• The week’s top Beyer speed figure in North America
101 Volatile
Oaklawn Park (April 24): Allowance optional claimer $62,000, 6f, dirt, 3yo+
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Jockey: Ricardo Santana
Owner: Phoenix Thoroughbreds III and Three Chimneys
Pedigree: 4yo gr/r c Violence – Melody Lady (Unbridled’s Song)
Lightly raced Volatile looked a horse very much on the up as he took his career record to three out of four with a blowout 7½-length success on his seasonal debut after ankle chip surgery on Friday’s card at Oaklawn
The 6-5 favourite broke sharply and dueled early doors with eventual runner-up Strike That before disposing of that rival at the head of the stretch and winning as he pleased. The resultant 101 Beyer was last week’s highest on a truncated US programme.
An impressive winner at Churchill Downs in November, Volatile had not made his career debut until winning an Ellis Park maiden last July. He is now likely to be stepped up in grade – and look what Asmussen managed with a similar type in subsequent Breeders’ Cup winner Mitole after he started out at Oaklawn in 2019.
Although Volatile was the only horse to reach three digits, there were other noteworthy Beyers from more obvious quarters. Among them were Oaklawn stakes winners Mia Mischief (99) and Long Weekend (98) plus last year’s Peter Pan winner Global Campaign, who returned to action after a layoff with a 99-rated victory at Gulfstream Park.
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