Two-year-old colts and fillies are beginning to start their journeys into what we call the "Sport of Kings". These young horses are the future of our sport, and while not much is known about these new names and faces yet, there will come a time when we look to them to become the next champions of the sport. A shroud of mystery surrounds these young, inexperienced athletes, but for some, the potential for greatness can be found lingering deep within their pedigrees. For these horses, the breeding is strong enough to suggest that they will make it far in this sport, and now the time is finally drawing near for them to finally hit the track and prove it.
A regal bay colt by the name of Kingly is a horse that you will definitely want to keep an eye on. This strapping beast is by champion sire, Tapit, who was crowned as the leading sire in North America for three consecutive years, spanning from 2014 to 2016. Throughout his career in the breeding shed, Tapit has sired countless standouts, such as multiple graded stakes winner, Unique Bella, Belmont Stakes champion, Tonalist, Kentucky Oaks and Breeders' Cup Distaff winner, Untapable, and multiple graded stakes winner, Frosted, who ran the fastest edition of the G1 Met Mile in the history of the sport. Tapit's worth as a sire has been proven time and time again, and luckily for Kingly, the royalty doesn't end with his sire.
Class and potential can be found on the maternal side of Kingly's pedigree, as well. Kingly's dam, Justwhistledixie (Dixie Union), has already produced some winners of her own, proving that winning is a trait that she regularly passes on to her offspring. Justwhistledixie is the dam of New Year's Day, winner of the 2013 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (Gr.1). She is also the dam of Mohaymen, who dominantly took down four graded stakes events during his career. Mohaymen stands as proof that the mating between Tapit and Justwhistledixie is a successful match, as he too is by that very stallion.
Kingly has not made his racing debut yet. However, he has been posting regular workouts throughout the summer. He is currently stabled as Los Alamitos Race Course as he works toward his first start.
Another interesting Tapit colt awaiting his first start is a strong, gray horse named, Gun It. Sold at the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Gun It commanded a lofty price of $2,600,000, with the winning bid going to Whisper Hill Farm. The final price that this colt demanded may appear daunting, but with a deeper look into the pedigree of this colt, it is easy to see why many thought he was worth the risk.
Gun It is out of the Medaglia d'Oro mare, Miss Besilu. This graded stakes placed mare has not produced any winners yet, as Gun It is her first foal. However, when you take a look at the second dam in this pedigree, Quiet Dance, you will quickly see that Miss Besilu stems from a strong line of female producers. Quiet Dance has produced 11 different winners during her time as a broodmare, including multimillionaire Saint Liam, who won several graded stakes events during his career, including the prestigious Breeders' Cup Classic. Quiet Dance also produced Quiet Giant, who won seven of twelve races during her racing career, with five of those victories coming in stakes events. Quiet Giant then went on to become a highly successful broodmare herself, producing the great Gun Runner, who was crowned as the Champion Older Male and Horse of the Year in 2017.
Gun It is currently stabled at Churchill Downs, where he has been logging regular workouts. His latest breeze came today (7/27/18), when he turned in a five-furlong drill in a final time of 1:02.80.
War Treaty is a name that you will want to remember. This bay colt is by the late, great Scat Daddy, who produced none other than undefeated Triple Crown winner, Justify. War Treaty went through the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, commanding a solid price of $550,000.
War Treaty is out of a mare that has already produced quality offspring. His dam, Revel in the Win (Red Bullet), has produced two winners from four current horses to race. Her Harlan's Holiday gelding, Poker Player, won the Bourbon Stakes (Gr.3) at the age of two, and placed in the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes, before going on to score in several claiming events. Coleman Rocky, another son of Harlan's Holiday, brought home three wins himself, and placed in the Not Surprising Stakes. Coleman Rocky has currently earned over $100,000 on the track, and is still going strong as he trains at Saratoga.
War Treaty got his feet wet by starting off training at the Winstar Training Center. He has since moved to Saratoga Race Course, where he is training for his first start for owners, Maverick Racing and China Horse Club.
A regal bay filly named, Positive Spirit, comes from a strong line of winners on both sides of her pedigree. Positive Spirit is by Pioneerof the Nile, the very stallion that produced 2015 Triple Crown winner, American Phaorah. This filly undoubtedly comes from an impressive sire, but if you look closer into her pedigree you will see that her dam is pretty intriguing as well.
Positive Spirit is out of the In Excess mare, Above Perfection. Above Perfection is the special kind of horse that found success both on and off of the racetrack. As an athlete, she took home seven wins from ten starts, including four stakes races. As a broodmare, she has produced seven winners, including the ultra-swift, Hot Dixie Chick, winner of the Schuylertville Stakes (Gr.3), Spinaway Stakes (Gr.1), and Prima Donna Stakes. Above Perfection is also responsible for producing Always Dreaming, winner of the G1 Florida Derby and Kentucky Derby in 2017.
With the rich blend of champions running deep through her veins, Positive Spirit certainly has a bright and exciting future ahead of her. A date for her debut is not yet set, but she is on the right path to begin her career. This filly has been posting solid workouts throughout the summer, and is currently residing at Saratoga Race Course.
Another royally-bred filly is a classy bay named, Demimondaine. She is by the mighty Tapit, and out of the Pleasant Tap mare, Colonial Flag. During her career on the track, Colonial Flag won and placed in several graded stakes events, and collected over $300,000 in earnings. Demimondaine is the first foal that Colonial Flag has produced, but as her second dam, Silk n' Sapphire will show, winners are produced from this family line.
Silk n' Sapphire is the dam of graded stakes winner, Shared Account, who scored big in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf back in 2010. Silk n' Sapphire also produced Mark of Success, who is graded stakes placed.
Demimondaine is currently stabled at Churchill Downs, where she has been training.
Echelon is a strapping, dark bay colt by freshman sire, Cairo Prince. As his first foals are only just hitting the track this year, the jury is still out on whether or not Cairo Prince will make it as a stallion. However, this young stud appears to have a lot going for him. Aside from his graded stakes winning record on the track, Cairo Prince is a horse with a very impressive pedigree himself. He is by Pioneerof the Nile, and out of the Holy Bull mare, Holy Bubbette. The strong breeding that produced Cairo Prince suggests that he will pass on talent and class to his own offspring as well, as he is from a strong line of producers, which stem back to champions such as Empire Maker, Unbridled, Mr. Prospector, and Native Dancer, to name a few.
The rich breeding that Echelon carries from his sire isn't the only thing that this colt has going for him. His dam, Unbridled Mistress, is by Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner, Unbridled's Song, who earned over $1 million during his time on the track. While Unbridled Mistress didn't accomplish much on the track herself, she did go on to produce four different winners as a broodmare, including Soft Whisper, who placed in several stakes races.
Echelon has been training very forwardly during the summer at Los Alamitos Race Course. It probably won't be long now until he sets off to compete in the races, and puts his classic bloodlines to the test. With class, speed, and stamina running rich on both sides of his pedigree, there is a lot to like about this horse as he moves forward on this journey.
Last on our list we have a chestnut colt by Speightstown. This flaming red animal has been given the name, Mountain Air. His dam, Successful Luck, has yet to produce a winner, as she has only produced one other foal, who has not started yet. However, the family tree of this colt is still rich with lure and talent, giving Mountain Air a chance to be something special.
The dam of Successful Luck (Mountain Air's second dam), is named, Lucky One. Lucky One is the very mare that produced champion, Blind Luck, winner of the 2010 Kentucky Oaks, along with multiple other graded events. With a family history as illustrious as this, it's hard not to have high hopes for Mountain Air as he embarks on his own career.
Mountain Air is currently stabled at Los Alamitos Race Course, where he has been turning in sharp workouts over the past couple of months.
You can find more future stars in my Part 1 article in the link below: https://chelsealowman66.wixsite.com/mysite/blog-1/new-potential-two-year-olds-to-watch
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