Kentucky Derby Maiden Watch: Boyd impresses in Del Mar debut

After a busy summer of racing, the Del Mar meet wrapped up on Sunday. Among the most notable winners on closing day was a talented two-year-old named Boyd.

The chestnut son of Violence looks like a possible 2026 Kentucky Derby (G1) contender for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, who has won the Derby a record-equaling six times.

Boyd

Boyd has come a long way in two years. When he was a weanling, he sold at auction for a mere $82,000. As a yearling, he sold again for $280,000. Then earlier this year, he brought a final bid of $1.05 million at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale.

Under Baffert’s care, Boyd cranked out a bevy of fast workouts at Santa Anita and Del Mar, capped off with five furlongs in :59 1/5. These flashy exercises stamped the Zedan Racing Stables representative as an 11-10 favorite to win his Sunday debut in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight.

Boyd didn’t disappoint. With Tyler Gaffalione in the saddle, Boyd dashed to the lead through blazing splits of :21.32 and :43.91, then powered away in the homestretch to win easily by 5 3/4 lengths. Despite the intensity of the early pace (and despite ducking inward in the homestretch), Boyd clocked his final three-sixteenths of a mile in a respectable :18.88 to complete the race in 1:02.79.

It isn’t surprising to see Boyd excelling from an early age, considering Violence was Grade 1-winning juvenile who is best known for siring champion two-year-old male Forte. But Forte continued on as a three-year-old to win the Florida Derby (G1) and finish second in the Belmont (G1), so Boyd may have long-term upside as well.

Hammond

While Boyd was catching the eye at Del Mar, Hammond was throwing his hat in the ring as a potential Kentucky Derby contender at Gulfstream Park.

Hammond didn’t show much when debuting in a seven-furlong maiden special weight on Aug. 9 at Gulfstream, racing off the pace on his way to fifth place. But the Saffie Joseph Jr. trainee improved significantly in his second start, which came on Sunday in a six-furlong maiden special weight.

Facing four rivals, Hammond settled in fourth place through an opening quarter-mile in :23.36, advanced to second through half a mile in :47.15, and kicked clear in the final furlong to score by 2 1/2 lengths in 1:11.54.

A son of seven-furlong Malibu (G1) and 1 1/8-mile Arkansas Derby (G1) winner Charlatan, Hammond sold for $170,000 as a yearling. Charlatan didn’t race as a juvenile but excelled at age three, suggesting Hammond may improve with maturity.

S S Quality

Trainer Kenny McPeek made headlines in 2024 when he swept the 150th Kentucky Derby (G1) and 150th Kentucky Oaks (G1) with Mystik Dan and Thorpedo Anna.

McPeek is loading up with possible candidates for the 2026 editions of the Derby and Oaks. Since Aug. 28, he’s won maiden special weights with the two-year-old filly Rina’s Revenge and the juvenile males Stickupwithoutagun, East Village, Universe, and S S Quality.

The third time was the charm for S S Quality. Purchased for $150,000 as a two-year-old in training, the gray colt finished fifth in his debut at Saratoga before taking runner-up honors in his second start at Colonial Downs.

Graduation day came third-time out in a seven-furlong maiden special weight on Saturday at Colonial. Favored at 17-10, S S Quality rated toward the rear of a seven-horse field through splits of :22.06 and :45.14, then rallied into a decelerating pace to score by three-quarters of a length in 1:25.52.

The fact S S Quality broke his maiden in a sprint is noteworthy since his pedigree is geared top and bottom toward stamina. His sire, Essential Quality, was a two-time champion best known for winning the 1 1/2-mile Belmont (G1) and 1 1/16-mile Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), while dam Romantic Vision (a daughter of champion and Belmont winner Lemon Drop Kid) scored her signature win in the 1 1/8-mile Spinster (G1).

With distance and maturity, S S Quality has upside for improvement.

Top maiden winner of the week: Boyd

Honorable mention: Hammond