I have been debating how to treat races featuring Maiden Watch "graduates." Since they are no longer maidens, do they belong in this space? Plus, the type of analysis that I do is more appropriate for unraced and lightly raced horses where there is little or no past performance information. It is not as valuable in a race where everyone is a winner. On the other hand, I don't want to abandon them once they have won. So, I have decided that I will still discuss subsequent starts after a maiden win, but in a more summarily format rather than a detailed look at all the entries. The focus will be on the Maiden Watch horses. This may need some tweaking along the way. Please feel free to chime in with suggestions.

Rachel Alexandra and Renda Try to be Debutantes

June 28, 2008
Churchill Downs Race 10
Debutante Stakes (gr. III)
6 furlongs
2 Year Old Fillies
Post Time: 5:51 PM HRTV

Renda draws off in her maiden triumph. Jim Lisa Photos

The Debutante Stakes at Churchill Downs June 28 features two Maiden Watch graduates, Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d'Oro - Lotta Kim by Roar) and Renda (Medaglia d'Oro - Ten Carats by Capote). Rachel Alexandra finished 6th her first time out on May 22 (behind Debutante opponent, Songtress) and then broke her maiden in impressive fashion on June 13. Rachel Alexandra is the first foal out of the stakes winner, Lotta Kim, who earned $146,485. Renda was a debut winner and the first winner for her sire on May 31 where she drew off by 5. Renda is the 2nd foal out of the stakes-placed mare, Ten Carats. Ten Carats earned $131,855 and was also a debut winner at 2. Her first foal is a winner who earned $52,085. According to the Churchill Downs Barn Notes, Renda is Portuguese for wealth and is pronounced, "Enda."

In addition to Songtress' victory on May 22, Cameron Crazies maiden win was also profiled on Maiden Watch. The favorite in the Debutante is Garden District, who followed up her maiden victory with a 2nd place finish in the Kentucky Stakes (gr. II). None of the other participants have stakes experience. If fact, none of the other horses have run in anything other than a Maiden race.

For more about the Debutante, see Jason Shandler's preview. 

Trifecta King Meets Cosmic Queen

June 28, 2008
Hollywood Park Race 4  
Landaluce Stakes
6 furlongs
2 Year Old Fillies
Post Time: 4:33 PM TVG

Stakes races are old hat for Trifecta King (Peace Rules - Mamita by Unbridled) who broke her maiden in the Cinderella Stakes. However, in the Landaluce, she faces old rival Cosmic Queen who was victorious in their debuts. Trifecta King sold for $10,000 as a yearling and $45,000 as a 2-year old. Her dam is a half-sister to Church Service who won the Dallas Turf Cup on May 26. 

Other familiar faces in the Landaluce include Atka, who was 2nd in the Cinderella, Got Tobe Rio, who was 6th in the Cinderella, and, Glitter City and Emmy Darling, who finished 1st and 2nd on June 15.

Express Tries to Pick a Frosty Diamond

June 28, 2008
Calder Race 7
Maiden Special Weight
4.5 Furlongs
2 Year Olds
Post Time: 3:30 PM HRTV

Two Maiden Watch horses make their debuts in this one, Frosty Diamond (Medaglia d'Oro - Heirloom Diamond by Grindstone) and Pick's Express (Speightstown - Program Pick by Peterhof). Frosty Diamond sold for $100,000 as a yearling. His dam was a stakes winner at 2 who has produced one winner from one to race. Pick's Express dam was a stakes winner at 2 and 3. Pick's Express is a half-brother to 6 winners including Stormy Pick who won the Spinaway (gr. I) and the Sorority (gr. III) as a 2-year old and earned $441,900 in her career.

First-year sire, Omega Code is the sire of debut runner, New God Code (Omega Code - Kylie Is for Real by Prospect Bay). Omega Code is the sire of 10 runners who have made 23 starts, recording 3 wins, 2 seconds, and 4 thirds and earnings of $73,055. New God Code's dam has produced 2 winners from 2 to start. However, neither ran as a 2-year old.

Good Mornin Jordan (First Tour - Good Dancing by Robyn Dancer) has made 2 previous starts, finishing 6th on April 27 and 3rd on May 30. Both of these were Maiden Claiming races. Good Mornin Jordan's dam was a winner of $54,965. Good Mornin Jordan is a full-brother to 2 winners, 1 of which won as a 2-year old.

Finishing 2nd in his only start on May 31 was My Daddio (Essence of Dubai - Twilight Mirage by Jeblar). My Daddio is out of a mare who was stakes-placed as a 2-year old who earned $159,829. She has produced one winner.

The final experienced runner is Stamen (Awesome of Course - Petals by Dr. Caton) who finished 5th on June 7.  Stamen's dam is a half- or full-sister to 6 winners.

The dam of Ambuscader (Concorde's Tune - Rehocracy by Adhocracy) was a winner of $52,770 who has produced one winner from one to race. She is also a full-sister to Redoubled Miss who won or placed in 16 stakes and earned $629,839.

Michaels West Acre (West Acre - Sensational Saint by Moon Prospector) is a half-brother to 3 winners, one of which won as a 2-year old.

Sweetstack (Sweetsouthernsaint - Stack Song by Stack) is the first foal out of a winning mare who is a full-sister to Stong, who was stakes-placed as a 2-year old and earned 136,391 in his career.

The dam of Pay Zone (Cape Canaveral - Tale of a Dream by Tale of the Cat), Tale of a Dream, won her 2-year old debut and was a stakes winner that year. Overall, she earned $159,515. Pay Zone is her first foal.

Can Birdseye Outlast the Stormy Explosion to be a Sophisticated Gal?

June 28, 2008
Lone Star Park Race 7
Maiden Special Weight
5.5 Furlongs
2 Year Old Fillies
Post Time: 4:23 PM

Birdseye (Birdstone - Trail Guide by Our Native) makes her debut in Texas. Birdseye sold for $60,000 as a weanling, but $20,000 as a yearling. The dam of Birdseye, Trail Guide, was a winner who has produced 9 winners from 10 to race. Three of her offspring won during their 2-year old season.

Three of the entrants previously met in a Maiden Special Weight contest on May 25 at Lone Star. Stormy Explosion (Stormy Atlantic - Explosive Meg by El Gran Senor) was 2nd, Me Gusta Yonaguska (Yonaguska - Gala Prospector by Northern Prospect) was 4th, and Morsel (Candy Ride (ARG) - Jayhawk Judy by Woodman) was 6th. Stormy Explosion sold for $52,000 as a yearling and is a half-sister to 4 winners, 1 of which was a 2-year old winner. Me Gusta Yonaguska's dam was 2 for 2 as a 2-year old and stakes-placed as a 3-year old. She has produced 5 winners including 2 which won during their 2-year old season. Me Gusta Yonaguska sold for $25,000 as a yearling. The deliciously named Morsel is by 1st-crop sire, Candy Ride, whose 11 runners have made 13 starts, recording 2 wins and 3 seconds with earnings of $101,050. Morsel is a half-sister to 2 winners.

The other experienced member of the race is Sophisticated Gal (Officer - Sparkle Me by Formal Gold) who has started twice, most recently in a Maiden Claiming contest at Lone Star on June 1 where she finished 2nd. Sophisticated Gal is the first foal out of a winning mare who is a half-sister to the stakes winner Adopted Daughter who earned $255,850 and was 2 for 2 (including a victory in the Prairie Gold Lassie) as a 2-year old.

First-crop sire Roar of the Tiger is the sire of Streisand (Roar of the Tiger - Afleet Mama by Afleet). Roar of the Tiger (full-brother to Giant's Causeway) has had 15 runners who have made 27 starts with 5 wins, 8 seconds, and 8 thirds, and earnings of $156,040. Streisand is a half-sister to 4 winners, one of which won as a 2-year old.

Selling for $55,000 as a yearling was Fresh (Forest Wildcat - Fresh Aire by Time for a Change). Fresh's dam, Fresh Aire, was a stakes winner as a 2-year old and stakes-placed as a 3-year old and earned $114,690 in her career. Fresh Aire has produced 3 winners from 3 to race including Di's Hope, who is a full-sister to Fresh.

Peach Brew (Milwaukee Brew - Georgia Ok by Hickory Ridge) is the first foal out of a 2-year old winning mare who is a full-sister to one stakes winner and a half-sister to 4 stakes winners, 3 of these won as 2-year olds.

Humble Storm Kathy (Storm and a Half - Humble Kathy by Forever Dancer) is the first foal out of a winning mare who is a half-sister to stakes winner, Humble Danzig who won the Lady Razorback Futurity as a 2-year old.

The dam of High Lion (Lion Hearted - Highest Offer by Roar) was a winner of $51,535. High Lion is her first foal, but she is a half-sister to 9 winners including Upper Noosh who won or placed in 10 stakes including victory in the Miss Grillo Stakes (gr. III) as a 2-year old.

Golden Sky  (Gold Case - Pourjedajour by Sky Classic) is out of a dam who was stakes-places as a 2-year old and has produced 3 winners.