Two-Year-Old Thoroughbreds To Watch: Team Picks 4

Two-Year-Old Thoroughbreds To Watch: Team Picks 4- As the bigger events for two-year-olds draw near, it’s a good idea to keep tabs on would-be budding stars. Here are a few colts and fillies that have stuck out to members of Team Lady and the Track!

Patrick’s Day
Harlan’s Holiday – De Aar, by Gone West
Reinier’s One to Watch
Those surprised at Patrick’s Day’s sixth-place finish in his career debut at Saratoga Race Course failed to read the mission statement on the official Donegal Racing website. According to them, “We work to identify and buy horses that can run a classic distance and make it to the Kentucky Derby. Period.” Three of Patrick’s Day’s siblings, including turf stakes winner Wilcox Inn, broke their maidens in turf routes. Ignore the sprint failure, and watch for this colt when he switches to a route. The longer distance will suit him far better.

Width
Blame – Extent, by Pulpit
Casey’s One to Watch
Owned and bred by Claiborne Farm, this filly broke her maiden under difficult circumstances at Saratoga while traveling 5-1/2 furlongs over the main track. The daughter of 2010 Breeders’ Cup winner Blame is trained by Christophe Clement, usually known for his turf horses. Recently, be broke expectations with top older horse Tonalist, the 2014 Triple Crown spoiler. Width is bred to be strong, sound, and able to display stamina while having the acceleration needed to win. Her maiden displayed her ability to run without medication, and she looks to have a bright future. This filly looks to improve with age and distance, so winning at 5-1/2 furlongs is even more impressive.

Head Shrinker
Freud – Cape of Good Hope, by Cape Town
Kari’s One to Watch
Trained by Michael Stidham and owned by Dare to Dream Stables, Head Shrinker ran a :10 flat before the OBS sale last fall, and I added him to my virtual stable. He’s got some smoking works from the gate and last ran on Thursday at the Spa in Race #7. Unfortunately, she shied at the break from the #10 outside post when the #9 broke into her and just didn’t rally, finishing last. I’m hoping that next time she runs much better with a race under her belt and a better post position.

Mrazek
Square Eddie – Heckuva Rush, by Wild Rush
Jessica’s One to Watch
Doug O’Neill’s barn seems to be overflowing with talent, and Mrazek is one of those beginning to strut his stuff on the track. A homebred for Reddam Racing, Mrazek already has quite a bit of successful racing experience under his belt thanks to four starts. The colt blew competition away in his debut and since finished second in both the Santa Anita Juvenile Stakes and Summer Juvenile Championship Stakes. Most recently, Mrazek took Del Mar’s Graduation Stakes in easy front-running fashion, his typical running style. It’s difficult to say for certain how he’ll do stretching out, but it’s certainly within reason to think he’ll be fine at a mile. It will also be interesting to see whether or not he improves as he matures seeing as his female side seems to be full of precocious runners.

Gift Box
Twirling Candy – Special Me, by Unbridled’s Song
Reinier’s Other One to Watch
Gift Box is another colt that may benefit from more distance despite his pedigree. Yes, his half-sibling is Stonetastic, a four-year-old filly that competes as a stakes sprinter. Some of Stonetastic’s route efforts are not terrible, though, and they include a close second to Untapable as a juvenile. Before Gift Box’s career debut at Saratoga Race Course last Saturday, NYRA analyst Maggie Wolfendale remarked that Gift Box looked like a horse that wanted to go longer. When the race started, Gift Box lingered around midpack and made a belated move with no quick acceleration, which only supports the theory.

Two-Year-Old Thoroughbreds to Watch: Team Picks 3
Two-Year-Old Thoroughbreds to Watch: Team Picks 2
Two-Year-Old Thoroughbreds to Watch: Team Picks