and setting his eyes on the wire. Kingly roared down the stretch with authority and was quick to respond to the confrontation of the highly regarded runner, Stretford End. With gusto and valor, Kingly dug in fiercely and thundered toward the wire, stubbornly refusing to give in to defeat. No matter how hard Stretford End tried, Kingly would not let him by. With a gritty display of heart and tenacity, Kingly pounded over the finish line by 3/4 of a length, declaring the win as his own. The final time for the 6 furlong dash was a scorching 1:10.19.
With just one win, Kingly threw his name in with the elite list of Kentucky Derby hopefuls coached by Bob Baffert. And while we still have a lot to learn about this unflappable colt, it is safe to say that the potential for this colt to make his way onto the Derby trail is strong. With just one race, he has proven to be fast, determined, brave, and strong. With a pedigree that suggests stamina and with a trainer that knows how to get the best out of his horses, Kingly appears to have an extremely bright future ahead of him. He has been posting strong workouts ever since his impressive score on December 1, and it won't be long until he's back in the fray for his next start.
Another winner that has come from my previous article is Whisper Hill Farm and Three Chimneys colt, Gun It. By Tapit and out of the Medaglia d'Oro mare, Miss Besilu, Gun It is closely related to 2017 Horse of the Year and Champion Older Dirt Male, Gun Runner, as Miss Besilu is a half-sister to the dam of Gun Runner, Quiet Giant. High hopes have surrounded this gray colt from the start, as he sold for the lofty price of $2.6 million at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale in 2017.
Trained by Steve Asmussen and piloted by Ricardo Santana Jr., Gun It made his first start in a 1 1/16 mile maiden special weight at Churchill Downs. Gun It finished fourth that day behind the highly regarded King Ford, as well as Harvey Wallbanger and Johny's Bobby, who both went on to become eventual winners, making Gun It's fourth place effort become even better than it looked.
Gun It made his second start at the Fair Grounds on December 22, traveling 1 1/16 miles in a maiden special weight. Taking on a tough field of 10 rivals, Gun It raced off of the pace for a majority of the race. A quick shake of the reins was all it took to get Gun It into the game. The leggy gray confidently lengthened his stride and took off after the leaders, furiously eating up the ground with each and every stride. Gun It locked his eyes on the leader and made a beeline for the front. Gun It had to go wide into the stretch, but his speed and determination was enough to see him through, and he quickly made his way to the top. With startling ease, Gun It put away his rivals and cruised to victory all alone. Gun It waltzed home by 4 1/4 lengths, stopping the clock in a final time of 1:46.13.
Since his impressive score in December, Gun It returned to the work tab on January 7, turning in a strong five furlong drill that came in 1:01.20. While his next start is not yet set in stone, it is very possible that he will find himself running with stakes competition in the near future.
Yet another colt who has made some noise since he was last mentioned in my summer article is Rowayton. An impressive maiden winner upon his debut, Rowayton returned to finish an extremely game second in the Del Mar Futurity (Gr.1) and then third in the American Pharoah Stakes (Gr.1), behind the promising Game Winner, who went on to become the winner of the Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (Gr.1), and a current finalist to become the Champion Two-Year-Old Male. Rowayton has been away from the competition since then, but will be one to watch for upon his return.
Owned by OXO Equine LLC, Rowayton is a $320,000 purchase from the 2017 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling Sale. From the very beginning this powerful son of Into Mischief proved that he has the speed and ability to run with the best, and the courage and will to never back off from a fight. If this Jerry Hollendorfer trainee returns to form when he comes back to the races, he will be a force to be reckoned with.
Other winners to catch up with are U S Navy Cross and Still Dreaming. Trained by Chad Brown, U S Navy Cross broke his maiden in breathtaking fashion as a two-year-old, traveling seven furlongs at Belmont Park. The bay son of Curlin put on a display of incredible acceleration as he flashed past his rivals to take command in the stretch and put his foes away with ease, finishing the race in a final time of 1:22.22. U S Navy Cross later returned in the Nashua Stakes (Gr.3), where he finished a decent fourth. In what was only his second start, U S Navy Cross took on a salty group of runners in a quality stakes race. That is a lot to ask of such a young and inexperienced colt, and while he failed to claim the win, he still walked away with a solid effort and a new lesson in racing. With more experience and conditioning now under his belt, U S Navy Cross should be in good shape moving forward for his connections.
Owned by West Point Thoroughbreds and trained by Graham Motion, Still Dreaming is a chestnut son of Flatter and is out of the Forestry mare, Seeking Gabriel, making him a half-brother to 2016 Kentucky Derby hero and multiple grade 1 winner, Nyquist. Still Dreaming made his racing debut at Laurel Park on November 22, competing in a 6 furlong maiden special weight. The copper colt could do no better than fourth that day, but returned to the same track on New Years day with a vengeance.
Still Dreaming catapulted from the gate and took off in the one mile challenge. Settling just off the pace, Still Dreaming tracked the leader for a majority of the race. As the field turned for home, Still Dreaming could hold back no more. The crimson colt dashed forward and took command, swiftly leaving his foes behind. In the blink of an eye Still Dreaming opened up on his challengers as he romped home by three lengths. Under jockey Jorge Vargas Jr., Still Dreaming completed the race in a final time of 1:38.04 over a track that was listed as good.
Still Dreaming has given his connections reason to dream, as they are aiming for him to make his next start in the $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes (Gr.3), on February 9, at Tampa Bay Downs. The Sam F. Davis Stakes serves as a prep race for the prestigious Kentucky Derby (Gr.1), as 10 coveted points toward the Derby will be awarded to the victor. Should Still Dreaming continue his dominance in Florida, he may just give his connections reason to dream of roses.
For a further analysis of the aforementioned horses and their pedigrees, you can visit my previous articles from when I had first profiled them several months ago: https://chelsealowman66.wixsite.com/mysite/blog-1/new-potential-two-year-olds-to-watch-part-2
https://chelsealowman66.wixsite.com/mysite/blog-1/new-potential-two-year-olds-to-watch
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Thank you to Eric Kalet for providing the photos! https://erickalet.zenfolio.com/
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