Friday Insights: Strong Field Of Second-Time Starters Tackle Aqueduct

[Wandering Eyes]

6th-BAQ, $90K, Msw, 2yo, 1m, 3:36 p.m.

One of only a pair of first-time starters in the field, DIGITAL OPS (Nyquist) is the second foal out of MSW/GISP Flora Dora (First Dude). Picked up on a final bid of $600,000 at this Spring's OBS March sale, the colt is a half-brother to 'TDN Rising Star' Spun Intended (Hard Spun).

Drawn outside is fellow first timer and stablemate Unique Insight (Gun Runner). This one, a $360,000 Fasig-Tipton October pickup by Klaravich Stables, is a half to runaway Albany S. winner Drake's Passage (Tonalist).

To graduate, that pair will have to face a trio of salty second-time starters paced by the half-brother to Cody's Wish (Curlin) in Hunt Ball (Into Mischief). The Bill Mott trainee and Godolphin homebred stayed on to be second in his Saratoga debut Aug. 19 behind next-out GIII Iroquois S. runner up Risk It (Gun Runner).

Enlighten (City of Light), a $450,000 yearling, finished the best of the debuting runners in his own Saratoga race Sept. 2 but was ultimately fourth through a speedy seven furlongs.

Arguably the best-bred colt of the bunch, Pentathlon (Speightstown) adds blinkers for his second start after managing sixth behind Just Steel (Justify) and 'TDN Rising Star' Locked (Gun Runner) at the Spa Aug. 5. The Phipps Stable-bred counts MGISW My Flag as his third dam with family members such as champion 2-year-old filly Storm Flag Flying (Storm Cat). TJCIS PPS

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