Speed Figure Maiden Watch...

--Steve Sherack

Anyone care to guess who has posted the highest Beyer Speed Figure in the 2-year-old division thus far? Give up? Apparently, a Texas-bred colt by the little known Danzig stallion Menhal is currently sitting atop the standings with a 96 rating (through June 30).

Sent off as the 2-1 favorite in his June 16 unveiling, Canigotoo broke like a rocket from post one, and zipped through fractions of :22.61 and :45.75. With pilot M.C. Berry aboard, he began to open daylight at the head of affairs and was hand-ridden to an eye-catching 12 1/4-length decision over 11 overmatched rivals (TDN Video). The gray, owned by Jerry Durant and Bill Jordan and trained by Bret Calhoun, stopped the clock for five furlongs in :58. He was bred by L. T. Smith Enterprises.

Canigotoo is out of the hard-knocking 24-year-old Fight Over mare Bella Selene, who is a half-sister to 1997 GI Florida Derby hero and GI Kentucky Derby runner-up Captain Bodgit (Saint Ballado). Bella Selene hit the board in 36 of her 72 trips to post, with $145,316 in earnings.

Menhal, a winner of one of four career starts, stands at Blossom Farm in Texas for a private fee. From seven crops, the 14-year-old has been represented by 11 winners from only 16 starters. He is out of the GI Beldame S. third-place finisher Coxwold (Cox’s Ridge), and hails from the extended family of GISWs Conquistarose, De La Rose and Upper Nile.

Canigotoo returned to the worktab with a four-furlong move in :48.80 at Lone Star June 30. Stay tuned.

Eddie’s Band, a 3-year-old son of Claiborne sire Eddington, also made some noise on the leaderboard, earning a gaudy 102 Beyer in his Louisiana Downs maiden win at second asking May 27 (TDN Video).

Away from the stalls alertly from post eight, the flashy blaze-faced chestnut cruised through an opening quarter in :23.14, began to shake clear entering the far turn and poured it on in the stretch after a couple of taps from Richard Eramia’s whip to score by a good-looking 9 1/4 lengths. He completed the seven-furlong distance in 1:22.85.

Eddie’s Band was hammered down to 2-5 following a troubled debut second May 8. In that attempt, he finished with interest while racing on his wrong lead in the stretch. Eddie's Band also got bumped at the break and raced in traffic that day.

Bred in Kentucky by B. Wayne Hughes, the son of the 8-year-old mare Bandstand (Deputy Minister) was acquired for a bargain $11,000 by Larry Johnson as a Keeneland September yearling. His second dam, City Band (Carson City), won the GI Oak Leaf S. and bankrolled $607,418. She produced stakes winners Foolishly (Broad Brush) and Weather Warning (Storm Cat), as well as Storm Tide (Storm Cat), the dam of MGSW American Lion (Tiznow).

Eddie’s Band, trained by Morris Nicks in his first two starts, has been training smartly since cap and gown day. He has posted three workouts, led by a best-of-31 five-furlong move in :59 4/5 at Louisiana Downs June 18. Transferred to Ralph Nicks, Eddie's Band is entered in a $75,000 optional claimer going a mile at Churchill Downs July 4  (Brisnet PPs).

To view the complete DRF Beyer Leaderboard, click here.