BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Florida-bred Spiralizer will look to build upon his impressive debut victory when he goes against 12 other 2-year-olds going six furlongs in the $225,000 Bashford Manor at Churchill Downs Sunday.
Owned by the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani’s Wathnan Racing, Spiralizer won a five-furlong maiden special weight by two lengths after a rocky start in his first career race with jockey Tyler Gaffalione aboard. Spiralizer was fractious in the starting gate and had to be reloaded then broke a step slow from post one. However, Spiralizer still sprinted to the front to lead the field of six by a length through the first quarter mile in :22.86. He stretched his clearance to two lengths around the far turn and maintained that margin under the wire while finishing in :58.48 on the fast track.
Spiralizer is out of the unraced Speightstown mare Jotown and was bred in Florida by Bridlewood Farm. His second dam is Grade 2 Summertime Oaks-winner Jojo Warrior and he first passed through the auction ring at the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Quarter Pole Enterprises bought him there for $250,000 out of the Denali Stud consignment. Eddies Woods as an agent consigned him to the Ocala Breeders’ Sales March Sale earlier this year and saw Case Clay Thoroughbred Management purchase him for $550,000.
Spiralizer is trained by Steve Asmussen, who will once more give the leg up to Gaffalione. Spiralizer again has post one and is 5-1 on the morning line.
Trainer Mark Casse will saddle 4-1 morning line favorite Heat for Leonard Green’s D J Stable LLC.
Heat is another debut winner with a length-and-a-half score against special weight maidens going five furlongs on the synthetic at Gulfstream Park on May 11.
Heat is by Munnings out of Too Cool to Dance, by Kitten’s Joy and was a $120,000 purchase by D J Stable at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale out of the Lane’s End consignment.
Irad Ortiz Jr. will ride Heat from post 10.
Bodacious and trainer Jorge Periban invade from Southern California.
The son of Smoken out of My Love Magnet, by Bodemeister made easy work against California-bred special weight maidens at Santa Anita on May 3, winning by nearly six lengths after four-and-a-half furlongs.
Bodacious will be ridden from post five by Joel Rosario.
Others set for the Bashford Manor are Ivan the Great, who will be ridden by Antonio Fresu; Vinegar Hill and jockey Adam Beschizza, Moneyline will have Frankie Dettori aboard, Politicallycorrect and rider Jose Ortiz, Reylu Gutierrez rides Enduring Spirit, Conquering Cat has Luis Saez named to ride, War Tax and jockey Jose Gomez, Happyflyer will have Francisco Arrieta in the irons and Brian Hernandez Jr. rides Smoken Wicked.