Second Chances: Pursuitneversleeps – ‘Dale Thought He’d Run Big This Past Saturday and That’s What He Did’

[Wandering Eyes]

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

A flashy 93 Beyer Speed Figure didn't accompany a diploma for Bakster Farm's Pursuitneversleeps (c, 3, Ghostzapper–Fashion Factor, by The Factor), who had to settle for second on debut in a quickly run maiden special weight at Gulfstream Park Mar. 15.

Off as the fourth choice at odds of 6-1, the Dale Romans-trained Pursuitneversleeps broke alertly from his rail draw. He was immediately guided to the outside by Junior Alvarado and in chase mode as the well-meant first-time starter Here Comes Francis (Improbable) ripped through fractions of :22.29 and :44.81.

Three lengths back in second with a quarter of a mile to go, Pursuitneversleeps began to cut into Here Comes Francis's advantage in the stretch and finished with interest in a field-best :12.75 while shrinking the winning margin to 1 1/2 lengths. It was another 10 1/4 lengths back to the third-place finisher.

The final time for six furlongs was a sharp 1:09.57. Fellow 3-year-old Rolando (Vekoma) covered the same distance in 1:10.57 while capturing the Hutcheson Stakes four races earlier on the program.

“When horses run like that first time out for me, I call them great prospects,” owner Jim Bakke said. “I don't want to get too far ahead of myself.”

He continued, “We're gonna run him back in a maiden special, maybe even on Derby Day at Churchill. He needs a little gap between that race and his next one, for sure.”

Pursuitneversleeps, a $125,000 KEENOV weanling turned $250,000 KEESEP yearling, was bred in Kentucky by Ghostzapper Syndicate, Scarteen Stud and Barry Donworth. His sire Ghostzapper is responsible for 105 stakes winners worldwide. Pursuitneversleeps was produced by Fashion Factor, a winning half-sister to GSW & GISP and dynamite producer Graeme Six (Graeme Hall). Fashion Factor brought $50,000 from co-breeder Scarteen Stud at the 2019 KEENOV sale.

“Dale has been very positive on the horse ever since he was a 2-year-old,” Bakke said. “We had to stop on him and give him 60 or 90 days off. We started him back up and Dale thought he'd run big this past Saturday. And that's what he did.”

The 'Second Chances' Honor Roll is headed by Horse of the Year Cody's Wish (Curlin), fellow two-time Breeders' Cup winner Golden Pal (Uncle Mo) and GISWs A Mo Reay (Uncle Mo), Honor A. P. (Honor Code), Locked (Gun Runner), Paradise Woods (Union Rags) and Speaker's Corner (Street Sense). 

Here Comes Francis, with @luissaezpty, reaches the wire first in race 8 for trainer @VictorEBarboza. #GulfstreamPark #ChampionshipMeet pic.twitter.com/T1z5LOojgs

— Gulfstream Park (@GulfstreamPark) March 15, 2025

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