Saturday's $200,000 Peter Pan (G3) at Aqueduct Racetrack hasn't drawn the strongest field by historical standards, but the 1 1/8-mile dirt race for three-year-olds is an important steppingstone to next month's $2 million Belmont (G1), and there are a couple of promising up-and-comers in the entries.
One is #3 Growth Equity (6-5), from the barn of three-time Peter Pan-winning trainer Chad Brown. A son of 2016 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Nyquist out of the Wildcat Heir mare My Dear Venezuela, Growth Equity debuted at Saratoga last summer, running second by one length in a six-furlong maiden special weight. He finished ahead of Stradale, who has since recorded top-three finishes in the Bachelor S. and Ed Brown S.
Unfortunately, Growth Equity went to the sidelines shortly afterward and didn't race again until Feb. 7, when he ran second (again by one length) in a seven-furlong maiden special weight at Gulfstream Park. Three of the horses he defeated returned to post next-out wins.
With this comeback effort under his belt, Growth Equity had no trouble delivering a victory in his second start of 2026. Favored at 1-10 to win a one-mile maiden special weight on March 20 at Aqueduct, the bay colt pressed the pace in second place before taking over to score by 4 1/4 lengths, earning a career-best 89 Beyer speed figure that tops the Peter Pan field.
But are there chinks in Growth Equity's armor? Perhaps. He beat only three horses in his maiden win, and he was slowing down in the homestretch, running his final quarter-mile in :25.65.
It's worth noting Growth Equity has yet to race around two turns, a configuration he'll tackle for the first time in the Peter Pan. While Nyquist could contribute some two-turn stamina to Growth Equity's genetic makeup, the dam side of Growth Equity's pedigree is focused on speed. My Dear Venezuela scored all three of her wins sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs or less, and Wildcat Heir was an accomplished six-furlong sprinter best known for winning the Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (G1).
I'm not certain Growth Equity will relish stretching out over 1 1/8 miles around two turns in the Peter Pan. Therefore, I'm going to oppose him with #1 Trendsetter (3-1), the other up-and-comer whose recent form is heading in the right direction.
Trendsetter spent his first seven starts competing in dirt sprints, turf sprints, a synthetic sprint, and a synthetic route. Along the way, he showed flashes of ability. He won the 5 1/2-furlong Hickory Tree S. at Colonial Downs last fall, and he ran third in the 1 1/16-mile Rushaway S. over Turfway Park's Tapeta track.
Trendsetter finally tried a dirt route in the 1 1/16-mile Lexington (G3) around two turns at Keeneland last month. The result? His best performance so far. After rating no more than two lengths behind a modest pace, Trendsetter kicked on in the homestretch to score by 2 1/4 lengths, earning an 85 Beyer not far off of Growth Equity's best number.
I'm optimistic Trendsetter will receive a perfect trip in the Peter Pan. He saved ground in the Lexington and has every chance to do so again while breaking from the rail at Aqueduct. Also, his ability to rate off the lead is an asset since the Peter Pan field contains ample pace on paper. #2 Azam (10-1) set or pressed the pace in all three of his starts. #5 Talk to Me Jimmy (9-5) led all the way in both of his wins. And #5 Gulfy (8-1) raced first or second at every call in each of his last three starts.
In the Hickory Tree, Trendsetter rallied from 11 lengths off the pace to prevail by three-quarters of a length. If the Peter Pan pace comes up hot, he shouldn't have any issue dropping back half a dozen lengths or more before rallying in the homestretch. But as he showed in the Lexington, he's also capable of sticking within a couple lengths of the lead. That versatility should set the stage for an ideal trip no matter how the Peter Pan unfolds.
For third place, I'll try Gulfy, winner of a $50,000 maiden claimer and a $75,000 starter optional claimer in two starts since being claimed by trainer Gustavo Rodriguez. He's progressing in the right direction and may have a shot to outperform Talk to Me Jimmy, who exits an eighth-place finish in the Wood Memorial (G2). Talk to Me Jimmy impressed when dominating the Withers S. by 11 lengths, but he was aided by a track bias that day, and the frontrunning colt seems unlikely to secure an easy lead in the Peter Pan.
Selections
1st: Trendsetter
2nd: Growth Equity
3rd: Gulfy
Now it's your turn! Who do you like in the Peter Pan Stakes?
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