This column highlights the performances of 2-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.
Waymark, a $700,000 yearling purchase who scored on debut Dec. 28 at Gulfstream Park, is pointed in the right direction.
The Brad Cox-trained son of Liam's Map posted an 85 Beyer Speed Figure—the second-highest Beyer of the week posted by a juvenile, trailing only the 88 registered by Santa Anita Park maiden special weight winner Secured Freedom—and has other characteristics that suggest promise. Besides his auction price, he is out of the stakes-winning, graded-placed Congrats mare Pangburn, who has already produced a pair of stakes performers. They include 2021 Smarty Jones Stakes winner Caddo River, who would later hit the board in the 2021 Arkansas Derby (G1) and the 2023 Oaklawn Mile Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn Park. Caddo River went 6-6-1 in 23 starts and earned $838,116.
The other stakes performer, the Into Mischief daughter Como Square, showed in the 2022 Martha Washington Stakes at Oaklawn during a short career in which she went 2-0-1 in four outings, making $104,900.
The race records of those two half siblings, as well as those of Pangburn and Liam's Map—who won the Woodward Stakes (G1) and Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) in 2015—would suggest Waymark could race effectively at distances beyond the 6 furlongs at which he debuted.
He ran quickly with a time of 1:10.87 under Tyler Gaffalione in Sunday's seventh race—faster than the 1:11.51 clocking posted from the 2-year-old filly Omaha Bay a couple of hours earlier on the card. Waymark earned a lower Equibase Speed Figure than his Beyer Speed Figure, an 83.
Waymark prevailed with an in-the-clear, four-wide pace-pressing journey before drifting into the two path entering the lane. He then maintained a 1 1/2-length advantage over runner-up High Camp through the stretch. The leading duo finished well clear of the pack after an initial quarter-mile in :22.42 set by High Camp and a half-mile fraction from Waymark in :45.87.
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Waymark paid $5 to win after being bet down to favoritism in a race in which six of the eight juveniles were first-time starters.
He races for Windancer Farm, which acquired the Shortleaf Stable-bred bay colt from the Stone Farm consignment at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
Liam's Map, represented by grade 1 winners Napoleon Solo, Deterministic, and Burnham Square in 2025, is the 17th-ranked general sire through Dec. 29. He will stand for a $50,000 fee next year at Lane's End in Kentucky.
MUch to Envision
Also victorious in his unveiling was LNJ Foxwoods' homebred Envision, a gray and/or roan gelding by Into Mischief out of the graded stakes-winning Tapit mare Dreamologist.
He debuted as a sprint winner in the fifth race Dec. 26 at Turfway Park, racing professionally by stalking the pace and overpowering the two leaders through the stretch. He pulled away to score by 2 3/4 lengths under Danny Sheehy over a fellow first-time starter, Godolphin's Winter Holiday, trained by Eoin Harty. The William Walden-trained winner ran 6 1/2 furlongs on Tapeta in 1:18.08, earning an 83 ESF and a 72 Beyer Speed Figure.
Envision ($11.82) is the fifth winner produced by Dreamologist, who won a pair of dirt races and two turf races in eight starts in Southern California for owner LNJ Foxwoods and Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella in 2015-16. The sprinter's biggest win came in the off-the-turf Las Cienegas Stakes (G3) in 2016 at Santa Anita Park.
Into Mischief, days away from a seventh leading general sire title based on his progeny's earnings in 2025, will stand next season for $250,000 at Spendthrift Farm in Kentucky.
| BloodHorse Maiden Watch | |||||||
| Notable 2-year-old maiden winners for the week of Dec. 22-28 | |||||||
| Date | Track | Race | Horse | Sire | Dam | Start | Maiden Watch Notes |
| 12/24 | GP | 1 | Brat Pack | Gun Runner | Ultra Brat | 2 | Out of grade 3-winning, grade 1-placed turf mare |
| 12/26 | TP | 5 | Envision | Into Mischief | Dreamologist | 1 | Dam won the off-turf Las Cienegas Stakes (G3) in 2016 |
| 12/27 | AQU | 7 | Three Sixty | Twirling Candy | Two Sixty | 4 | Dam won three stakes, including the 2020 Selene Stakes (G3) |
| 12/27 | OP | 3 | Circle Tap | Twirling Candy | Rattataptap | 5 | G3-placed dam produced G3 winner Double Thunder |
| 12/27 | OP | 5 | She's So Coal | Coal Front | She's Smoke | 2 | Full to multiple graded-winning sprinter Haulin Ice |
| 12/27 | TAM | 9 | Abigail | Constitution | Auntjenn | 2 | Dam produced G3 winner Petulante |
| 12/28 | GP | 7 | Waymark | Liam's Map | Pangburn | 1 | $700,000 yearling is out of a stakes-producing dam |
| 12/28 | SA | 1 | Ramayana | Uncle Mo | Miss Temple City | 4 | Dam was a multiple grade 1 winner on turf |
