Two-Year-Old Thoroughbreds to Watch: Team Picks 3

Two-Year-Old Thoroughbreds to Watch: Team Picks 3– It seems as if the summer and the two-year-old competition heat up simultaneously each year. The big races for young horses are nearing quickly, and many seem to be preparing quite arduously for impressive future races. Here are a few colts and fillies that may be worth keeping an eye on!

Young Brian
Hard Spun – Glacier Peak, by Pulpit
Reinier’s One to Watch
Sold for $37k as a yearling and $500k as a two-year-old colt, Young Brian showed a lot of promise in winning his career debut. After breaking slowly, he moved up and ranged outside of the main speed horses. He then took control turning for home and won in a hand ride. When inexperienced horses start awkwardly, they normally do not overcome the trouble. Also, Young Brian wanted to win and accomplished that mission on his own. This horse is a Del Mar Futurity contender.

Exaggerator
Curlin – Dawn Raid, by Vindication
Jessica’s One to Watch
It may have taken Exaggerator two tries to break his maiden, but when he did, he did it with style. The dark bay son of Curlin hails from the barn of Keith Desormeaux and had a couple of good works before his debut. He finished fifth in a five-furlong test at Santa Anita after succumbing to a fast pace in a field that was led by recent graded stakes winner Nyquist. In his second try, this time over six furlongs, Exaggerator got caught behind a wall of horses but managed to make a wide, sweeping move that allowed him to nail the leader at the wire to win by a nose. This colt will be running in the Saratoga Special (GII) this weekend, so it will be interesting to see how he handles stakes company.

Constellation
Bellamy Road – For Royalty, by Not for Love
Casey’s One to Watch
TDN chose Constellation as a “Rising Star” after her dazzling performance on August 9 at Saratoga. She traveled the 5-1/2 furlongs in 1:04.65. The $155,000 yearling and $800,000 two-year-old purchase is named for her unique markings that resemble stars in the sky. The daughter of Bellamy Road and For Royalty (Not for Love) should improve as she continues to stretch out, and she likely has a bright future and career ahead of her. Pedigree suggests she will be successful as she hails from the family of Spun Sugar (Awesome Again) and Daaher (Awesome Again). Constellation is also the half-sibling to internet sensation Back Flip, who got her name shortly after she was born.

Canada
Giant’s Causeway – Silky Serenade, by Unbridled’s Song
Reinier’s Other One to Watch
As with other two-year-old horses written about here, this expensive $500k colt might need one more start. Watch the replay of his career debut in a one-mile turf race at Del Mar (look on calracing.com and search his name). The three horses up front stayed there even though visually they appeared to duel. Regardless of the fractions, perhaps there was a strange speed bias. Considering the pedigree and elite connections, give Canada another chance.

Surfside Tiara
Scat Daddy – Starlight Tiara, by More Than Ready
Jessica’s Other One to Watch
Surfside Tiara underwent a pretty wild ride in her debut. After running wide early, she was angled to the inside around the turn to make her run but lugged out a bit in the stretch before having to split rivals on her way to attacking the leader. She chased that foe valiantly and managed to lose by a mere half length. The daughter of Scat Daddy had quite a bit of speed in her second race, so there would be no chance of a loss. Breaking from the outside post position in a field of nine, Surfside Tiara ran a close second to the leader, and around the turn she made a move that saw her dusting the field by 5-1/4 lengths. Because her immediate female family was unraced, it’s a bit difficult to determine at what distance she’ll do her best running, but it seems reasonable to think she’ll at least run well up to a mile if not further. Interestingly enough, though, Surfside Tiara is from the same family as Flanders, a Champion Two-Year-Old Filly and the dam of Surfside, a Champion Three-Year-Old Filly in her own right.

Two-Year-Old Thoroughbreds to Watch: Team Picks 2
Two-Year-Old Thoroughbreds to Watch: Team Picks