Juvies for July 1

Race 2 at Belmont features all (save one) first-time starters, including Afaaf, half-sister to G3 Delta Jackpot victor Rule whose dam Rockcide is a half-sister to Funny Cide. Nice sharp gate work, and looks promising with Alan Garcia riding for Kiaran McLaughlin. As part of the Live Oak Plantation entry, Thomas Albertrani sends out Hoofprint whose dam has produced seven winners, including G3 Hollywood Prevue runner-up Bushwacker. Seth Benzel trains the other entry Preachninthestreet whose stakes-placed dam Preach It is a half-sister to G2 Peter Pan victor and sire Oratory, out of the G1 Matron runner-up Arrested Dreams. Her works are nothing spectacular, and she drew the far outside post. I find it interesting that top jock Ramon Dominquez is aboard the Tim Ice-trainee Hey Valentina; love the two long five furlong works in anticipation for this...

At Churchill, race 5 is a maiden claimer with all first-time starters. Juvenile maestro Wesley Ward sends out two here with the requisite quick gate works, but frankly neither thrills me. Neither does Dale Romans’ well-bred Gator Blitz. The fact that Robbie Albarado is aboard Winking Star is a huge positive; nice long five furlong gate works, plus her half-sister Setting the Rate won first out as a 2-year-old. Tensas Punch has posted very sharp works for Merrill Scherer; her unraced dam is a half-sister to G3-placed Khalila and G2 Alcibiades runner-up Galloping Gal. For a bit of a price, Deda Did It looks promising; her dam was stakes-placed at 2.

Among the first-time starters in Race 7 at Arlington is the Vindication colt Sherriff Cogburn whose dam Sweet Nanette was a juvenile stakes winner, not to mention runner-up to champion Caressing in the 2001 G3 La Troienne. His full-brother Sargent Seattle won by over six lengths in his maiden effort, and he’s clocked some nice workouts in advance of this. Darrin Miller sends out Halfway House, a pricey $120k Fasig-Tipton yearling purchase, especially considering his sire Offlee Wild’s average is $16.5k. Nothing phenomenal in his works, but his dam has produced 10 winners, including G3 Ancient Title victor Lakota Brave, although none won at 2. In his first effort, Ssschille Day (Artie Schiller) finished second after dueling on the lead most of the race; with that experience, he could either be stronger or flop. His family isn’t much—a bunch of filly European turf runners that didn’t win (much), although his dam is a half-sister to Big Sur who won the G2 Sapling at 2. I like Catch The Train (Silver Train) a bit more out of that same race, as he gets blinkers. His dam is a half-sister to multiple G1-placed Looie Capote, and Fast Catch who defeated Serena’s Song in the 1996 G2 Churchill Downs Distaff. The other Silver Train colt Big Blue Caboose has some back class—his dam No Blues Today is a half-sister to Lotta Kim, dam of Rachel Alexandra.