Kentucky Derby Maiden Watch: Powerline overcomes adversity
Powerline breaking his maiden on Breeders' Cup Saturday at Keeneland. (Photo by Coady Media)
There’s no doubt Powerline has talent—maybe even enough talent to factor in the 2027 Kentucky Derby (G1). But he’s also a work in progress with much to learn about racing.
Powerline overcame adversity to break his maiden at Keeneland last Saturday, and the eye-catching nature of his performance warrants a thorough review in this week’s edition of Kentucky Derby Maiden Watch.
Powerline
Expectations have surely been high for Powerline, considering he sold for $1.8 million as a yearling. The son of 2022 Horse of the Year Flightline was produced by Ouija Board Distaff S. winner Park Avenue, a daughter of four-time Grade 1 winner and successful sire Quality Road, so there’s a lot to like about his pedigree.
Powerline kicked off his career on July 18 in a maiden special weight sprinting six furlongs at Saratoga. He broke last, raced rankly while in traffic, and was soundly bumped by a rival turning for home. Nevertheless, he rallied with interest to finish second, 3 1/2 lengths behind next-out Hopeful (G1) winner The Good Life.
This effort stamped Powerline as an odds-on favorite to win his second start in a 6 1/2-furlong maiden special weight on Aug. 22 at Saratoga. But nothing went right that day. Powerline failed to break with the field, belatedly started running, charged with a rush to catch the field, raced very rank while behind horses, launched a wide rally, checked behind a rival, and eventually got up for fourth place behind next-out Breeders’ Futurity (G1) winner American History.
Powerline finally graduated when tackling a seven-furlong maiden special weight on Breeders’ Cup Saturday, but it wasn’t without drama. Again, he was left at the start. Again, he raced rankly while charging back into contention. Again, he raced wide around the turn. But this time, Powerline sustained his bid, charging past the leaders and clocking his final furlong in a solid :12.27 to win by one length.
Despite his poor start, Powerline reached the finish line in 1:22.26, only half a second slower than the 1:21.76 clocked by Ways and Means in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) about two hours later.
Clearly, Powerline is a gifted racehorse. If he masters breaking from the starting gate and learns to race in a more relaxed manner, he could develop into a serious graded stakes horse for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.
Election Hero
Another notable maiden winner last week was Election Hero, a son of 2022 Preakness (G1) winner Early Voting conditioned by five-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown.
Election Hero showed some ability when debuting in a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight on Oct. 3 at Belmont Park, rallying from last place after a poor start to finish third behind next-out Street Sense (G3) third-place finisher Mystik Bayou.
Election Hero stuck to the same track, distance, and class level for his second start on Sunday, and the result was a determined victory. Showing much-improved early speed, Election Hero pressed splits of :23.95 and :47.02 in second place, took over the lead through six furlongs in 1:11.31, and turned back a challenge to win by 1 1/4 lengths in a respectable time of 1:42.10.
Purchased for $210,000 as a yearling, Election Hero is a rising name on Brown’s roster of potential Kentucky Derby contenders, which also includes Champagne (G1) runner-up Gaudreau and recent maiden winner Nevada.
First to Engage
The last horse we’ll highlight is First to Engage, who unleashed a sharp turn of foot to win a six-furlong maiden special weight on Friday at Belmont.
Runner-up when debuting in a six-furlong $75,000 maiden optional claimer at Belmont, First to Engage took a nice step forward in his second start. Vying for the lead through slow fractions of :23.86 and :47.45 helped his chances, and First to Engage took advantage in a big way, blazing his fifth furlong in :11.28 and his final furlong in :11.87 to draw off and win by three lengths in 1:10.60.
First to Engage’s fast finish bodes well for his chances of stretching out in distance for trainer Barclay Tagg, who won the 2003 Kentucky Derby with Funny Cide.
