Baby Talk Info & Intel: Churchill Downs – Race 2 – Friday, June 20, 2025
The boys get a turn on the turf and will cover five panels in this affair. Thirteen fellas have passed through the entry box, but only ten will get a chance to race. Impressive First-Crop sire Maxfield has one entered, as does newby sire Raging Bull. Cairo Prince has three set to go, and Collected and Twirling Candy each have one. Let’s peel this interesting field apart…
#4 Longshoreman (6/5) – You likely know by looking at his Morning Line odds that this colt comes from Wesley Ward’s barn (4/26, 15.4%) He’s by Twirling Candy (18.2%), and his dam scored back in 2019 as a baby at Keeneland in the spring as a FTSer, earning an amazing 104 Equibase Speed Figure. She has tossed two other foals of racing age. This guy hammered for $260K last year as a yearling (13/86). He’s raced one time previously, a five and a half furlong dash on the grass at Keeneland. In that race, he made the lead as the odds-on favorite and was four lengths ahead at the head of the lane before getting run down by George Weaver’s colt. Since then, he’s worked twice, both over a half mile at KEE. His most recent was on the lawn. Walter Rodriguez will manage the reins.
#5 Happy Prince (8/1) – One of the three by Cairo Prince, this gelding was thrown by a winless Harlan’s Holiday mare. Mama has produced four other foals of racing age, one scored in their first start in a 2YO MCL race at CD and another that won their third start as a baby, also at Churchill. The hammer fell on this guy last year when he was a yearling for $45,000 (20/55). He’s now owned by Gary Barber and is trained by Mark Casse (5/46, 10.9%). Mark has put four works into this fella (17 furlongs), all here at Churchill, with one covering five panels. Cristian Torres gets the call to ride.
#9 Signatory Man (4/1) – This Irish-bred colt is by Ten Sovereigns, who is also bred in Ireland. His mama, by Discreetly Mine, finished first in one of her ten starts and banked a mere $13,000. She’s produced three other foals of racing age, all over in Ireland, hence I don’t show any racing activity from them. Originally, today’s competitor sold for $13,255 as a weanling overseas, but then sold for $75,000 last September at Keeneland. He is trained by Brendan Walsh (3/12, 25.0%), who has been getting him ready for his debut today with a half dozen works at Keeneland before two more here under the Twin Spires (29 total furlongs). On 5/14/25 at KEE, he zipped three poles from the gate in 35 seconds flat to earn a solid bullet (1/35). Ben Curtis will be his pilot.
#10 Da Prince is Right (8/1) – As you likely can tell from his name, this colt is another by Cairo Prince. Discreetly Mine is the pops to his mom who won six races on the track in 28 starts and cashed in for $133K. She has two other foals of racing age, neither has run in the afternoon. $75K was the final bid for today’s runner when he was a yearling (8/55), but earlier this year he brought $260K as a 2YO (2/11). Mike Maker (2/16, 12.5%) has been conditioning this guy for his first run with seven morning spins (26 furlongs) on the Churchill oval. In his last work, on 6/12/25, this colt went a half mile in 47.8 seconds (5/51). However, on 5/14/25, his work appeared unfavorable when he was out with another Maker 2YO that did not impress in his debut. Saez will be the captain of the ship.
My Pick – Ward’s charge will certainly be a handful and will almost certainly be the odds on favorite and be on the lead again at the head of the lane. I know, I know, he’s got ½ less pole to manage today vs his debut, but the sporting thing for me to do is to play against him. My pick is #9 Signatory Man. All of his Irish blood is encouraging, and Brendan Walsh certainly knows how to get a baby into the Winner’s Circle. His work in mid-May at KEE shows that he can motor, and I’m gonna give him a shot here for what I hope (and expect) will be a reasonable price.