The Five Fastest Maidens for the Week, Presented by Taylor Made, of July 6 -13

Wandering Eyes · July 15

5). CURTAIN CALL, SAR, 7/12, 6 furlongs (VIDEO) R1
Beyer Speed Figure- 82
(c, 2, by Tiz the Law–Deep Trouble, by Into Mischief).
O-West Point Thoroughbreds. B-Nancy Stone (Fla). T-Mark Casse. J-Jose Ortiz.
Tim Wilkin related in TDN how Casse sent West Point's Terry Finley a simple text message to sum up his opinion about Curtain Call. Actually, it was a photo–of a Porsche. And Curtain Call lived up to the private hype in Saturday's Saratoga opener, blowing away even-money Tagermeen to the tune of 8 1/2 lengths. Curtain Call can be forgiven for his well-beaten debut second last month at Churchill Downs: he was up against future Sanford Stakes winner Obliteration.

4). STURDY, SAR, 7/13, 1 1/8 miles (3rd) (VIDEO) R1
Beyer Speed Figure- 82
(g, 4, by Mitole–Holidays Saratoga, by Harlan's Holiday)
O-Repole Stable and R.A. Hill Stable. B-ERJ Racing (Ky). T-George Weaver. J-Manny Franco.
Here's a son of sprint champion Mitole who clearly prefers to run at least nine furlongs. He makes the list this week by virtue of his third at that distance Sunday at Saratoga, crossing the wire 5 1/4 lengths back after rallying from last in the five-horse field. He's now an eight-race maiden, but against fast competition that has included Locked, Domestic Product and Strategic Focus.

3). RUNAWAY AGAIN, WO, 7/13, 1 1/16 miles (VIDEO) R2
Beyer Speed Figure- 83
(g, 3, by Hard Spun–Golden Venus, by Storm Cat)
O-Stronach Stable. B-Adena Springs (Ont-C). Trainer-Sid Attard. Jockey-Ryan Munger.
A blast from the past: owned and bred by 92-year-old Frank Stronach, as a product of his Ontario Adena Springs operation. Attard chose two turns for Runaway Again's debut for good reason—the gelding quickly dropped to last and trailed by seven lengths before his second-turn rally saw him strike the front at the quarter pole. His five siblings to race were all cheap claimers, but go back another generation and his unraced dam is a half-sister to Stronach stars Awesome Again and Macho Uno.

2). CHILLAX, SAR, 7/13, 1 1/8 miles (2nd) (VIDEO) R1
Beyer Speed Figure- 87
(c, 3, by Bernardini–Keepshercool by Smart Strike)
O/B-Godolphin (Ky). T-Bill Mott. J-Junior Alvarado.
The talent is there, but for a third straight race Chillax cruised to the pacesetter in upper stretch as if victory was inevitable, only to be rebuffed…or to hang, in which case Mott will likely come up with a solution. Godolphin paid $110,000 for his dam, who is out of Santa Anita Oaks/Las Virgenes/Oak Leaf winner (and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies runner-up) Composure.

1). CLASSICIST, SAR, 7/13, 1 1/8 miles (1st) (VIDEO) R1
Beyer Speed Figure- 90
(c, 3, by Curlin–Playtime, by Street Cry {Ire})
O/B-St. Elias Stables (Ky). T-Todd Pletcher. J-Irad Ortiz, Jr.
He's the colt who rebuffed Chillax after setting the fractions– and he was running for the first time in 9 1/2 months, having trained steadily in the Pletcher program since mid-April. Vinny Viola bought dam Playtime from the late Dinny Phipps about a decade ago, and she couldn't run much, but she has already produced a graded winner in Jouster. And there's this: Playtime's dam is Phipps champion Storm Flag Flying, which means, of course, the third and fourth dams on the pedigree page are My Flag and Personal Ensign.