Stable Alerts: Team suggestions of horses to watch for Fall 2023

James Scully

• Anarchist
  • Versatile type ran well on dirt in True North, upside in sprint division for Doug O’Neill.
• Donegal Forever
  • 3yo to watch for Pletcher, overcame disastrous start to win debut going away at two turns. More coming.
• Filo Di Arianna
  • Woodbine specialist finally carried form elsewhere, doing all the dirty work before being nailed by perfect-trip winner in Joker. Encouraging.
• Three Rivers
  • 3yo filly sharp winning at first asking for Mott, race came back fast and exciting dirt prospect has pedigree for turf.
• Transect
  • Gun Runner colt appears early in development, thrown into fire last time and benefits from fourth-place effort.

Kaitlin Free

• Verstappen
  • Upset winner of a G2 at Keeneland, needed a break after a long winter / spring campaign & could be a force when he returns
• Bolivie (IRE)
  
  • Troubled trip in the most recent start at Churchill Downs. Has been unlucky lately with races being taken off the turf, when she is entered back expect good things
• Rhyme Schemes
  • Impressive maiden winner at Ellis Park that really improved at 2nd asking with the addition of blinkers
• Didia (ARG)
  
  • Only one career loss in the United States which came last out in her first attempt at G1 company here. One to watch in future G1's and has a great relationship with jockey Vincent Cheminaud
• Sweet Azteca
  • Giant debut winner at Churchill Downs in the Spring. Needed a bit of time before she made it to the races but was worth the wait. Could be a future stakes winner you want to keep in your back pocket

Joe Kristufek

• Society
  • She’s a grade I winner around two turns, but elongated sprints are probably her best game. She couldn’t have been more impressive than she was last out at Ellis Park. Her superstar stablemate Echo Zulu is a similar-type filly, so it will be interesting to see how trainer Steve Asmussen campaigns them in advance of a potential match-up in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.
• Copper Em
  • A 2-year-old daughter of the under the radar, yet promising first crop sire Copper Bullet, she was dismissed at odds of 15-1 at first asking, but she made a mockery what appears to be a deep and talented field.
• Loved
  • Maxfield’s little sister has been dominant in winning all three of her starts this year in runaway fashion. She’s naturally fast, push button and seemingly unfazed by adversity. When she finally receives a true test, chances are she’ll be up to it.
• Zozos
  • Tenth in the 2022 Kentucky Derby, Zozos has proven himself to be most effective at shorter distances. He’s rattled off three consecutive wins, and looks like a prime candidate for the Breeders’ Cup Mile.
• Extra Anejo
  • Light on experience but long on talent, this late developing 3-year-old still has plenty of upside. He was dominant over a mile in his most recent start at Ellis Park, but the pedigree suggests he should handle longer distances moving forward. He’s a super exciting prospect.

Kellie Reilly

• Stone Age
  • Last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf runner-up for Aidan O’Brien is now stateside with Chad Brown.
• Adare Manor
  • Santa Anita specialist ranks as the leading locally-based contender for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff.
• Julia Shining
  • Three-year-old full sister to champion Malathaat could be set for a breakthrough second half.
• First Mission
  • Key scratch from the Preakness is expected to be on the comeback trail for Brad Cox.
• Exaulted
  • Turf revelation has already secured a spot in the Breeders’ Cup Mile.
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Scott Shapiro

• Disarm
  • Showed improved speed in win over slop in Matt Winn. Appears poised for a big 2nd half of the year for barn that has always been very high on this colt.
• Arabian Lion
  • Has been a new horse this spring after pair of poor efforts in Dec/Feb. Might be best in one-turn races, but BC Dirt Mile could be ultimate goal with Jerkens at Saratoga likely next stop.
• Gunite
  • Was very impressive besting Bango in Aristides on 6/3. Likely to tackle either Cody’s Wish or Elite Power come Breeders’ Cup. Could offer solid value in those spots.

Ashley Anderson

• Elite Power
  • The 2022 champion sprinter has extended his win streak to eight during his 2023 campaign, with victories in the Riyadh Dirt Sprint (G3) overseas and True North (G2) at Belmont, plus the Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. (G1) at Saratoga in July. The Juddmonte five-year-old has not lost since finishing third in a maiden special weight at Churchill Downs on May 7, 2022 and will likely next target the Forego (G1) in an attempt to score his ninth straight win.
• Whitebeam
  • Surprise winner of the Diana (G1) at Saratoga over stablemate In Italian, this Chad Brown runner is one to keep an eye on. A Juddmonte homebred, the gray filly shipped to the U.S. this spring and is just a neck shy of an unbeaten 3-for-3 record under Brown’s care. The Caravaggio filly should continue to improve. Brown noted after her Diana win that he could see Grade 1 potential after her first work, and that she “trained as good as [his] top handful of horses all winter.”
• Goodnight Olive
  • Since breaking her maiden by more than eight lengths at second asking, Goodnight Olive went on a tear, dominating in her next six starts, including three Grade 1 victories in the Ballerina H., Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, and Madison. Then in the Derby City Distaff (G1), on the Kentucky Oaks undercard, she got boxed in and never found room to the wire, finishing third as the odds-on favorite to Matereya. The Chad Brown runner next faced the second-place finisher from that race, Wicked Halo, in the Bed o’ Roses (G2) and beat her rival by a neck to return to the winner’s circle. In the running for the Eclipse Award for older dirt female, this Ghostzapper mare faces steep competition from Nest, Clairiere, and Echo Zulu.
• Hoosier Philly
  • Arguably the most notable two-year-old filly of 2022, Hoosier Philly struggled at the beginning of her sophomore campaign, failing to make the Kentucky Oaks (G1) field after finishing third in the Rachel Alexandra (G2) and fourth in the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2). She returned from a two-month layoff in May and appeared to regain form, as she finished second to longshot Taxed in the Black-Eyed Susan (G2), then beat multiple graded stakes winner Wet Paint in the Monomoy Girl at Ellis Park. Next out, Hoosier Philly was slated to start in the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1), which Wet Paint won, but the Tom Amoss pupil scratched from the race because of a foot issue. Will the three-year-old pick up from where she left off at Ellis, or will she prove inconsistent as the second half of the season commences?
• Defunded
  • Winner of the Californian S. (G2) and Hollywood Gold Cup (G1) at Santa Anita this season, Defunded suffered a setback in the San Diego H. (G2) at Del Mar when fourth to longshot Senor Buscador. The Bob Baffert trainee will likely aim toward the Pacific Classic (G1) in an effort to secure a bid to this fall’s Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Santa Anita, where Defunded has done his best work, earning a 9-5-2-1 record at the track.

Vance Hanson

• Mylady (GER)
  
  • German import took U.S. debut at GP; big threat whenever she returns
• Practical Move
  • Top pick in Kentucky Derby before scratch; talented
• Taxed
  • Black-Eyed Susan winner needs distance; watch for in Alabama
• Up to the Mark
  • Best turf horse in country