The Five Fastest Maidens, Presented By Taylor Made, For The Week Of June 2-9

Wandering Eyes · Tuesday at 08:08 PM

5. ASBURY PARK (GB), 6/6, SAR, Race 8, 1 1-16th (turf)
Beyer Speed Figure- 85
(c, 4, by Frankel {GB}–Limonar {Ire} by Street Cry {Ire})
O-Peter Brant and St Elias Stable. B-St Elias Stable (GB). T-Chad Brown. J-Flavien Prat.
Not surprisingly, Saratoga produced all five of these maiden graduates – three on Friday. Asbury Park got his race in just before heavy rain and powered away as much the best despite a slow pace, wide trip and an 9 1/2-month layoff due to shin issues. Brant bought the colt as a yearling for $318,526 from Vinny Viola in October 2023 at Tattersalls, with Viola opting to keep an ownership share. Brown emptied the barn at Saratoga, going 5-for-28 with Grade I and Grade II victories.

4. RAGTIME, 6/6, SAR, Race 2, 7 furlongs
Beyer Speed Figure- 86
(f, 3, by Union Rags–Burmilla, by Storm Cat)
O/B-Godolphin (Ky). T-Bill Mott. J-Junior Alvarado.
Mott may be all-world, but he has never prioritized success with first-time starters: heading into Saratoga last weekend he had lost with 43 in a row. Then he unleashed winning debuters Friday and Saturday at 9-1 and 8-1 odds, respectively, and both make our top five. Ragtime rolled to the front in midstretch and drew off sharply by 3 3/4 lengths. Her now-22-year-old dam Burmilla had her own Saratoga highlight: in 2007 she earned a 107 Beyer in taking the Grade II Honorable Miss.

3. HIT THE POST, 6/6, SAR, Race 14, 7 furlongs
Beyer Speed Figure- 87
(g, 3, by Kantharos–Memento d'Oro, by Medaglia d'Oro)
O/B- Old Tavern Farm (NY). T-Melanie Giddings. J-Chris Elliott.
In his fourth career start and first as a 3-year-old after 7 1/2 months sidelined, Hit the Post dashed to the front and splashed home a decisive 6 3/4 lengths ahead of New York-breds. Saddled by Giddings of Maple Leaf Mel fame, he became the first Saratoga winner for apprentice Elliott and the second for owners/breeders Walt and Melanie Borisenck, who in 2016 founded Old Tavern Farm in Saratoga Springs.

2. MAINSTREAM, 6/7, SAR, Race 2, 7 furlongs (2nd)
Beyer Speed Figure- 92
(c, 3, by Speightstown–Lesley May, by Tapit)
O-Jeffrey Drown, Don Rachel and Stonestreet Stables. B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings. T-Brad Cox. J-Luis Saez.
Of those who have raced, Mainstream was perhaps America's fastest maiden before Saturday – and still is. At 3-5 odds, he battled head-to-head with Junior Alvarado and Stars and Strides for the final 3/16th as they leaned/rubbed/bumped repeatedly. A stewards' inquiry resulted in no change and Mainstream is 0-for-3 despite back-to-back 92 Beyers on sloppy tracks. Trip note: he stumbled at the break Saturday, and despite an impressively quick recovery may have been unlucky since the final margin was only a head.

1. STARS AND STRIDES, 6/7, SAR, Race 2, 7 furlongs
Beyer Speed Figure- 92
(c, 3, by American Pharoah–Holiday Blues, by Ghostzapper)
O-Pin Oak Stud. B-Four Pillars Holdings (Ky). T-Bill Mott. J-Junior Alvarado.
This $475,000 yearling buy was Mott's second winning first-timer in two days, showing talent and determination to outfinish Mainstream. Aside from his 'Pharoah' genes, his half-brother Panther Island was a stakes sprinter on turf and he already shows a bullet work on grass at Payson, so the green is a nice future option.