THREE-YEAR-OLD COLT OF 2025 CAUGHT MY EYES WINNING A MAIDEN RACE BY 7 LENGTHS GEARED DOWN!




The three-year-old Colloquial broke his maiden in a 6 1/2-furlong maiden special weight race at Aqueduct last Friday (Feb 7, 2025, race 7), shrugging off a nearly eight-month layoff while being rated in fifth place behind an opening quarter-mile in 22.89 seconds, advanced to second through half a mile in 46.61 seconds and then clocked his final five-sixteenths of a mile in 30.26 seconds per the GPS chart to win easing up by seven lengths.

Colloquial's winning time of 1:16.89 yielded a massive 106 Beyer Speed Figure from Daily Racing Form.

Colloquial is the son of Vekoma -- a "HOT" freshman sire -- and trained by George Weaver.

Colloquial is best known to avid die-hard hardcore horse racing fans for almost upsetting Mentee in their debut race last June 2024.

In that race Colloquial showed promise when making his debut in a five-furlong maiden special weight race at Aqueduct on June 15, 2024, running against a highly regarded 2yo colt named Mentee.

After settling in third place behind quick fractions, he accelerated his final furlong in a blazing 11.47 seconds per the Equibase GPS result chart to gain five lengths and finish second by a nose against Mentee, and almost nipped Mentee at the wire.

One jump past the wire Colloquial was in front of Mentee.

After that race I profiled Mentee as the 'Star In The Making' two-year-old.


[Also noted that Mentee went on to win the Futurity (G3) in October 2024.]



MEAHWHILE, COLLOQUIAL WILL CUT BACK IN DISTANCE AND PASS UP THE TRIPLE CROWN

WATCH OUT FOR COLLOQUIAL REGARDLESS OF WHAT DISTANCES HE RACES!

HE IS MY "NEW" STAR IN THE MAKING HORSE !


Trainer George Weaver told DRF that Colloquial will return to his base at Palm Beach Downs and that he plans to keep the colt in one-turn races for at least the first half of the year.

"I don't think any of us are in a hurry to make him into a two-turn, Triple Crown horse," Weaver said.

The Grade 1 Woody Stephens at Saratoga in June (2025) is a target, Weaver said, with possible starts in the Lafayette or Bay Shore in April. He ruled out the Gotham (G3) on March 1 because it is too soon.

"Anytime a horse runs that fast those numbers make him a serious contender in any race," Weaver told DRF. "Now he's got to do it in a big race."



Here is an excerpt of that profile:

MENTEE, the 2YO son of City of Light, and full brother to FIERCENESS broke his maiden while in doing so also broke the previous track record of 57 seconds set all the way back in 1963.

His reward was an 88 Beyer Speed Figure from Daily Racing Form, solid for a juvenile this time of year, so Mentee may have a bright future against stakes competition.

The 2-year-old Todd Pletcher trainee opened up a daylight lead through swift fractions of 22.37 and 44.80 seconds, then held on to beat stretch-running Colloquial by a nose in the track-record time of 56.97 seconds.

Yes, that is right: 5 furlongs in 56.97 seconds.


Are you kidding me a 2yo running 5 furlongs in 56.97 seconds, breaking a track record set by an older horse who held it since 1963?


Mentee - a 2YO full brother to FIERCENESS is expected to put on a show for us this Saturday July 13, 2024, at Saratoga Race Course, race 11.

He is entered in the Grade III $175,000 Sanford Stakes for 6 furlongs against 7 other 2yos.

Last time we saw Mentee in action was when he won a five-furlong maiden special weight race on Saturday June 15, 2024, at Belmont at the Big A, in which, he broke a 61-year track record held by an older horse and in the process earning an 88 Beyer Speed Figure for his effort.

Needless to say, Mentee will be a very short-price favorite, perhaps 1/5 in the betting.

But what I'm looking forward to is his ability to rate and not going anywhere as fast as he did last time.

If he can relax and rate and not gunning for the lead, he'll be a route horse and his future will be something to look forward to -- as far as the Derby 2025 is concerned.

Meanwhile, I can't wait for Saturday's race to see how he uses his talent.

He has talent - no doubt about - but can he relax and rate?