Tuesday's Two-Year-Olds

Tuesday’s juvenile races begin with race 1 at Finger Lakes (4-1/2 furlong maiden special weight), and trainer/owner Michael Lecesse will send out one of two entrants (as the same jockey is named on both). Freuds On Holidays appeals to me on several angles—her dam won here as a 2-year-old at first asking, and she drops in class after running at Presque Isle first up. She didn’t do much in that race, but posted a much stronger workout afterwards. If Freuds On Holidays doesn’t go, her stablemate Re Examine looks equally talented—and her dam’s already produced four winners, including G3-placed Rereadthefootnotes at age 2 (and winner of this year’s Hollie Hughes Stakes at Aqueduct). Not feeling the appeal of John Terranova’s Maximo Star, as the colt offered little getting whipped by the filly Readygetsgold first up at Belmont—and he’s not particularly well-bred, out of an unraced dam whose mother won only once in 29 starts, and produced nothing of note. On the other hand, the unraced dam of Miss Marla is a half-sister to G3 victor Wishful Tomcat and a full-sister to Uncle T Seven, runner-up in Monmouth’s Continental Mile at 2.

In race 4 at Delaware, these 2-year-old maidens are in for a tag of $30-$40k, and it will be no surprise when Todd Pletcher-trained Myersrocks goes off the extremely short-priced favorite. He finished fourth (just 4-1/2 lengths back) in his first start—a maiden special weight event here on May 29; his half-brother broke his maiden in his third try (as a 3-year-old) in the maiden claiming ranks so maybe he’s now properly placed. Still, I’ll try to beat him. Bret Calhoun sends out a Henny Hughes firster, Dalamar, whose dam is a half-sister to G3 UAE 2000 Guineas runner-up Where’s That Tiger—and his second dam Blissful is a full-sister to Fusaichi Pegasus. Modest gate works, but high-percentage trainer with 2-year-olds. Here For the Music finished third (of eight) last out and moves up two classes, but was claimed out of that race and switches trainers—in addition to gaining the services of Jeremy Rose, he'll run on Lasix for the first time (usually a positive angle). G Man Joe has modest workouts, but his dam has produced nine winners from 11 starters; he’s trained by Ron Alfano for Rickman Racing (the family that owns Delaware Park).

Prairie Meadows race 4 (4-1/2 furlong maiden special weight) isn’t limited to Iowa-breds, and actually features some interesting fillies. Menwolf ships in from Churchill Downs where she started off well, nosing out next-out winner Internet Café for second-place in a maiden special weight on May 7, but then followed two disappointing outings, losing by a combined 21+ lengths—not really feeling her here. Kelly von Hemel-trainee Launch Light Lady looks live after a narrow first-out runner-up effort; she’s a full-sister to two stakes winners, including Launch Light who won last year’s Iowa Cradle at Prairie Meadows—and, given that her second dam Clever Kat was a prolific juvenile stakes winner, signs are good for this one to continue the family tradition. Laynee’s Moose has posted impressive gate works, and she’s by 17% first-time sire Cactus Ridge, out of a Woodman mare who’s already produced four winners. And, boy, there’s the back class there, as her second dam is a half-sister to the great Alydar and Our Mims! The other Cactus Ridge filly, Cactus Two Punch, looks good as well; her dam Heavenly Punch won over $300k, including the G3 Duchess Stakes at Woodbine and Maryland Million Distaff, and has produced four modest winners in four starters. With Ramsey Zimmerman up, she could make it five.

UPDATE:

Well, both parts of the 1-4 entry stayed in at Fingers Lakes, while Maximo Star and another entrant scratched. Benefitting from the inside post, Freuds on Holidays easily defeated her stablemate Re Examine, and that one was much the best of third-place finisher Freuds Ana Streak. No value, though, at those odds.