Agave Kiss: One Sensational Filly

Many horses are criticized for running solely against state-bred company, no matter how dominant they are. Agave Kiss faced criticism of the same sort after her first two starts, but as of Saturday, she no longer has to face that denunciation.

In her first start, I watched on HRTV as the stunning chestnut filly dominated a field of New York-bred juvenile fillies on New York Showcase Day in her debut. After leading from start to finish, the daughter of Lion Heart drew away from the field, crossing the wire 6 ¼ lengths ahead of the others despite the fact that jockey Ryan Curatolo was barely asking her.

She made her next start at the beginning of December, appearing in a six-furlong allowance for state-bred juvenile fillies. Yet again, she never looked back and led from start to finish to win by 10 ½ lengths.

I was very excited about the filly. I knew she had only been running against state-bred company, but as dominant as she was against New York-breds, it seemed as if she definitely had a shot at being competitive against open company.

She made that leap in her three-year-old debut, which was the Ruthless Stakes at Aqueduct on Saturday. Over six furlongs on the inner track, Agave Kiss led from start to finish and yet again, she did not stop there. She accelerated under Curatolo, drawing away in hand to win by 3 ¼ lengths.

By Haskell Invitational Handicap (GI) and Hollywood Futurity (GI) winner and Kentucky Derby (GI) runner-up, Lion Heart, and out of the stakes-winning Salty Romance, Agave Kiss is a half-sister to the stakes-placed Luxury Appeal. Of the three foals bred on the same cross as Agave Kiss (Salt Lake mares bred to Lion Heart), all three have been winners. Together, the three have earned $139,036.

Agave Kiss is now a perfect three-for-three with a total winning margin of 20 lengths. With only three starts under her belt, Agave Kiss is obviously very inexperienced. Just imagine how good she could be with even more experience.


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Juvenile Spotlight: Pure Gossip

One of my favorite things to do is find young horses that have the potential to be superstars. It is very entertaining and rewarding to "discover" two-year-olds before they go on to record prestigious victories. Juvenile Spotlights highlight some of the two-year-olds I have "discovered." Some Juvenile Spotlights feature horses right after they have broken their maiden or after they record their first major victory. Either way, I have followed these horses since before they hit the headlines. I don't do a Juvenile Spotlight on every two-year-old I "discover", but I try to feature as many as I can.

Lane's End Farm, where
Pure Gossip's late
grandsire, Dixieland Band,
stood at stud.
Photo: Terri Cage

I was watching HRTV and knew a New York-bred maiden special weight for two-year-old fillies was coming up at Saratoga. I decided to look up the pedigrees of each filly in the race. Though many had decent pedigrees, I wasn’t super impressed by any pedigree and decided to pick the fillies off of how they looked in the post parade instead.

When Pure Gossip stepped onto the track, I was immediately impressed by her looks. She looked composed and she had incredible conformation. She was the only filly I picked in the race. She went off at odds of 37-1.

At the end of the five and one-half furlong dirt race, the daughter of Pure Prize crossed the wire nearly four lengths ahead of the rest of the field. Though it was a state-bred maiden, I put Pure Gossip in my Equibase Virtual Stable © so I could keep track of her.

Her next race was the Anne M. Clare Stakes at Saratoga, a state-bred stake. The filly made a mild rally and finished fourth in a field of six, though she missed second by just under a length and third by a head.

Pure Gossip was moved to the turf for her next start, the Miss Grillo Stakes (GIII). On the soft turf course, the 23-1 shot exploded at the top of the stretch to win by six and one-half lengths. Though the time for the mile and one-sixteenth race was a slow 1:47.71, it was a very boggy turf course. Yet Pure Gossip still looked very impressive.

Many discount state-bred maiden winners, but they can be good races to find a diamond in the rough, especially in a state like New York. Pure Gossip looks to be like one of those diamonds.


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Prayers for the Chestnut Blur

I grew nervous as the field for the Lady’s Secret Stakes (GI) headed towards the starting gate. I kept my eyes focused on Blind Luck as she went into the the first slot in the gate. An odd feeling was beginning to grip me. I felt as if something was wrong.

Blind Luck
Photo: Terri Cage

As the fillies and mares rounded the clubhouse turn, I didn’t like how far back Blind Luck was. My dread grew as the horses continued down the backstretch. Blind Luck had allowed Zazu to pass her and was dropping farther back. Finally as the horses came around the far turn, Blind Luck was nowhere to be found. She’d dropped several lengths off the leaders and there was no way she would be in contention.

For the first time ever, Blind Luck finished off the board. My little chestnut blur had become dull and finished last. I was extremely worried about the beloved filly.

HRTV viewers, including me, were told that Blind Luck had galloped out and come back fine, but that she couldn’t keep up and that something was amiss. I will have updates on her on my Facebook page, but for now, let’s all pray for Blind Luck.


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