By Steve Sherack
In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar.
How stacked exactly was this year's Travers day 2-year-old maiden? Even the fourth-place finisher should be on your radar.
In a race completely dominated on the front end, Godolphin homebred Sovereignty (c, 2, Into Mischief–Crowned, by Bernardini) kicked home impressively from last of 10 on debut for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott to stamp himself as one to watch.
The 11-1 chance broke on top from his outside draw and was quickly outsprinted to trail as Rookie Card (Adios Charlie) (entered in Saturday's opener at the Belmont at the Big A meeting and highlighted in these same pages Sept. 7) and Tip Top Thomas (Volatile) motored along with Keewaydin (Instagrand) in hot pursuit in third through an opening quarter in :21.95.
Still with a ton left to do in seventh with the top three positions unchanged at the top of the stretch, Sovereignty leveled off beautifully beneath Junior Alvarado for the final furlong and flew home in a field-best :12 while finishing 3 1/4 lengths adrift as the top three hit the wire together in an absolute thriller.
The Todd Pletcher-trained Tip Top Thomas earned a 'TDN Rising Star' badge after fighting past an ultra-game Rookie Card to graduate by a head. It was another nose back to Keewaydin in third.
The final time for six furlongs was 1:10.46. The top three finishers all earned 85 Beyer Speed Figures; Sovereignty received a 79 rating.
“It got us excited,” Godolphin USA Director of Bloodstock Michael Banahan said.
“We were delighted to see the way he finished up and it was as per usual a hot maiden on Travers day. It was a big day of racing and there were a lot of people talking about him, which is interesting, you know, for a horse that was fourth in a maiden.”
Banahan added, “To see him at the top of the stretch thinking we had no chance to finishing up like he did and running by everybody a couple of strides after the wire while galloping out strongly gave us a lot of encouragement.”
Sovereignty has posted two workouts since his unveiling at Mott's Saratoga base, most recently breezing four furlongs in :49 (10/71) over the Oklahoma training track Sept. 15. He could make his second career start later this month at the Belmont at the Big A meeting, Banahan said.
“He's training well and doing well and showed an enormous amount of potential,” Banahan said. “He's a well-bred colt and we're looking forward to seeing him run again.”
The son of leading sire Into Mischief was produced by the unraced Bernardini mare Crowned, a daughter of GISW Mushka (Empire Maker) and a $1.2-million Keeneland September yearling purchase by Sheikh Mohammed's operation. The Into Mischief x A.P. Indy has produced GISWs Atone (o/o an A.P. Indy mare) and Newgate (o/o a Majestic Warrior mare).
The 'Second Chances' Honor Roll is headed by Horse of the Year Cody's Wish (Curlin), fellow two-time Breeders' Cup winner Golden Pal (Uncle Mo) and GISWs A Mo Reay (Uncle Mo), Honor A. P. (Honor Code), Locked (Gun Runner), Paradise Woods (Union Rags) and Speaker's Corner (Street Sense).
TIP TOP THOMAS, the 2YO son of @Three_Chimneys stallion Volatile, breaks his maiden in the seventh race with @iradortiz up for trainer @PletcherRacing. pic.twitter.com/5GCePwCdfU
— NYRA (🌳) (@TheNYRA) August 24, 2024
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