Photo:

NYRA / Adam Coglianese / Coglianese Photo

In this biweekly series, racing analyst J. 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

Saturday

Belmont at the Big A, race 7: Upon further reflection, I’m adding Frizette (G1) winner Scottish Lassie to my watch list. I’m confident she’s a serious threat to win the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies next month.

Scottish Lassie debuted with a third-place finish in a deep seven-furlong maiden special weight at Saratoga. The winner, Quickick, returned to finish second in the Alcibiades (G1), while runner-up Snowyte came back to snatch runner-up honors in the Frizette.

The Frizette marked Scottish Lassie’s second start, and no one had the slightest chance to beat her. She tracked fractions of 22.81 and 46.20 seconds in third place before seizing command to dominate by nine lengths in the snappy time of 1:36.73 seconds for one mile, only slightly slower than the time of 1:36.51 seconds clocked by Hopeful (G1) winner Chancer McPatrick in the Champagne (G1) one race later.

Scottish Lassie earned a 90 Beyer Speed Figure from Daily Racing Form, one of the highest numbers assigned to any 2-year-old filly so far this year. Underestimate this improving juvenile at your own risk.

Entries

Sunday

Keeneland, race 8: Facing older mares in the Franklin (G2) shouldn’t bother 3-year-old filly Star of Mystery, who ranks as one of the best turf sprinters in the United States regardless of age or gender.

The Godolphin homebred competed with aplomb against older males during the winter and spring in Dubai, winning the Blue Point Sprint (G2) and finishing second in the Al Quoz Sprint (G1) and Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint (G3). She’s been just as effective since arriving in the U.S., finishing third to Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint favorite Cogburn in the Jaipur (G1) before conquering 3-year-old males in the Quick Call (G3). The form of the Quick Call was flattered when third-place finisher Fandom returned to win the Mahony at Saratoga.

Star of Mystery missed a slated start in the Aug. 10 Galway at Saratoga after the race was rained off the turf, so she’s entering the Franklin off an unintentionally long layoff. But she’s been busily training over the Keeneland turf course, most notably clocking a bullet half-mile around the dogs in 49.20 seconds, so a winning return won’t be surprising.

Off the watch list

Cleaning up my watch list a bit during this quiet week, I’m removing three horses who have been retired from racing.

The first is Adare Manor, the talented 5-year-old mare who won eight graded stakes (including three Grade 1 races) during her decorated career. She missed a slated start in the Pacific Classic (G1) after tying up following a gallop, and after taking some time off it was determined she wouldn’t be ready for the Breeders’ Cup. Instead, Adare Manor is slated to be sold at the Fasig-Tipton November sale.

Another recent retiree is Heartland, a half-brother to champion Classic Empire. In July 2023, the son of Justify debuted in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight at Del Mar and raced greenly before rallying to win by two lengths over future stakes winner Slider. Unfortunately, Heartland never ran again, but he’ll stand at WinStar Farm in 2025 for a fee of $10,000 and will hopefully pass on his high-class genetics as a successful stallion.

The last to leave my watch list is R Calli Kim, the talented long-distance grass mare who won the Long Island (G3) and The Very One (G3) last fall and winter. She sold for $220,000 as a broodmare prospect (rather than a broodmare or racing prospect) at the Fasig-Tipton April 2024 digital sale and appears to have been retired.