Promising Prospects and Upcoming Entries
In this biweekly series, racing analyst J. Keeler Johnson spotlights horses that have recently caught his eye and previews runners scheduled to compete in the near future.
Newcomer to the Watch List: Mentee
A full-brother to 2023 champion 2-year-old male Fierceness, Mentee made his debut on Saturday at Belmont at the Big A. The 2-year-old Todd Pletcher trainee opened up a daylight lead through swift fractions of 22.37 and 44.80 seconds, then held on to beat stretch-running Colloquial by a nose in the track-record time of 56.97 seconds. Mentee’s winning time broke the previous track record of 57 seconds set in 1963, and his 88 Beyer Speed Figure suggests he may have a bright future against stakes competition.
Recent Watch List Winners
Tuscan Sky, a 3-year-old son of Vino Rosso, overcame a rail post position in the 1 1/16-mile Pegasus at Monmouth Park. Under jockey Javier Castellano, Tuscan Sky stubbornly held his position while engaged in a pace battle, allowing him to stay out of kickback. He ultimately pulled away down the homestretch to trounce Tampa Bay Derby (G3) winner Domestic Product by 6 3/4 lengths, stopping the clock in 1:43.31 for a 99 Beyer.
Upcoming Entries
On Monday, Apollo Ten will try Tapeta for the first time in the six-furlong Tom Ridge at Presque Isle Downs. The Christophe Clement trainee has shown promise on turf, including a maiden special weight victory at Belmont at the Big A last fall and a five-furlong allowance win at Gulfstream Park two months ago. Clement has saddled two winners, three runners-up, and two third-place finishers from nine sprint starters at Presque Isle since 2019, so Apollo Ten is worth keeping an eye on.
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