Photo:Eclipse Sportswire & Coady Media - edited
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.
Wednesday’s result
Churchill Downs, race 9: Optical is new to my watch list. He didn’t show much in his first three starts sprinting on dirt and running long on turf, finishing fourth, eighth and fourth. But when he tackled his first dirt route in a one-mile, maiden special weight at Churchill, the Keith Desormeaux-trained juvenile improved dramatically. Optical led all the way through splits of 23.55, 46.84 and 1:11.70 before blazing his final quarter-mile in 23.95 seconds to dominate by 14 lengths in 1:35.65 seconds. The Road to the Kentucky Derby surely beckons.
?? #9 OPTICAL breaks on top and draws off to win @ChurchillDowns Race 9 by 12 lengths with @James_D_Graham aboard for trainer @KeithDesormeaux and owner Don't Tell My Wife Stables.
Another winner by @LanesEndFarm's City Of Light. pic.twitter.com/rH9oeofKh6
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) September 18, 2024
Friday’s result
Churchill Downs, race 7: New to my watch list is Muhimma, a 2-year-old filly from the Brad Cox barn who smashed a 6 1/2-furlong, maiden special weight at Churchill. The daughter of Munnings pressed fractions of 22.36 and 45.11 seconds before finishing up nicely with a third quarter-mile in 23.94 seconds and a final sixteenth in 6.50 seconds to win by 7 1/2 lengths in 1:15.55 seconds. She looks like a road to the Kentucky Oaks (G1) player.
#3 MUHIMMA ($3.60) stalked the leader before taking control in the stretch and then pulled away to easily win her debut in race 7 at @ChurchillDowns. The 2yo daughter of Munnings was ridden by @flothejock and is trained by @bradcoxracing.
Watch more on @FanDuelTV. pic.twitter.com/zSRTDANFcz
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) September 20, 2024
Saturday’s results
Parx Racing, race 8: Unsurprisingly, Next was a watch list winner as the 1-20 favorite in the 1 1/2-mile Greenwood Cup (G3). The standout dirt marathoner tracked fractions of 24.96, 49.94, 1:16.55 and 1:42.97 in second place before effortlessly seizing command to win by 10 lengths. Even without urging from jockey Luan Machado, Next ran his final quarter-mile in a swift 24.58 seconds to stop the timer at 2:33.61 seconds, earning a 102 Beyer Speed Figure from Daily Racing Form. The Breeders’ Cup Classic or Breeders’ Cup Turf could be next on the agenda for this star stayer.
Los Alamitos, race 1: I’m adding Silent Law to my watch list off her runaway debut victory in a five-furlong, maiden special weight. The Bob Baffert-trained juvenile filly pressed the early tempo before taking over and widening with ease to score by 10 lengths in 57.18 seconds. Silent Law sold for $400,000 as a 2-year-old in training and soon may deliver on that purchase price with a stakes victory.
CSLR Racing’s Silent Law dominates the Saturday opener with Juan Hernandez up for trainer Bob Baffert. pic.twitter.com/SBCWkvwM0J
— Los Alamitos Race Course (@losalracing) September 21, 2024
Parx Racing, race 12: She had to work harder than expected as the 1-10 favorite, but Thorpedo Anna was a watch-list winner in the 1 1/16-mile Cotillion, securing her fourth Grade 1 win of the year. After pressing the early pace along the inside, Thorpedo Anna took back and wound up boxed in behind rivals with nowhere to run. Fortunately she squeezed through an opening between rivals in the homestretch and outkicked pace-tracking 44-1 long shot Gun Song to prevail by a neck at 1:45.45. At this point Thorpedo Anna is a lock to earn champion 3-year-old-filly honors at the Eclipse Awards.
Parx Racing, race 13: Unmatched Wisdom ran below my expectations in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1), fading from a pace-tracking position to finish fifth by eight lengths. After two straight defeats at the Grade 1 level, he’s off my watch list.
Wednesday’s entries
Parx Racing, race 9: Drum Roll Please looked like a serious road to the Kentucky Derby player after winning the Jerome and finishing third in the Remsen (G2) behind future Belmont winner Dornoch and Kentucky Derby runner-up Sierra Leone. Unfortunately, an injury sent him to the sidelines, and he hasn’t run in about 8 1/2 months.
Since his last race, Drum Roll Please has been transferred from trainer Brad Cox to Chad Summers. He’ll make his much-anticipated return in a one-mile-and-70-yard allowance for Pennsylvania-breds at Parx, where Drum Roll Please is hands-down the horse to beat if he picks up where he left off.