This column highlights the performances of 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 grade/group winners, or have dams that are grade/group winners. BloodHorse research shows maiden winners in particular who meet these criteria are more likely to go on to be graded stakes winners.
Saratoga
With 2-year-old races well under way at Saratoga Race Course, trainer Jimmy Toner sent out a 2-year-old daughter of Tapit and dual grade 1 winner Winter Memories named Seasons.
The filly did not disappoint in what was her debut Aug. 9, taking a 1 1/16-mile turf test by a neck after another well-bred filly, Frankel At Ascot, ducked in and crashed through the fence while leading by about one length in the stretch, unseating jockey Tyler Gaffalione. Both horse and jockey walked away from the incident.
Ridden by Jose Ortiz, Seasons was rating along the rail behind Frankel At Ascot when the leader suddenly veered in, but she did not let the distraction deter her from pushing forward to outrun Ice Queen and Classic Colors, who gamely gave chase to the wire. She finished in a final time of 1:44.94 over firm turf.
Seasons is a full sister to stakes winner Winter Sunset, who has placed in three graded stakes on turf to date for trainer Wayne Catalano. The juvenile filly was bred in Kentucky by Phillips Racing Partnership, who campaigns her with LNJ Foxwoods.
Winter Memories, an El Prado mare out of grade 1 winner Memories of Silver, is also the dam of runners Make Memories and Tap Memories, and has a yearling colt by Union Rags as well as a 2020 filly by Quality Road .
Invincible Gal also broke her maiden first time out in a 5 1/2-furlong turf contest Aug. 7 at the Spa. Trained by Graham Motion for owners Mike Ryan, Jeff Drown, and Team Hanley, the daughter of Invincible Spirit broke a bit slow but was settled in third under John Velazquez as the leader set fractions of :22.25 and :45.45 through a half-mile.
Coming into the stretch, Invincible Gal had a head in front for second and she continued to progress while three wide to earn a half-length score in the last strides. She completed the distance in 1:03.32 on turf labeled good.
Bred by Rabbah Bloodstock in Great Britain, Invincible Gal is the fifth winner from as many to race out of the group 3-winning Acclamation mare Alsindi. Ryan purchased the filly during Book 1 of last year's Tattersalls October Yearling Sale for $258,110. She was consigned by Genesis Green Stud.
Del Mar
Super Game won a one-mile turf maiden test Sunday at Del Mar in her second start for trainer Brian Koriner. The Super Saver filly is a half sister to Plus Que Parfait, who won last year's UAE Derby Sponsored By Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Group (G2).
Owned by Edward Brown Jr., Alan Klein, and Phillip Lebherz, Super Game led all the way in Sunday's test on firm turf, setting fractions of :22.64, :48, and 1:13.64 before holding off the late charge by Miss Ever Ready and Warrens Candy Girl to win by a half-length in a final time of 1:37.93.
Super Game finished off the board in her first start July 10 while racing five furlongs on dirt.
Bred by Premier Thoroughbreds in California, she is out of the Awesome Again mare Belvedera, who has a 2020 Flatter colt.
Gulfstream
In the southeast, Newtown Anner Stud homebred Monorail found the winner's circle at Gulfstream Park in her first start Aug. 8, taking a one-mile turf maiden event by a neck.
The Into Mischief filly is the first foal out of grade 1 winner Off the Tracks, a Curlin half sister to grade 2 winner and sire Concord Point.
Trained by Kelsey Danner, Monorail was ridden near the back of the 12-horse field by Miguel Vasquez early on before moving up to second by the time six furlongs went in 1:12.28. Driving to the wire, she fought off Yafa to win in a final time of 1:36.67 over firm turf.
Breaking his maiden on debut in an Aug. 6 maiden claiming test at Gulfstream was Lamplighter Jack, who took over the lead at the halfway point of the five-furlong race and then prevailed by a half-length at the wire.
The Fed Biz colt, bred by Bo Hirsch in Kentucky, is out of the Prized mare Bright Magic, who also produced grade 3 winner Exfactor and stakes winner Market Magic. Lamplighter Jack races for Melvin Simonovich and is trained by Jorge Delgado.
