Laurie Ross
Iron Maidens

As part of the Summit of Speed card, juvenile colts take center stage in the Frank Gomez Memorial Stakes, also run at 5½ furlongs. Last year’s edition had national implications as Jackson Bend was up in time to defeat D’Funnybone by half a length. D’Funnybone went on to make a spectacle on the New York scene, racking up wins in the Grade 2 Saratoga Special and Belmont Futurity by a gaudy 15 lengths. Jackson Bend became a fan favorite on the Triple Crown trail because of his little size and large heart.

This year, 10 colts, including Grande Shores, Jackson Bend’s younger half-brother, are hopeful that they too can make an impact on the national scene later in their careers. Half of the field has raced more than once, making the handicapping of the Frank Gomez a little easier than the filly counterpart, the JJ’s Dream Stakes.  

Prince of Danger held on to win his debut by a length and has a strong subsequent work. He has a modest female family.

Little Drama found trouble and had to check in the stretch, resulting in a half-length loss to Alley Oop Oop, who is also entered here. Not to be deterred, he posted two strong works back, including a bullet breeze. Appropriately named, he is a half-brother to Graded stakes winner Big Drama.

My Mass Media also won his debut and has picked it up in the morning, posting faster works than before his first race, which is a positive sign. He is one of two winners for his freshman sire Mass Media. His dam is a half sister to Grade 1 winner Champagne D’Oro.

Elissa’sroyalimage took three attempts to win a race, all in the maiden claiming ranks. He was a distant fourth two races back behind My Mass Media. The added distance can help this colt, as he is by a son of Unbridled out of the route stallion Marquetry. His second damsire is stamina influence Damascus.

Alley Oop Oop is a very well bred son of stakes winning Monsieur Cat, a half-brother to Awesome Of Course. That one is the sire of Awesome Feather, the morning-line favorite for the JJ’s Dream Stakes.  Alley Oop Oop has rare inbreeding to the wonderful blue hen Terlingua, dam of Storm Cat, the grandsire of Monsieur Cat and through Weaton, Storm Cat’s half-brother by Alydar. Weaton is the damsire of Alley Oop Oop. Furthermore, Alley Oop Oop’s dam is a half-sister to the stakes winning warrior Hear No Evil. Alley Oop Oop took three attempts to break his maiden, posting progressively higher BRIS speed figures in each race. He enjoyed the extra real estate in his last, getting up to win by a half-length over Little Drama.  He comes in with strong works.

As mentioned previously, Grande Shores is a half-brother to Jackson Bend.  Unlike his half-brother, Grande Shores is inbred to the blue hen Missy Baba. The slow-breaking, late running colt is still a maiden and desperately needs the extra furlong. He owns very good works, including the only breeze at six furlongs.

Like Grande Shores, Vee’s Accolade has two races under his girth and is still a maiden. He was a fast closing second, beaten a length by Prince of Danger in his last race. His works are average, but the barn has an eye-catching 40 percent win rate with beaten favorites and is 26 percent with two year olds.  He is a son of deceased second crop sire Proud Accolade from a modest distaff family.

I’m a Playboy won a stretch-long dogfight by a bobbing head over a sloppy track in his most recent effort. He shows one average work since the race and has a jockey switch. His dam is a stakes placed half sister to two minor stakes winners.

Reprized Halo drew the tricky one post in his debut and invariably ducked in at the start. He’s coming back off of two weeks rest for a do-over. He is the first foal from a stakes winning full  sister to multiple Grade 3 winner Valid Reprized and a half sister to Grade 2 turf winner Conveyor’s Angel.

Madness n’ Mayhem came from five lengths out of it to get up by a head at 4½ furlongs in his debut. He’s had plenty of time to recuperate and shows progressive works, including a last out five furlong bullet breeze. He is descended from a favorite Florida distaff family. His dam is a full sister to the old graded stakes winning warrior Suprah Blitz and his second dam Boots N Jackie was a grade two winner.

My Mass Media
Grande Shores
Alley Oop Oop
Elissa’sroyalimage – longshot