Juvenile Diary

JUVENILE DIARY

SEPTEMBER 7, 2007

by Tom Joyce

The all-important Hopeful S. (G1) made it clear that the two-year-old

division is constantly evolving. One minute you're the

leader of the division, and the next minute, you're not.

MAJESTIC WARRIOR (A.P. Indy) catapulted to the head of the class with a

last-to-first victory in the 103rd Hopeful. The colt was running the fastest at

the end of the seven-furlong test and put the odds-on favorite READY'S IMAGE

(More Than Ready) and the highly regarded MAIMONIDES (Vindication) in their

place.

Trained by Bill Mott, Majestic Warrior was slow into stride and unhurried

during the early stages. He started to make some progress approaching the

stretch, but it still appeared that he would be hopelessly beaten. At this

point, Garrett Gomez got into him left handed, and Majestic Warrior started

closing in on the leaders, who were still well in front with a furlong to go.

The colt continued to advance under a strong hand ride and quickly ran by

Ready's Image before drawing off to a 2 1/4-length triumph.

The final furlong of the Hopeful was timed in :13 3/5, which is not usual

considering they -- Maimonides and Ready's Image -- set opening fractions of :22

3/5, :45 and 1:09 2/5. Majestic Warrior was about six lengths back (according to

the chart) at the eighth-pole, meaning he probably finished his final furlong

in about :12 2/5, which is very good.

I think Gomez had a lot to do with this performance. He never gave up. He

never stopped riding even though the situation appeared hopeless. There is a

reason he is one of the best finishing riders in the game, and it was on display

here.

Majestic Warrior turned out to be the lone closer in what was essentially a

match race. As you may recall, Gomez rode Circular Quay (Thunder Gulch) to a

similar score in last year's Hopeful. After that race, trainer Todd Pletcher said,

"Sometimes the lone closer can be just as good as the lone speed." How true.

Majestic Warrior is exceedingly well bred, which has induced the pedigree

types to start salivating over his Triple Crown prospects. His sire, A.P. Indy,

was the morning-line favorite for the 1992 Kentucky Derby (G1), but was

scratched on the morning of the race because of a foot issue. He has yet to sire

a Kentucky Derby winner although he has fielded several contenders.

George Steinbrenner, the owner and breeder of Majestic Warrior, bred and

raced his first three dams -- Dream Supreme (Seeking the Gold), Spinning Round

(Dixieland Band) and Take Heart (Secretariat). Dream Supreme, also trained by

Mott, won the Test S. (G1) and Ballerina H. (G1) as well as the Humana Distaff

H. (G2) and the Princess Rooney H. (G3). She was a very fast sprinter who ran

sixth in the 2000 Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1). Spinning Round won the Ballerina S.

(G1) and Alcibiades S. (G2) and was a black-type winner on both dirt and turf.

Take Heart was a two-time route winner for Steinbrenner's Kinsman Stud.

Sanford S. (G2) winner Ready's Image was the pro tem leader of the division

prior to the Hopeful. The Pletcher trainee broke first, then settled into a

stalking position behind Maimonides down the backstretch. John Velazquez started

pushing on him approaching the half-mile pole and continued to do so around the

turn. Ready's Image collared Maimonides approaching the stretch and dueled with

his rival to the three-sixteenths pole, at which point Velazquez confidently

looked back over his right shoulder and gave the colt a right handed reminder.

The two colts continued their battle to the eighth-pole where Maimonides threw

in the towel.

Ready's Image opened up a clear advantage in deep stretch and appeared to be

home free. Overall, it was an excellent performance and his reputation should

only be slightly diminished. He remains a major player in the division.

Maimonides took the lead under a hold shortly after the start. He opened up a

clear advantage down the backstretch and around the turn with Kent Desormeaux

sitting chilly. Desormeaux remained motionless as they dueled along the rail

into the stretch, but once they straightened for home, he got busy and threw a

couple of crosses at the colt, but there was no response. After Ready's Image

had kicked clear, Desormeaux gave Maimonides a right handed tap and let him

gallop in.

To me, Maimonides backed down from the challenge rather tamely. I would have

liked to see more fight, but perhaps there is an explanation. Trainer Bob

Baffert told The Blood-Horse on Wednesday that Maimonides came out of the

race with sore shins and will miss about 30 days of training. As a result,

Maimonides will miss the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1).

After his super-impressive, 11 1/2-length debut romp, Maimonides was expected

to do well. After all, how many times have you seen a two-year-old maiden winner

on the front page of The New York Times? It happened Monday (September

3).

***

Baffert unleashed another superb first-time starter when J BE K (Silver

Deputy) broke the track record for 5 1/2 furlongs on August 29 at Saratoga. The

dark bay colt completed the distance in 1:03.13, which eclipsed the previous

mark of 1:03.26 set by the two-year-old filly Secret Gypsy (Sea of Secrets) on

August 16. J Be K went right to the lead and set fractions of :21.87, :44.88 and

:56.74 before drawing off to a 7 1/2-length victory. He could reappear in the

Champagne S. (G1) on October 6.

***

Tyro S. winner LANTANA MOB (Posse) came back to win the Sapling S. (G3) by 3

3/4 lengths on September 2 at Monmouth Park. The Steve Asmussen trainee

completed the six-furlong distance on a fast track in 1:09 4/5 and is now

unbeaten in two starts at the seashore oval.

***

Some runners to keep an eye on for the inaugural running of the Breeders' Cup

Juvenile Turf include With Anticipation S. winner NOWNOWNOW (Whywhywhy), Cradle

S. winner OLD MAN BUCK (Hold That Tiger), and BIG BROWN (Boundary). The latter

broke his maiden in front-running fashion by 11 1/4 lengths while completing 1

1/16 miles on an extra-firm Mellon turf course in 1:40 1/5 at the Spa on Labor

Day.

***

In the next edition, I'll review the Futurity S. (G2), which was first held

at Sheepshead Bay in 1888, and more.