Photo:

Gary Johnson / Eclipse Sportswire

In this biweekly series, racing analyst Keeler Johnson shares promising horses from his handicapping watch list, reviewing runners who have recently caught his eye and previewing horses scheduled to run back in the near future.

Results

Monday

Saratoga, race 10. Impressive debut winner Ferocious is worth watching again after finishing second in the Grade 1 Hopeful, his first start against winners. The odds-on favorite settled a couple lengths off the early pace and appeared to be struggling at the top of the stretch, but in the final furlong he got back on track and charged hard to finish only a half-length behind deep-closing winner Chance McPatrick.

Mentee also is worth watching again. After missing the Sanford (G3) because of a fever, the track-record-setting Aqueduct debut winner entered the Hopeful off an unexpectedly long 2 1/2-month layoff. He pressed the early pace before giving way to finish sixth by 12 3/4 lengths, a performance I’ll forgive.

Del Mar, race 8. A maiden winner in Ireland three months ago, 3-year-old filly Raw Ability brought her record to 2-for-2 when making her U.S. debut in an $80,000 allowance optional claimer racing one mile on turf. In her first start for trainer John Sadler, the daughter of Belardo broke slowly and trailed for the first three-quarters of a mile. She was still in ninth place by 3 3/4 lengths with a furlong remaining. But by rocketing her final eighth of a mile in 11.16 seconds, according to the Equibase GPS chart, Raw Ability got up to win by half a length in 1:35.48. Her name is fitting, as Raw Ability does appear to have a lot of raw ability.

Entries

Saturday

Woodbine, race 9. Paramount Prince loves the Tapeta track at Woodbine. Last year’s King’s Plate winner boasts six wins, two seconds and two thirds from 10 starts over the surface, including victories in the Dominion Day (G3) and Seagram Cup (G2) this year.

But turf? That’s a question mark for Paramount Prince. His lone grass start yielded a 13th-place finish in the 1 1/2-mile Breeders’ Stakes at Woodbine last October. He’ll get a second start over the surface in Saturday’s 1 1/4-mile Niagara, and I’m curious to see how he performs. A victory would open up a whole new realm of possibilities for this talented 4-year-old gelding.

Del Mar, race 4. Two starts, two wins. Bob Baffert’s exciting 2-year-old filly Nooni wired her debut at Santa Anita by 9 1/2 lengths then took Del Mar’s Sorrento (G3) in identical fashion by 1 1/2 lengths. The speedy daughter of Win Win Win looms as the runner to beat while making her Grade 1 debut in the Del Mar Debutante.

Del Mar, race 9. Didia doesn’t win every start, but with an 11-for-16 record on turf, she definitely wins more often than not. She’s been in strong form this year, winning the New York (G1) and Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G2) while recording top-four finishes in the Jenny Wiley (G1) and Diana (G1).

These efforts establish Didia as a dangerous win threat while shipping to California for the John C. Mabee (G2). She won the 2023 Rodeo Drive (G2) in California by 1 3/4 lengths over Anisette, a three-time Grade 1 winner who looms as the other main contender in the John C. Mabee field. I’m willing to bet Didia can maintain her edge over Anisette this Saturday.

Del Mar, race 10. Pilot Commander has done little wrong in two starts. In a six-furlong maiden special weight at Del Mar last fall, he won clearly over a field including future San Felipe (G2) winner Imagination and eventual three-time stakes winner E J Won the Cup, two colts who have placed at the Grade 1 level. Then in the seven-furlong San Vicente (G2), Pilot Commander finished second behind multiple Grade 1 winner Muth.

Pilot Commander hasn’t run since January, but the Baffert-trained 3-year-old has compiled a sharp work tab in preparation for his return, including a swift half-mile in 46 1/5 seconds at Del Mar. He’s entered in a 6 1/2-furlong $40,000 allowance optional claimer and can win if he picks up where he left off.

Sunday

Del Mar, race 10. Surely a member of my watch list will win the Del Mar Futurity? Four of the seven entrants are on my list.

The biggest name is Getaway Car, a Baffert trainee whose 2-for-2 record includes a 5 1/2-length win in the Best Pal (G3) at Del Mar. But Baffert also entered sharp Del Mar debut winners Gaming and Citizen Bull.

Completing my quartet of Del Mar Futurity contenders is McKinzie Street, a Tim Yakteen juvenile who wired his debut at Del Mar over Baffert’s Emerald Bay, who returned to win his next start. I wouldn’t be shocked to see these four sweep the Del Mar Futurity superfecta.

Here is my complete, updated list of Horses to Watch.