Second Chances

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. After storming home with an eye-catching rally to finish a close third on debut at Saratoga, A Mo Reay (f, 2, Uncle Mo--Margaret Reay, by Pioneerof the Nile) will get her shot at the big leagues in Sunday's 'Win and You're In' GI Frizette S. at Belmont Park. The My Racehorse Stable and Spendthrift Farm LLC colorbearer, off at 6-1 in her six-furlong unveiling for Todd Pletcher Aug....

7th-Saratoga, $100,000, Msw, 9-6, 2yo, 6f, 1:10.53, my, 2 lengths. DON'T WAIT UP (c, 2, Upstart--Lovely Marissa, by Proud Citizen) was sent off the even-money choice to build on a nose second to GI Hopeful S. starter Power Agenda (Nyquist) on debut Aug. 14. Scratched down into gate three, the bay colt, the subject of Steve Sherack's Second Chances column Sept. 3, veered sharply inward when the gates flew, causing Matt Doyle (Violence) and the well-backed Commandperformance (Union Rags) to take evasive action. From there Don't Wait Up was ridden...

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. Nominated to Monday's GI Hopeful S. after a too-good-to-lose second on debut at Saratoga Aug. 14, Don't Wait Up (c, 2, Upstart--Lovely Marissa, by Proud Citizen) will instead return in a maiden special weight on the closing day card. Given a 7-1 chance to win at first asking going six furlongs, he was away last of 10 from post nine after veering in and bumping with a rival...

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. Nothing seemed to go Cricket West (f, 2, Majestic City--Special Charm {Ire}, by Dansili {GB})'s way in her unveiling sprinting versus fellow New York-breds over the Saratoga lawn Aug. 12 (video). And she still came within a neck of getting her picture taken that day. The Bloom Racing Stable homebred, off at odds of 10-1 for trainer Jorge Abreu, was bumped from both sides at the start and...

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. It was a tale of two trips with James Aloysius (c, 2, More Than Ready--Olorda {Ger}, by Lord of England {Ger}) having to settle for an educational second on debut behind the well-meant firster Portfolio Company (Kitten's Joy) going 1 1/16 miles over the Saratoga lawn on opening weekend (video). Off at 4-1, the rail-drawn dark bay brushed with a rival just after the start, and, after slightly...

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. A day before capturing the final leg of the Triple Crown with 'TDN Rising Star' Essential Quality (Tapit), Godolphin unveiled another sophomore to keep an eye on during the GI Belmont Stakes Racing Festival. Sent off as the 3-1 second favorite on debut, Cody's Wish (c, 3, Curlin-Dance Card, by Tapit) raced in a close fourth through an opening quarter in :22.68 over the harrowed, muddy going. Caught...

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. After holding his own with his Saffie Joseph, Jr.-trained stablemate and last year's narrow GI TVG.com Haskell S. runner-up Ny Traffic (Cross Traffic) in a weekend breeze, the highly regarded Collaborate (c, 3, Into Mischief--Quiet Temper, by Quiet American) will look to earn his diploma going a mile at second asking at Gulfstream Park Saturday. The Three Chimneys Farm and e Five Racing colorbearer, a $600,000 FTSAUG yearling,...

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. Salit (f, 3, American Pharoah--Scherzi, by Brahms) came flying home from far back to complete the trifecta in her promising unveiling over the Gulfstream lawn Sunday (video). Some early trouble and a wide journey around the second turn weren't the only factors working against her that day. "I really think she probably should've won first time out," trainer Ken McPeek said. "She ended up with a cut in...

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. Everesting (c, 3, Frosted--If Not For Her, by Not For Love) stamped himself as one to watch following a better-than-it-looked fifth-place finish on debut behind 'TDN Rising Star' Annex (Constitution) going two turns over the Gulfstream lawn Jan. 16 (video). The gray's worktab included a pair of bullets at trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr.'s Palm Meadows base, led by a four-furlong breeze in :47 (1/74) Jan. 9. Off at...

A most unusual offering will be up for sale at the OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. The last hip to go through the ring on Tuesday, Mar. 16, will be "Clockwork Fury," a horse statue with an intriguing history that is part of the Horse Fever 20/20 public art project. The public art, which features life-sized horse statues by various artists, has given over $350,000 in grants to artists and organizations. Breeders will be familiar with Clockwork Fury as he has greeted visitors at Ocala's Journeyman Stud, owned...

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. How much buzz was there ahead of Speaker's Corner (c, 2, Street Sense-Tyburn Brook, by Bernardini)'s debut run on closing day at Saratoga? Considering patient Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott's two-for-48 record with debuting juvenile runners sprinting in dirt maiden special weights at the Spa the past five seasons (stat courtesy DRF Formulator), the Godolphin homebred was nonetheless hammered down as the 3-5 favorite facing eight rivals...

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. The highly regarded Spielberg (c, 2, Union Rags-Miss Squeal, by Smart Strike), runner-up on debut as the 4-5 favorite for Hall of Famer Bob Baffert in a quickly run maiden special weight at Del Mar Aug. 8 (video), is currently being aimed at the GI Runhappy Del Mar Futurity Sept. 7. Campaigned in partnership by SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Golconda Stables, Siena Farm LLC...