Curlin | Horse Racing Free Tips

Second Chances: Well-Bred Marsalis One to Watch for Stonestreet & Asmussen

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar.

In a race that didn't deserve a loser, Stonestreet homebred Marsalis (c, 3, Curlin–Hot Dixie Chick, by Dixie Union) came up a head short on debut after running hard the entire way on the GII Risen Star S. undercard Feb. 19 (video).

The well-bred chestnut's worktab was highlighted by a five-furlong bullet from the gate in :59 4/5 (1/47) at Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen's Fair Grounds base Jan. 30 and he was off as the 7-5 favorite.

Drawn wide in post nine with Joel Rosario in the irons, Marsalis flashed smart early speed and was immediately hounded to his outside by fellow firster Momentous (Speightstown) through an opening quarter in :22.29. Head and head with that Todd Pletcher-trained rival as they approached the quarter pole, Marsalis continued to fight on gamely from the inside with neither giving an inch down the stretch and crossed the wire a painful second in an absolute thriller. It was 5 1/4 lengths back to Major Contender (Distorted Humor) in third.

The final time for six furlongs was 1:09.58. Marsalis earned a solid 75 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort.

“Two really good horses–he ran super,” Stonestreet's bloodstock advisor John Moynihan said.

“He showed a lot of promise last year as a 2-year-old, but he bucked his shins, so we decided not to press on and try to run him at two. Ever since Steve's had him, he's really liked him. But he's one of those horses that from the time we've had him at the farm, he always trained super. [Stonestreet trainer] Ian [Brennan] really really liked him. He went on to Steve and he expected him to really run well.”

Marsalis's pedigree is Stonestreet and Asmussen top and bottom. Hailing by the duo's two-time Horse of the Year and leading sire Curlin, Marsalis is out of 2009 GI Spinaway S. heroine Hot Dixie Chick, a $435,000 Fasig-Tipton Florida Select 2-Year-Old purchase by Barbara Banke's Grace Stables.

The half-sister to GI Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming (Bodemeister) has also produced young Sequel stallion Union Jackson (Curlin), MSW & GSP; and MGSW Pauline's Pearl (Tapit). The latter lines up in Saturday's GII Azeri S. at Oaklawn.

Hot Dixie Chick had a colt by Constitution in 2021 and was bred back to Quality Road.

“Hot Dixie Chick was a great 2-year-old–she was a really good filly,” Moynihan said. “We bought her out of a 2-year-old sale. It was actually the first horse that Barbara bought on her own while Mr. Jackson was still alive. Hot Dixie Chick has really come on–she had Pauline's Pearl, who ran in the Kentucky Oaks last year. Her first foal Union Jackson was quite talented as well.”

Marsalis has since returned to the worktab with a pair of four-furlong breezes for Asmussen in NOLA, including a :50 flat (19/27) move Mar. 7. Anything penciled in for his next start yet?

“We'll let Steve dictate that, but I'm sure it will be another maiden race,” Moynihan concluded.

Previous standouts featured in 'Second Chances' include: two-time Breeders' Cup winner Golden Pal (Uncle Mo), GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby winner and Lane's End stallion Honor A. P. (Honor Code), MGISW and 'TDN Rising Star' Paradise Woods (Union Rags), last weekend's GII WinStar Gulfstream Park Mile S. winner Speaker's Corner (Street Sense), GIII Las Virgenes S. heroine Moonlight d'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro), GII Los Alamitos Futurity winner and MGISP Spielberg (Union Rags), GSW Backyard Heaven (Tizway), MSW and 'TDN Rising Star' Gidu (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and GI Frizette S. third-place finisher A Mo Reay (Uncle Mo).

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The Week in Review: Shift to New York a Curious Move on Prat’s Part

Flavien Prat is in the right place at the right time in Southern California. Young and gifted, he dominates the circuit in a way no jockey has in years. He picked up his 60th win of the meet Saturday, 25 more than runner-up Juan Hernandez. He won three stakes on the card, giving him 15 for the meet. And he rides for just about all the top barns on the circuit, most notably Bob Baffert.

It's far, far from broke, but Prat is intent on fixing it. On Saturday, he told Jay Privman of the Daily Racing Form that he plans to ride the Keeneland meeting in April and then will move to Belmont Park. Belmont opens Apr. 28.

Prat told Privman that he thought riding in New York would give him as better shot of a winning an Eclipse Award. He was an Eclipse finalist in 2021, but lost out to Joel Rosario.

“It feels like if you want to give yourself a chance to get an Eclipse Award that you need to go to New York,” he said. “That's just the way it is. I never thought I'd leave here, to be honest.”

It's not that Prat isn't good enough to ride in New York. Far from it. The problem for him will be that he will have to find a way to stand out in what is the most crowded jockey colony in the country. There's Jose Ortiz, Irad Ortiz Jr., Luis Saez and Rosario. John Velazquez, who has been riding in California, will be back. Umberto Rispoli has also announced that he, too, will be making the shift from California to New York.

The competition Prat will face in New York will be fierce, hardly the case in California, where the jockey colony has never been weaker. That's a big part of the reason Prat has been so successful in California…he's just a lot better than everyone else. The question is, how much has that played into his dominance there?

Prat will no doubt enjoy some success in New York. The key will be breaking into the top barns. He's won 13 races and 10 stakes for Chad Brown. He's had four winners over the years for Todd Pletcher. He won the 2019 GI Kentucky Derby via disqualification on Country House (Lookin at Lucky) for Bill Mott. That suggests that those trainers may give him a chance, but there's no way he can move into any of the top stables, push aside the regular New York riders and take over.

He will be in the top five in the standings in New York and maybe better. But there is no chance that he will dominate that circuit like he does in California. So is it better to be the fourth leading rider in New York or the No. 1 rider in California? One would think that the answer is the latter. Prat obviously disagrees.

Richard Mandella is Derby Bound

Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella has not started a horse in the Kentucky Derby since 2004. He's had five runners in the Derby over all and none have finished better than fifth. Neither of which is that surprising. Mandella is one of only a few top trainers that does not put a big emphasis on winning the Derby or other 3-year-old stakes. He likes to bring horses along slowly and many of his best runners have been four or older.

But that may be about to change.

Having never raced beyond seven furlongs, Forbidden Kingdom (American Pharoah) had some questions to answer in Saturday's 1 1/16-miles GII San Felipe S. at Santa Anita. He answered them all and did so with authority, winning by 5 3/4 lengths. He may not be as talented as Life Is Good (Into Mischief), but he wins his races the same way. Forbidden Kingdom rockets out of the gate, runs away from the competition and has more than enough stamina to complete the job.

That may not be so easy to do at 1 1/4 miles, but Mandella is the perfect trainer to get the horse to relax and stretch his speed out another furlong and a half.

A win in the GI Santa Anita Derby and/or the Kentucky Derby would be huge for the sire, American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile). While he's gotten off to a good start as a sire, he still hasn't had that Grade I star dirt horse to put on his resume. With Forbidden Kingdom, that may about to change.

It's Ladies Day at the Hall of Fame

The nominations for the next class of the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame came out last week and five of the six horses nominated were fillies. The sixth was a gelding.

That's something we might all have to get used to. Unless they are a gelding, you can't expect to get more than eight or nine career starts anymore out of a male horse who has the talent to be a Hall of Famer. They'll likely end their careers after their 3-year-old year and go stand at stud, not enough time to put together a career that includes enough starts and wins to be considered Hall of Fame worthy.

But most top fillies race, at least, until they are four. The two no-brainers on the Hall of Fame ballot are Beholder (Henny Hughes) and Tepin (Bernstein). Beholder ran 26 times and raced at six. Tepin raced 23 times and raced at five.

Since Curlin was inducted in 2014, Triple Crown winner American Pharoah is the only modern era, non-gelding male to get into the Hall of Fame. Whether or not a horse with a short campaign can make it into the Hall of Fame will be put to the test when Justify (Scat Daddy) becomes eligible. He raced only six times, but is, of course, a Triple Crown winner. All other Triple Crown winners are in the Hall of Fame. Justify will be eligible in 2024.

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Saturday Insights: Well-Bred Siblings to Graded Winners Debut

2nd-GP, $60k, Msw, 3yo, f, 7f, 12:40p.m. ET
This contest kicks off the first of two maiden special weights on the Hallendale card with smartly regarded firsters. Breaking from the far outside, Blini (Tapit) has graded stakes winning shadows to outrun: full-siblings Iron Fist, MGSW, $1,104,199; Anchor Down, GISP & MGSW, $734,254; and half-sister Sweet Lulu (Mr. Greeley), GISW, $693,600. Her dam Successful Outlook (Orientate) is a third generation graded stakes runner and producer. To her inside, there is a Calumet owned and bred half-sister to SW, $865,921, Pingxiang (Speightstown) named Peligroso (Honor Code) going for conditioner Jack Sisterson. The Albaugh Family Stables send out $500,000 KEESEP purchase Tiffany's Mo (Uncle Mo), a half to GSP Threes Over Deuces (Flat Out). Todd Pletcher conditions Falconet (Uncle Mo), the first foal for GISW Birdatthewire (Summer Bird) and the formidable partnership of Klaravich Stables and Chad Brow will unveil $280,000 KEESEP acquisition Signal from Noise (Arrogate). TJCIS PPs

4th-GP, $60k, Msw, 3yo, 7f, 1:40p.m. ET
OXO Equine's $675,000 KEESEP prize Mendenhall (Pioneerof the Nile) debuts under Bill Mott's tutelage. A half to stakes winners Balandeen (Bernardini) and Matwakel (California Chrome), this is the family of Canadian Champion 2-year-old filly Deputy Jane West (Silver Deputy). The royal blue silks of Godolphin are represented by their homebred Town Branch (Street Sense), a full sibling to GSW Speaker's Corner. A $300,000 OBSAPR (:20 3/5) buy, Super Quality (Competitive Edge), and $240,000 EASOCT graduate Hidden Plan (Street Sense), half to GSW Cordmaker (Curlin), round out the field. TJCIS PPs

8th-GP, $62k, Alw, 4yo/up, 1m, 3:40p.m. ET
Stage Raider (Pioneerof the Nile), half-brother to Triple Crown Champion Justify (Scat Daddy) and ill-fated GSW The Lieutenant (Street Sense), makes his return to the races here against an experience field. Second on debut to Prevalence (Medaglia d'Oro), who's also in the field, the colt's 10 3/4 length maiden breaking Apr. 10 score at Keeneland earned him 'TDN Rising Star' honors. He punctuated that title with a three length win against allowance company May 14 at Belmont Park before being given a nine month freshening. He's been set at 7-2 morning line odds for his return. TJCIS PPs

2nd-SA, $67k, Msw, 3yo, 6f, 3:28p.m. ET
The connections of Medina Spirit (Protonico) send out $1.7 million FTFMAR purchase (:10 1/5) Taiba (Gun Runner), the second most expensive to hail from the Gulfstream 2-year-old auction behind $2.6 million stablemate Bletchley Park (Nyquist). Taiba is MSW Needmore Flattery (Flatter)'s second foal to the races. The flashy Tenth Street Don (Practical Joke), $240,000 at OBSAPR (:10 1/5), goes to post for trainer Vladimir Cerin. TJCIS PPs

2nd-AQU, $80k, Msw, 3yo, 1m, 1:20p.m. ET
By far the most expensive horse in the race, $875,000 KEESEP procurement Don the Jeweler (Into Mischief) debuts in the colors of Peter Brant, and is conditioned by Chad Brown. He's out of a half-sister to MGISW Include Me Out (Include) and GISW & MGSW Check the Label (Stormin Fever), both of whom have produced winners. The female family claims at least 14 graded and stakes quality horses. TJCIS PPs

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First Captain Kicks Off Year with Nail-Biting Win

10th-Gulfstream, $56,000, Alw (C)/Opt. Clm ($75,000), 2-27, 4yo/up, 7f, 1:22.19, ft, head.

FIRST CAPTAIN (c, 4, Curlin–America {GSW & MGISP, $580,532}, by A.P. Indy) faced a small but contentious field for his 4-year-old debut, including GSWs Trophy Chaser (Twirling Candy) and Dennis' Moment (Tiznow)–the latter also a 'TDN Rising Star'–as well as black-type winners Real Talk (Gemologist) and Hello Hot Rod (Mosler). A 'TDN Rising Star' himself, First Captain was slowest of all out of the stalls, yet kept in touch with the tightly packed field from the back. Nearly five lengths behind and well off the rail at the :22.71 quarter, he was still in the rear at the :45.24 half-mile mark but making progress. Still wide, the 4-5 favorite loomed menacingly on the turn on the outside, getting occasional right-handed encouragement from Jose Ortiz. Just when it looked like he had too much to do, First Captain kicked into another gear just strides from the wire, inhaling frontrunner Doc Amster (Midshipman)–the only non-stakes winner in the field–in the last possible second by a head.

With only four previous starts under his girth, First Captain won his first three. He broke his maiden at first asking last April at Belmont, getting a 94 Beyer Speed Figure. With a second consecutive win, taking a Belmont allowance in May and accorded both a 95 Beyer and 'Rising Star' status, the $1.5-million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling went into the GIII Dwyer S. in July and prevailed as the favorite. He flattened to third in Saratoga's Curlin S. later that month and Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey gave him plenty of time to regroup before his 4-year-old campaign.

Chef Bobby Flay bred First Captain and stayed in for a piece of the Curlin colt. As Flay recently detailed in an edition of Mating Plans, he is breeding the chestnut's dam, America, back to Curlin this year for a full-sibling. America also produced full-sisters to First Captain in 2019 and 2021. Her lone other mate has been Uncle Mo, by whom America has a 2-year-old colt named Kid American (a $550,000 RNA at KEESEP), and by whom she is expecting a foal this year. Flay also has America's half-sister Street Strut (Street Cry {Ire}), who is going to Constitution. Another half-sister to America produced 2020 GISW Paris Lights (Curlin) and the family goes back to Blush With Pride (Blushing Groom {Fr}), First Captain's fourth dam. Blush With Pride-winner of the 1982 GI Kentucky Oaks–was out of Broodmare of the Year Best in Show (Traffic Judge) and produced Broodmare of the Year Better Than Honour (Deputy Minister). Sales History: $1,500,000 Ylg '19 FTSAUG. Lifetime Record: GSW, 5-4-0-1, $285,600. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

O-West Point Thoroughbreds, Siena Farm LLC, Bobby Flay, & Woodford Racing, LLC; B-B. Flay Thoroughbreds (KY); T-Claude R. McGaughey III.

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