Each week in this space, the top Beyer performances by maiden winners will be featured and analyzed. Click here for a complete archive. Under Oath April 16, 4th race Keeneland, MdSpWt100k Beyer: 87 6f 1:10.73 – 1st by 1 1/2 lengths ch. c. 3, Speightstown – Jojo Warrior, by Pioneerof the Nile Auctions: Keeneland September yearling 2020 - $170,000 (RNA) Owner: WinStar Farm Trainer: Todd Pletcher Breeder: WinStar Farm This promising colt obviously has upped his value since he failed to meet a $170,000 reserve when taken to auction as a yearling. He went to the front in his career debut at Gulfstream, putting away the other pace rival before succumbing late to two horses in what seemed like a well-above-par maiden special weight sprint. Wouldn’t say he was taken back this time, but no effort was made to put him on the pace, and a furlong or so into the contest he was back in sixth place, several lengths behind the leaders. It’s a good sign when a young horse shows a dimension beyond mere speed, and that was the case here, as Under Oath, under a patient Flavien Prat, began to warm to the task past the half-mile pole and around the turn. Racing three wide with cover, he gained steadily on the lead pack, bearing down at the quarter pole, reaching the leaders with an outside run at the furlong grounds, and drawing away to the wire in a strong performance. Now, runner-up Artorius, a Juddmonte homebred by Arrogate making his career debut, did have all the late momentum and quickly galloped out past Under Oath, for what that’s worth. But Under Oath won the race because he opened distance on Artorius past the three-furlong pole and again kicking into the homestretch. Under Oath’s dam’s sweet spot was seven furlongs to 1 1/16 miles; his 4-year-old brother, Draft Capital, is a long-winded turf horse.   Best Actor April 16, 10th race Oaklawn, MdSpWt140k Beyer: 85 1 1/16M (sloppy, sealed) 1:44.18 – 1st by a 1 3/4 lengths b. c. 3, Flatter – Abraqat, by Smart Strike Auctions: Keeneland September yearling 2020 - $330,000 Owner: Gary and Mary West Trainer: Brad Cox Breeder: E.H. Beau Lane, Gail McMichael Lane, J.B. Lane Orem, Michael Orem A very strong debut for Best Actor, who has only been in Cox’s barn since mid-February. The colt first hit the workout report last July, presumably for Baffert, showing a gap between July 31 and Oct. 21. He then worked 14 times at Los Alamitos and Santa Anita before going to Cox; no wonder he was fit to go a route of ground on dirt in his first start. And this was no easy trip. Best Actor broke alertly from an outside draw and was sent fairly hard by Ricardo Santana to clear rivals and cross to the rail, but Life On the Nile, who was making his sixth start, jumped into contention going into the first turn and pressed Best Actor through a solid pace. The two opened a big lead on the other eight horses in the field and went as a team almost to the eighth pole. There, it was Life On the Nile who swapped back to his “wrong” lead as Best Actor stayed on strongly, pulling away in the final half-furlong before galloping out – his ears pricked, unlike during the race – a mile in front. He’s the third foal to race from his dam; the second dam, Spun Sugar, was a multiple Grade 1-winning dirt-route horse. Plenty to like here. Special Ride April 16, 10th race Santa Anita, MdSpWt69k Beyer: 95 6f 1:09.68 – 1st by 7 lengths b. c. 4, Candy Ride – Executiveprivilege, by First Samurai Owner: Michael Pegram, Karl Watson, Paul Weitman Trainer: Sean McCarthy Breeder: Michael Pegram, Karl Watson, Paul Weitman Took forever to make the races, debuting with a third-place finish March 27 (trained then by Bob Baffert) in a $150,000 maiden-claimer. The colt first hit the work tab in April 2021; his current pattern started with a breeze this past Dec. 12 and he’s been going steadily since. It takes a really strong performance from an older maiden like this to make Breakout Beyers, but this was such a showing. Special Ride produced this race’s fastest first quarter mile, 21.99, and its fastest final furlong, 12.59; only three of the 10 runners cracked 13 seconds for their final furlong. His first two steps out of the gate weren’t all that fast, but he made an inside lead within a half-furlong and did nothing wrong thereafter. Special Ride switched leads professionally at the three-sixteenths pole, where he was put to some pressure by his rider, but after his mount had pulled clear the jockey eased up – even if his mount did not. His final sixteenth and excellent gallop-out were eye-catching. If he can stay sound, he can be a stakes sprinter.  Double Clutch April 16, 2nd race Keeneland, MdSpWt100k Beyer: 80 1M turf (good) 1:36.15 – 1st by 2 1/4 lengths b. c. 3, Optimizer – Switching Gears, by Tapit Noteworthy siblings: Gear Jockey (Twirling Candy) – graded-stakes winner, multiple stakes winner, $959K earnings Owner: Calumet Farm Trainer: Rusty Arnold Breeder: Calumet Farm Second-time starter, who’d run well debuting in a Gulfstream turf route, got a perfect trip here, but I’ll give him some credit for making that happen. Double Clutch broke alertly from an inside draw and slipped into the pocket behind two pacesetters, and while he wanted to get a little strong with the rider down the backstretch, the colt eventually agreed to bide his time. Taken off the rail at the quarter pole, Double Clutch had the psychological wherewithal and turn of foot to slip fleetly through a narrow seam at the three-sixteenths pole. He went clear and put this race to bed with a final furlong in a snappy 11.94 seconds, striding nicely to and past the wire with an energetic gallop-out. Would not be surprised to see this colt develop into at least a minor stakes horse.  Brigadier General April 14, 9th race Keeneland, MdSpWt100k Beyer: 85 1 1/16M 1:44.91 – 1st by 1/2 b. c. 3, Street Sense – Mia and Molly, by Giant’s Causeway Noteworthy siblings: Compelling Smile (Constitution) – stakes-placed, $129K earnings Auctions: Fasig-Tipton Kentucky select yearling 2020 – $150,000 Owner: West Point Thoroughbreds Trainer: Dallas Stewart Breeder: Rose Hill Farm and TNIP Brigadier General showed some 2-year-old ability but has become a different horse the last two starts with the addition of blinkers. Would not necessarily have made this out to be a strong maiden race but the figure came back more than respectable, and the field did finish spread out all over the track. Odds-on favorite Cape Trafalgar had finished second in front of Under Oath (also in this week’s list) last out at Gulfstream but could only manage third. Brigadier General pressed the pace the whole way, held firm late for a seventh-start maiden win.