Five Fastest Maidens: Feb. 23-March 1

Wandering Eyes · 2026-03-03T17:41:20Z

This week, five 3-year-old colts made the rankings, topped by a new Derby contender that few saw coming.

5-ALBUS, TAM, 2/27, 1 mile 40 yards (VIDEO)
Beyer Speed Figure-83
(c, 3, by Yaupon–Adream, by Bernardini)
O-Pin Oak Stud. B- Susan Casner (Ky). T-Riley Mott. J-Sammy Camacho.
As the debate ensued last week about Solitude Dude's chances around two turns in Saturday's Fountain of Youth (he did fine), another Yaupon colt made his two-turn debut Friday at Tampa–and Albus kicked clear to a decisive 6 3/4 length victory. Based on his Gr. I pedigree, his third-out performance was no surprise. He's a half-brother to Allaire du Pont Distaff (Gr. III) winner Song of Spring (trainer Neil Howard's last GSW), but here's the really good part: his dam Adream's half-sister Dream Rush ripped off five straight triple-digit Beyers in 2007 that included wins in two Gr. Is, and back at the farm produced Gr. I winner and 2022 Broodmare of the Year Dreaming of Julia, dam of two-time Eclipse champion Malathaat and Gr. II winner Julia Shining.

4-LINCOLN'S LAW, GP, 2/28, 6 furlongs (VIDEO)
Beyer Speed Figure-83
(c, 3, by Liam's Map–Bernadreamy, by Bernardini)
O/B- Rigney Racing (Ky). T-Phil Bauer. J-Luis Saez.
This solid debut win spotlights Richard Rigney's success as both an owner and breeder. The Louisville businessman was just getting his feet wet in racing in 2008 when he co-owned Alcibiades (Gr. I) winner and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies runnerup Dream Empress. He later bred Dream Empress to Bernardini to get Bernadreamy, who wasn't a fast runner but joined Rigney's growing broodmare band and now is the dam of Gr. I winner and stallion Chancer McPatrick. Guided by noted bloodstock agent John Moynihan, Rigney sells most of the horses he breeds (he sold Chancer McPatrick for $260k), but this colt was withdrawn from Keeneland September as a yearling and now races in Rigney's colors.

3-WINSTON AVE, SA, 2/27, 1 mile (VIDEO)
Beyer Speed Figure-83 (2nd)
(c, 3, by Quality Road–Great Sister Diane, by Will Take Charge)
O- Spendthrift Farm. B-Stoneriggs Farm & W.S. Farish (Ky). T-Bob Baffert. J-Florent Geroux.
Spendthrift's $325k yearling buy had shown enough in two previous starts to be the 9/5 program favorite and 2/1 second betting choice as he stretched out to a mile–but was no match for the stakes-level performance turned in by stablemate Cherokee Nation (below). Even so, Winston Ave beat the rest of the field by 7 1/2 lengths and should be a short price next time, unless Baffert pulls another ace out of his sleeve.

2. ILLMATIC, AQU, 2/28, 6 furlongs (VIDEO)
Beyer Speed Figure-91
(c, 3, by Honest Mischief–Woodflower, by Woodman)
O-Adelphi Racing Club and LJSS Thoroughbreds. B-Sequel Stallions New York (NY). T-Miguel Clement. J-Jaime Rodriguez.
Following a disappointing debut in a Saratoga turf sprint in July, Illmatic was kept with Clement's New York winter string–which makes sense, because he is a New York-bred. And last week, he was entered against state-bred maidens on dirt–which makes sense, because Aqueduct isn't running on grass yet. What didn't make as much sense (at least to bettors) was Illmatic's fast six-length frontrunning score at 9/1 odds. New York stallion Honest Mischief (Into Mischief-Honest Lady) has sired seven SWs, but this 91 Beyer is the best for any of his runners to date.

1. CHEROKEE NATION, SA, 2/27, 1 mile (VIDEO)
Beyer Speed Figure-100
(c, 3, by Not This Time–Believe in Charlie, by Indian Charlie)
O-SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Bashor Racing, Determined Stables, Golconda Stable, Waves Edge Capital and Catherine Donovan. B-Fortune Farms and William & Corinne Heiligbrodt (Ky). T- Bob Baffert. J-Emisael Jaramillo.
Baffert had never before ridden 49-year-old Jaramillo, who recently transferred his tack to Santa Anita from Florida. But Jaramillo is noted for prowess with speed types, and Baffert was frustrated with his $240,000 Fasig-Tipton November weanling turned $1.15-million yearling's persistent problems leaving the gate on time. Problem solved, at least for now. Jaramillo not only got Cherokee Nation to break running, he was perched just outside frontrunning stablemate Winston Ave (above) while under a pull and breathing fire. The end result: a 10-length victory and a triple-digit Beyer that undoubtedly will earn this colt new respect if he winds up in the Santa Anita Derby, as expected.