Sophomore Spotlight

Tamarando and Tapiture earned Derby points by virtue of their victories in the El Camino Real Derby and Southwest Stakes, respectively, but a pair of colts also opened eyes with wins at Santa Anita. Let’s take a closer look.

BAYERN (Offlee Wild – Alittlebitearly, by Thunder Gulch)
*Foal Date, State: May 3, 2011, Kentucky
*Breeder: Helen Alexander
*Owner: Kaleem Shah, Inc.
*Trainer: Bob Baffert
*Auction history: $320,000 Fasig-Tipton Spring Juvenile
*Last Race:  1st ‘n1x’ allowance, 1 Mile, Santa Anita, February 13, 98 Beyer
* DP = 8-3-11-0-0 (22) DI = 3.00

Bayern wowed the crowd at Santa Anita last Thursday with a fifteen-length romp in an entry-level allowance at one mile. Trained by Bob Baffert, Bayern followed up on an equally-impressive first-out victory at seven furlongs on January 4.

The Santa Anita main track favored speed on January 4 as all six of the dirt winners were within a length of the leader at the pace call. Bayern, sent off at 4-5, pressed stablemate Hold Everything through splits of 22.50 and 45.19 before disdainfully dispatching that foe on the turn. From there, it was all Bayern. He finished his last eighth in 12.27, completed the distance in 1:22.24, and received a 92 Beyer. Bayern was flattered when three of his vanquished rivals returned to graduate. One of them, Hoppertunity, earned a 92 Beyer.

Bayern missed some time after his debut due to illness, but didn’t look rusty at all last week. Again, he broke sweetly and soon set moderate splits of 24.03 and 47.77 while pressured by Brother Soldier and Tap It Rich. Entering the far turn, Bayern was gone. He threw a 24-second third quarter at his opponents and they couldn’t keep up. Bayern was ten lengths clear in midstretch and finished the mile in 1:35.77. He ran his last quarter in 24.00 flat while under a mere hand ride by Gary Stevens.

Bayern breezed two furlongs in 21.3 prior to selling for $320,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale last May. His sire, Offlee Wild, defeated eventual Kentucky Derby and Preakness hero Funny Cide in the Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes at 1 1/16 miles. A six-furlong maiden winner at two, Offlee Wild also vanquished Funny Cide in the Grade 2 Massachusetts Handicap at four and in the Grade 1 Suburban Handicap at five. At stud, Offlee Wild is the sire of champion 2-year-old filly She Be Wild, winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies over the Pro-Ride at Santa Anita.

Bayern hails from a powerful family. The third dam is the great broodmare Courtly Dee, who produced Grade 1 winners Althea, Ali Oop and Ketoh. She also foaled Bayern’s dam, Aquilegia, a Grade 2 winner at 10 furlongs on grass. Bayern’s unraced dam is a half-sister to stakes-winners Alchemilla and Amelia, and to Group 3 winner Bertolini.

Bayern has obvious ability and a stamina-oriented pedigree, but an objective analysis will note that Brother Soldier, Bayern’s main pace rival, broke very poorly and was hustled up to contest the pace while the talented, but temperamental, Tap It Rich was up to his old tricks by being hard to handle on the first turn.

Also, Bayern did not start last year. If he runs in the Kentucky Derby, he would try to become the first horse since Apollo in 1882 to win the race without juvenile experience. A late foal, it’s possible that Bayern will mature later this season, and into his 4-year-old campaign, ala Mucho Macho Man (a June foal).

Plus, Bayern has yet to show that he can sit and finish off horses. Right now, his speed is his best asset and the Derby usually features a very strong pace. In any respect, even if the Derby isn’t Bayern’s ultimate destiny, he should make his presence felt in graded stakes. Expect to see him next in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes on March 8.

***

GAREN (Street Cry – Quendom, by Interprete)
*Foal Date, State: April 6, 2011, Kentucky
*Breeder: Alessandro Miserocchi
*Owner: Rockingham Ranch
*Trainer: Peter Miller
*Auction history: $110,000 RNA Fasig-Tipton Select Yearling; $235,000 Barretts May Juvenile
*Last Race:  1st maiden special weight, 11/16 Miles, Santa Anita, February 17, 82 Beyer
* DP = 5-1-4-0-0 (10) DI = 4.00

Although a long way from being considered a major Derby contender, Garen has the pedigree and potential that deserves mention. A half-brother to Hall of Famer Invasor, Horse of the Year in 2006 and conqueror of such prestigious Grade 1 events as the Breeders’ Cup Classic, Dubai World Cup, Donn Handicap, Whitney Handicap, Pimlico Special, and Suburban Handicap, Garen improved drastically when allowed to stretch out around a route of ground at Santa Anita on February 17.

Garen breezed a furlong in 10 1/5 prior to selling for $235,000 at Barretts last May. Trained by Peter Miller, Garen didn’t do much in his debut at six furlongs on December 28, but he chased gate-to-wire winner Cherubim over a speed-favoring track. Cherubim showed his quality by returning to finish second in the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes.

Equipped with blinkers at 5 ½ furlongs on January 18, Garen showed improved speed. He rattled off Moss Pace Figures of 98 and 92 while battling through fractions of 21.19 and 44.16. Garen won the duel – fellow pacesetter and next-out winner Pimpernel finished fifth – but understandably tired late to finish fourth.

There was no such pace warfare last Monday as Garen zipped to the early lead, opened up a clear advantage and coasted home at 1 1/16 miles to the tune of a career-best 82 Beyer.

Not only is Garen a half-brother to an all-time great, but he boasts the same sire, Street Cry, as the mighty Zenyatta and Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense.

Critics will maintain, and rightly so, that Garen’s maiden win came when unpressured through moderate fractions over a speed-favoring track. We’ll learn more next time around as he will likely travel out of town for a Kentucky Derby prep.

*Last summer, it appeared that FIFTYSHADESOFGOLD was on her way to becoming a star in the juvenile filly division. The Texas-bred won her career debut by 10 lengths at Lone Star Park on May 24 and backed up that performance with an eight-length romp in the $113,000 Debutante Stakes at Churchill Downs. She had a brutal trip when fourth (placed third) at odds-on in the Grade 2 Adirondack Stakes at Saratoga on August 11 and emerged from that race with a fractured left shin and a chip in her right knee. You never know how they'll come back from serious injury, but Fiftyshadesofgold, trained by Bret Calhoun, showed little rust in her seasonal debut, the $75,000 Two Altazano Stakes at Sam Houston last Saturday. Ridden by Rosie Napravnik, Fiftyshadesofgold tracked the pace and blew by the leaders en route to a career-best 93 Beyer Speed Figure. It is likely that she'll stretch out in distance for her next start as the Kentucky Oaks is the usual long-term goal for sophomore fillies.

***

Here are the top 25 WINNING Beyer Speed Figures (2/10/14 - 2/16/14):

1. LONGHUNTER (GB) - 100 - OC25k/SAL25k - 1 Mile (Turf) - Gulfstream
2. IOTAPA - 99 - Santa Maria Stakes (G2) - 1 1/16 Miles - Santa Anita
3. BAYERN - 98 - Alw 59044N1X - 1 Mile - Santa Anita
3. DEVIL'S CAVE - 98 - Sabin Stakes (G3) - 1 1/16 Miles - Gulfstream
5. APPREHENDER - 97 - King Cotton Stakes - 6 Furlongs - Oaklawn
5. MONGOLIAN SATURDAY - 97 - OC 40k/N2X -N - 5 1/2 Furlongs - Calder
7. PEACE AND JUSTICE - 96 - OC 80k/C -N - 1 Mile (Turf) - Santa Anita
7. TWILIGHT ECLIPSE - 96 - Mac Diarmida Stakes (G2) - 1 3/8 Miles (Turf) - Gulfstream
9. KOBE'S BACK - 95 - San Vicente Stakes (G2) - 7 Furlongs - Santa Anita
9. RIGHT TO VOTE - 95 - Essex Handicap - 1 1/16 Miles - Oaklawn
11. ABSOLUTELY COOL - 94 - Phoenix Gold Cup Handicap - 6 Furlongs - Turf Paradise
11. A. P. CORSAIR - 94 - Clm c-(20-16) - 5 1/2 Furlongs - Oaklawn
13. CAMPEON - 93 - Md Sp Wt 40k - 5 1/2 Furlongs - Fair Grounds
13. DON'T TELL SOPHIA - 93 - Bayakoa Stakes - 1 1/16 Miles - Oaklawn
13. FIFTYSHADESOFGOLD - 93 - Two Altazano Stakes - 7 Furlongs - Sam Houston
16. A TOAST TO YOU - 92 - OC 62k/N2X - 6 1/2 Furlongs (Turf) - Santa Anita
16. BROKERED - 92 - Alw 59544N1X - 6 1/2 Furlongs (Turf) - Santa Anita
16. INIMITABLE ROMANEE - 92 - The Very One Stakes (G3) - 1 3/8 Miles (Turf) - Gulfstream
19. MOONSHINE MULLIN - 91 - OC 40k/N2X - 1 1/16 Miles - Oaklawn
19. TAMARANDO - 91 - El Camino Real Derby (G3) - 1 1/8 Miles (Tapeta) - Golden Gate
21. THE ADMIRAL - 90 - Md Sp Wt 57k - 7 Furlongs - Santa Anita
21. SEEKING THE SHERIF - 90 - Alw 12500s - 6 Furlongs - Santa Anita
23. BROOME STREET - 89 - OC16k/SAL10k - 1 1/16 Miles - Gulfstream
23. MASS DESTRUCTION - 89 - OC 25k/N2X - 6 Furlongs - Laurel
25. GEOTHERMAL - 88 - OC 40k/N2X -N - 1 Mile 70 Yards - Fair Grounds
25. QUIET MAN - 88 - Wcl c-(40-35) - 1 1/16 Miles - Oaklawn
25. REECE'S WILDCAT - 88 - Alw 40000N1X - 5 Furlongs - Delta

*Longhunter's lifetime past performances are available at the bottom of this blog post.

*A. P. Corsair was claimed for $16,000 by trainer Chris Richard from Federico Villafranco.

*Quiet Man was claimed for $40,000 by trainer Chris Hartman from Kellyn Gorder.


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