A pair of high-priced 2019 yearlings didn't have the most success on the racetrack as rookies, but after solid qualifying miles at The Meadowlands on Saturday (March 20), their sophomore campaigns appear to have tremendous potential.
Really Fast showed potential of living up to his name with a 1:54.2 qualifying effort over fast going. The three-year-old Muscle Hill colt, whom Brixton Medical Inc., the Hatfield Stables, Al Libfeld, and Marvin and Lynn Katz purchased as a yearling for $700,000, did not race or qualify as a two-year-old, but he demonstrated strong late turn of foot in his two March qualifying lines. On Saturday, Yannick Gingras rated him on an uncontested lead through a :58.2 half before letting him accelerate on the far turn. The pair sprinted home in :27.3 to defeat stablemate Boaster Coaster (Josert Fonseca) — who took a mark of 1:56.4 as a rookie — by five lengths.
On the pacing side, $800,000 yearling One Eight Hundred showed refreshed finishing ability in his lone 2021 appearance to date, vaulting out of the pocket off the home turn and throwing down a :26.2 closing split to cap a 1:52.1 mile — two-fifths of a second better than his previous lifetime mark. Josert Fonseca drove the son of champions Somebeachsomewhere and Economy Terror to a 6-3/4-length qualifying win over Ron Burke trainees Emblaze Hanover and Lou Ed Zeppelin.
As a two-year-old, One Eight Hundred won once in five starts for Brixton Medical Inc. and Nancy Takter, taking a Stallion Series event at Pocono on Aug. 16. Punishing fractions took their toll on him in his toughest rookie test — the $119,100 Bluegrass on Oct. 3 at The Red Mile — but the sharpness he demonstrated in Saturday's qualifier indicates markedly improved potential off the winter layoff.
To view Saturday's qualifying results, click the following link: Saturday Results – The Meadowlands (Qualifiers).