Vekoma Colt Varney Trends Upward After Pimlico Score

This column highlights the performances of 2- and 3-year-old 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 graded/group winners, or have dams that are graded/group winners. BloodHorse research shows maiden winners, in particular, who meet these criteria are more likely to go on to be graded stakes winners.

Pimlico Race Course

This week's Maiden Watch took a trip to Old Hilltop, where a colt named Varney dominated his rivals over the soon-to-be remodeled Pimlico Race Course on Preakness Stakes (G1) day May 17.

Unlike his namesake, the British-American talk show host and political commentator Stuart Varney, the equine Varney took a bit more time to find his edge heading into battle.

Varney's trainer, Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, told Fox News in a May 2 interview that they had always had "high expectations" for the $775,000 son of Vekoma , but that the colt was a "slow learner."

"He's coming around, though," Baffert said of Varney, who was winless in three starts at the time of the interview.

The Spendthrift Farm-bred colt was third on debut in January at Santa Anita Park going six furlongs, was pulled up going by the first time in his second outing, and then was a well-beaten fourth behind stablemate and Preakness contender Goal Oriented in a six-furlong maiden special event in April. On Varney's fourth try, his stock had finally reached new heights with a flourishing 5 1/2 length victory on the Preakness undercard.

Sailing to the front under jockey Flavien Prat, Varney displayed a newfound confidence in his fourth start, bulling his way through fractions of :23.41 and :46.87 before dealing the final blow at the quarter pole. Striding strongly to the wire, well clear of the rest of the field, the bay stopped the timer in 1:43.80 for the 1 1/16 miles.

After Varney passed through the ring at the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Spendthrift Farm stayed on as partners on Varney with his new owners, By Talla Racing and St. Elias Stables. Spendthrift stands second crop sire sensation Vekoma, the leading freshman stallion of his class in 2024.