In this ongoing series that occurs every other week, horse racing expert Keeler Johnson unveils promising equines from his selection list, discussing those who have recently garnered his attention and those poised to compete soon.


Results


Friday

 

 


Saratoga, race 1. Senza Parole has just been added to my list following a stellar first outing. Trained by Chad Brown, this 2-year-old filly by Gun Runner broke from the gates as the second favorite in a six-furlong maiden special weight race. She maintained a solid third for the first quarter-mile, clocked at 22.52 seconds, before taking the lead at the half-mile mark in 45.80 seconds, and impressively sped through the final stretch in 24.04 seconds to clinch victory by 7 3/4 lengths, finishing in 1:09.84. Awarded a 94 Beyer Speed Figure by Daily Racing Form, she’s definitely one to watch for future stakes races.

 

 

 


Saratoga, race 10. Idiomatic almost defended her Personal Ensign (G1) title with a commanding performance. She led a tightly contested battle with multiple Grade 1 victor Randomized, setting fractions of 23.28, 46.66, and 1:10.53. Despite establishing a four-length lead, she was overtaken in the final moments by Raging Sea, finishing second by a head but a significant 10 1/4 lengths ahead of the others. She remains a key horse to keep an eye on.

 

 


Woodbine, race 9. My Boy Prince looked set to claim the King’s Plate after pulling 2 1/2 lengths clear with a quarter-mile to go. However, the favorite tired in the last furlong, ultimately conceding to finish second by three-quarters of a length behind the filly Caitlinhergrtness. He’s still one to watch.

 

 

 


Charles Town, race 9. Bentornato put up a strong effort to finish 1 1/2 lengths behind the tactical winner Valentine Candy in the $500,000 Robert Hilton Memorial. However, after three consecutive losses, he’s being removed from my watch list.


Prairie Meadows, race 9. Long Neck Paula claimed a commanding victory in the six-furlong Prairie Meadows Debutante, closely following the initial quarter-mile in 21.84 seconds before taking control to win by 7 1/2 lengths in 1:09.56. Dropping down from the Schuylerville at Saratoga proved beneficial.

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Saturday


Ellis Park, race 5. Could Brendan Walsh have discovered another talent like Maxfield? East Avenue, a 2-year-old Godolphin bred son of Medaglia d’Oro, is now on my watch list after a remarkable debut in a six-furlong maiden special weight race. He broke sharply, setting early fractions of 23.21 and 46.44 seconds before finishing his final quarter in 24.12 seconds, winning by eight lengths in a time of 1:10.56. This colt shows significant promise and may be on a trajectory towards the Kentucky Derby.

 

 

 


Monmouth Park, race 7: Change of Command has been removed from my list following a disappointing run where he faded from a competitive position to finish last in a $40,000 allowance optional claimer, marking his second consecutive defeat.

 

 


Saratoga, race 9. Measured Time, who seemed uncomfortable racing inside behind a slow pace in the Sword Dancer (G1), made a strong late rally once he found clear running in the homestretch. Despite the accelerating pace, he missed catching the front-runner Far Bridge by just one length. Given the unfavorable race setup, he remains a horse to follow.

Silver Knott also stays on my list despite a third-place finish that ended his three-race winning streak in the Sword Dancer. Moving up to Grade 1 competition might have proved too challenging after his success at the Grade 2 level this year.

 

 


Saratoga, race 10. I suspect that racing along the inside track may have been a disadvantage at Saratoga on this particular Saturday, which could explain why Vahva, the favorite, ended up third in the seven-furlong Ballerina Handicap (G1). She stayed close to the rail throughout the race and seemed to lose momentum in the homestretch, finishing 4 1/4 lengths behind the winner. If my assessment of the track condition is correct, this performance might be better than it initially appeared, making Vahva a new addition to my watch list.

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Saratoga, race 12. In the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial (G1), I had four horses on my watch list competing. Prince of Monaco is worth following after he came in second, making an early move into a fast pace and missing the win by just a neck against the late-charging Domestic Product.

 

 

Timberlake, Jefferson Street, and Speak Easy are all removed from my list following performances that fell short of expectations, finishing fourth, seventh, and ninth, respectively.

 

 


Saratoga, race 13. For the first time, Fierceness managed back-to-back victories, following his win in the Jim Dandy (G2) with a gutsy performance in the Travers (G1). Competing against a strong field, he never fell more than two lengths behind early fractions of 23.53, 48.10, and 1:11.63. He took the lead in the homestretch and held off the formidable filly Thorpedo Anna by a head, completing the 1 1/4 miles in 2:01.79. Fierceness has proven he’s one to keep an eye on.

Thorpedo Anna, hindered by traffic around the far turn which likely cost her the victory, showed a spirited rally once clear and narrowly missed at the finish line, making her a horse to watch. The Curlin winner Unmatched Wisdom also stays on the list even though he finished seventh; the previously unbeaten three-year-old was jostled at the start, which resulted in him being further back than usual.
In contrast, Sierra Leone is being removed from my watch list after finishing third in the Travers. While he ran a commendable race to finish only 1 3/4 lengths behind Fierceness, his four consecutive defeats suggest he may be just below the top tier in his division.

 

 

Del Mar, race 9. The improving 3-year-old Raging Torrent has been added to my watch list after a strong performance against a seasoned field of older competitors in the Pat O’Brien (G2). Setting early fractions of 22.56 and 44.96 seconds, he was briefly overtaken in the homestretch by the favored The Chosen Vron but fought back to secure the win in the seven-furlong sprint by a neck in 1:21.17. With a perfect record of 3-for-3 in seven-furlong dirt sprints this year, he could be an intriguing prospect for either the Breeders’ Cup Sprint or the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.

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Sunday


Del Mar, race 8. Sweet Azteca proved her mettle as a formidable contender on my watch list in the Rancho Bernardo Handicap (G3), setting sharp fractions of 22.08 and 45.06 seconds before pulling away to secure a 6 1/2-furlong sprint by seven lengths in 1:15.60 under minimal urging. She is shaping up as the likely favorite for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint at Del Mar later this year.

 

 


Entries


Wednesday


Saratoga, race 8. Virgin Colada, coming off a debut victory over 1 1/16 miles on turf at Saratoga, is the morning-line favorite at 2-1 to win again over the same distance and surface in the P. G. Johnson. Another win could firmly establish this 2-year-old Chad Brown trainee as a top contender for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.


Thursday


Saratoga, race 10. Uncaged, who rallied to win his debut over six furlongs on dirt at Saratoga, is entered as a main-track-only participant in the With Anticipation, a 1 1/16-mile turf race for juveniles. If the race is moved off the turf due to rain, this robustly bred son of Curlin could pose a serious threat.

The following is my complete, updated list of Horses to Watch.