And 'Lime' makes nine

My juvenile sales class of 2010 scored its ninth maiden-breaking win when Lime Key overcame a slow start to be hustled forward, surge into the lead in the stretch and hold off a rallying Report Card Time by a neck to win a $40,000 maiden-claimer Saturday at Woodbine.

Sent off as the even-money favorite, Lime Key (Gibson County-Darn That Girl, by Darn That Alarm) scored in his second career outing for owner Colin P. Mouttet. He covered five furlongs over the all-weather track in 59.28 and was trained for the win by Gregory de Gannes.

The gelding was foaled in Florida, bred by Third Street Stable & McKathan Bros. He was a $17,000 RNA at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. April auction of 2-year-olds in training.

I recommended the horse off a blazing 9 4/5 eighth at the under-tack show, despite a page where the "first three dams (are) utterly devoid of blacktype."

I saw reasons to like the horse beyond the obvious speed, and in spite of the light look of his page. For example, his second dam and some others in the family have started more than 40 times apiece, and earned their keep despite not appearing on the page in dark type.

"This is the first foal from his dam and she won at 2 and 3 for $96,508," I wrote. "... Not a brilliant family, but a professional Florida family. This colt might be early enough to do some good work at 2 and 3, yet -- if we're lucky -- sound enough to run on as his second dam and some others have done."

Lime Key certainly checked in early at the winner's circle, victorious in his second lifetime race and earning $18,439 from Saturday's score, more than was bid for him at the sale. He's earned $20,449 from two starts. We'll see if he can hang around and keep winning like some of his predecessors.

Through today's action, of my 187 sales tips, 45 have started by the end of July (23.9 percent), making 75 starts, with nine winners and 29 total in-the-money finishes, for $296,825 (that's $3,958 per start).

Click here to track the accomplishments of my Class of 2010, and the handful of horses I thought were too expensive or otherwise warned against. None of those "pans" have raced, but all might come on yet to make me look the fool.