Second Chances

Editor's Note: In this new series, TDN's Senior Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. In this first installment, we kick things off with 3-year-olds Paradise Woods (Union Rags), Dr. Corday (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}) and Take Your Guns (Blame).

PARADISE WOODS (f, 3, Union Rags–Wild Forest, by Forest Wildcat) reported home a promising second as the 6-5 favorite after dueling through a hot pace in her six-furlong Santa Anita unveiling Jan. 26 (video).

The highly regarded bay had company from both sides through an opening quarter in :21.79. She began to shake clear some at the top of the stretch, but couldn't withstand the late charge of Delitefull Lady (Dialed In), who powered clear by 3 3/4 lengths en route to 'TDN Rising Star' honors. It was another 2 1/2 lengths back to the third-place finisher Princess Julia (Distorted Humor), a daughter of champion Folklore (Tiznow).

Paradise Woods has posted three breezes for Hall of Famer Richard Mandella since, including a six-furlong move in 1:12.40 (4/37) Feb. 16.

“She's going to run on Mar. 11 at Santa Anita,” Mandella revealed when reached for comment. “We still have high hopes… a lot of high hopes.”

Bred in Kentucky by the late Herman Sarkowsky, Paradise Woods is campaigned in partnership by Steven Sarkowsky and Martin and Pam Wygod. Her unraced dam Wild Forest, an $85,000 purchase by Damian and Braxton Lynch's Royal Oak Farm at the 2015 KEEJAN sale, has also produced the stakes winner Forest Chatter (Dixie Chatter) and a Blame filly in 2016. She was bred back to Palace Malice. Her second dam is a half-sister to the late top sprinter Mr. Greeley and this is also the extended female family of GI Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense.

DR. CORDAY (c, 3, Leroidesanimaux {Brz}–Sumthingtotalkabt, by Mutakddim), a half-brother to the recently retired leading turf sprinter and 'TDN Rising Star' Lady Shipman (Midshipman), overcame his share of adversity to finish a promising dead-heat fourth for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin going 7 1/2 furlongs on debut over the Gulfstream lawn Feb. 11 (video).

Overlooked a bit at 10-1 in a full field of 12, Dr. Corday was off a step slow and raced in ninth while saving ground through easy early fractions of :24.19 and :48.75. Third from last off the turn for home, he began to launch beneath Paco Lopez while racing in tight quarters and hit the wire in a wild blanket finish, just a half-length behind Chad Brown debut winner Escape Velocity (Lemon Drop Kid). Dr. Corday returned to the worktab with an easy four-furlong spin over the Palm Meadows turf in :53.90 (8/8) Feb. 24.

“We're very proud of him and looking forward to his next race,” said owner/breeder Randall E. Lowe, who flew in from his Las Vegas base to attend the race. “Dr. Corday came out of his race great. We are pointing toward a Florida-bred race at a mile on the turf at Gulfstream on Friday, Mar. 3.”

Dr. Corday, a $150,000 RNA at last year's Fasig-Tipton Florida 2-Year-Old Sale, is a son of the five-time winner Sumthingtotalkabt, who was recently acquired privately by SF Bloodstock. The 14-year-old mare, also represented by a Treasure Beach (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) 2-year-old colt and a Poseidon's Warrior (Speightstown) yearling filly, has an upcoming date with 2016 champion grass horse Flintshire (GB) (Dansili {GB}), per SF's Tom Ryan.

TAKE YOUR GUNS (c, 3, Blame–Saratoga Cat, by Sir Cat) had his share of buzz behind him leading up to his unveiling after posting a pair of in company works with two-time Grade I winner Practical Joke (Into Mischief) in late January, and was sent off as the 2-1 choice in a 14-horse field going a mile at Gulfstream Feb. 18 (video).

He didn't appear all that comfortable while racing in traffic in seventh while taking plenty of dirt through an opening quarter in :23.68. With the top two beginning to isolate themselves from the field at the top of the lane, Take Your Guns continued on in the stretch to finish an educational third, 10 lengths adrift of new 'TDN Rising Star' in Patch (Union Rags).

“[Trainer] Chad [Brown] liked him enough to nominate him for the Triple Crown,” owner/breeder John D. Gunther commented. “There was quite a bit of kickback at Gulfstream in his first race and he threw his head up a couple times. We expect him to run big in his next start.”

A $220,000 RNA as a KEESEP yearling, Take Your Guns is a half-brother to Gunther's millionaire Last Gunfighter (First Samurai). Take Your Guns is the final foal from the late Saratoga Cat, a $50,000 KEENOV weanling purchase by Gunther in 1999 and a five-time winner of $186,153.