Six Fastest Maidens, Presented By Taylor Made: Oct. 21-Nov. 1

Wandering Eyes · 2025-11-04T23:17:50Z

6. SOLITUDE DUDE, GP, 11/1, 6 1/2 furlongs. (VIDEO)
Beyer Speed Figure- 86
(c, 2, by Yaupon–After the Party, by Into Mischief)
O-Chris Fountoukis. B-Martha Buckner and Matthew Ernst (Ky). T-Saffie Joseph, Jr.. J-Micah Husbands.
Debuting as third betting choice (another Saffie Joseph first-timer was favored), he drubbed the competition by 9 1/2 lengths after setting the fractions. Joseph signed the $300k ticket in June at OBS for the son of first-crop sire Yaupon. The jury is still out on Yaupon's stamina genes, and Solitude Dude's dam was also a sprint type, but from the looks of this a one-turn mile would definitely be within his scope.

5. BLACKSMITH, SA, 10/25, 6 1/2 furlongs. (VIDEO)
Beyer Speed Figure- 91 (2nd)
(c, 2, by Liam's Map–Sweet Achiever, by Curlin)
O-Wathnan Racing. B-Hill 'n Dale Equine Holdings and St. Elias Stables (Ky). T-Bob Baffert. J-Juan Hernandez.
The Baffert first-timer was hard-ridden 3/8ths out trying to keep up with sharp winner Acknowledgemeplz (see below), but was finding his best late as if extra distance would help. And his pedigree seconds that thought. His unraced Curlin dam is a full-sister to fast Baffert-trained Cezanne but traces back to blue hen mare Better Than Honour (Jazil, Rags to Riches, Man of Iron, etc.), a stamina influence if there ever was one. The $525k yearling races for Qatar-based Wathnan Racing, which is trying to plant a flag in the U.S.–and its new association with Baffert won't hurt that cause.

4. NUANCED, KEE, 10/23, 1 1-16 miles. (VIDEO)
Beyer Speed Figure- 91
(g, 3, by Complexity–Haven, by Take Charge Indy)
O-Klaravich Stables. B-Larmon and Christina Cowles (Ky). T-Chad Brown. J-Tyler Gaffalione.
Claim slips for $50,000 were dropped for five of the 10 starters in this race, but guess who wasn't claimed? The 12 1/2-length winner! A $340k yearling purchase by Seth Klarman, Nuanced wasn't highly regarded at Churchill in his first start, and ran like it, finishing 11th of 12 in a maiden special weight. But blinkers, experience and two turns did the trick, and at 5/1 odds he looked like 1/5.

3. EL PRESTIGIO, KEE, 10/22, 6 furlongs. (VIDEO)
Beyer Speed Figure- 93
(c, 3, by Practical Joke–Bartlett Narrows, by Flatter)
O-Benjamin Gase. B-Edwin Anthony. T-Steve Asmussen. J-Irad Ortiz, Jr.
A six-race maiden who hadn't run since Oaklawn in January, he at least had racked up four seconds and a peak Beyer Speed Figure of 81. But he took some action at 7/2 odds against a decent maiden field, and stepped up his game considerably. His younger half-brother Comport was a GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile runner.

2. ACKNOWLEDGEMEPLZ, SA, 10/25, 6 1/2 furlongs. (VIDEO)
Beyer Speed Figure- 93
(r, 2, by Bucchero–Starship Fantasy, by Yes It's True)
O-Purple Rein Racing and Mark Davis. B-Helen and Joseph Barbazon. T-Chief Stipe O'Neill. J-Antonio Fresu.
Success vs. 2-year-old dirt maidens in SoCal almost always requires beating an expensive Baffert runner (or two), and this fast-breaking underdog $75k purchase gave future graded winner Desert Code a gallant battle in their debuts back in June. Four-and-a-half months and a dozen breezes later, Acknowledgemeplz was readily acknowledged by bettors as 8/5 second choice to even-money Baffert firster Blacksmith (above) and was up to the task, again breaking like a shot and opening up into the stretch to win by daylight.

1. LIFE AND TIMES, BAQ, 11/1, 1 mile. (VIDEO)
Beyer Speed Figure- 94
(g, 4, by Justify–Silky Serenade, by Unbridled's Song)
O-Michael Tabor. B-Chelston (Ky). T-Todd Pletcher. J-Jose Lezcano.
Overlay alert, far too late: 11/1 odds on a Pletcher-trained first-timer by Justify, owned by Tabor and a half-brother to a Grade I winner. Odds-on favorite Time to Win didn't help himself with a slow start, but given how Life and Times dashed to a 5 3/4-length score for a 94 Beyer, it likely wouldn't have mattered. The 4-year-old didn't breeze until June last year, had a setback in the fall that cost him six months then went another three months between breezes this summer. Tabor loves a good wager, but given this price and with Coolmore focused on Breeders' Cup Saturday, you have to wonder if he got very involved.