Thistoo Shall Pass, finally does

It might not be often that an 0-for-6 horse who has but one on-the-board finish in her lifetime is sent off as the favorite in maiden special weight company at a top-tier racetrack. But that was the case Saturday at Woodbine, and Thistoo Shall Pass rewarded her backers with a drawing-off 3 3/4-length win at odds of about 9/5.

In the process, she becomes the 92nd horse to break maiden from my 187-horse list of recommended 2-year-olds at selected U.S. sales of 2010. That's creeping precariously close to 50 percent winners -- 49.2 percent, to be exact.

Thistoo Shall Pass had a previous-best finish of third in six lifetime starts. But on this day the daughter of Best of the Bests-Adinatha, by With Approval, was in among fellow Ontario-breds. She also was getting a nice route of ground -- nine furlongs -- on the lawn, for which she is bred, and where her prior best performances had occurred.

Though she lagged the leaders early, running in 10th place of 12 through the opening quarter and still in eighth after six furlongs, Thistoo Shall Pass swept by the field and was ridden out by Patrick Husbands to win by daylight in a time of 1:49.70.

The win was worth $34,875 to the filly's connections, owners Quintessential Racing Florida LLC and trainer Mark Casse. Thistoo Shall Pass was bred in Florida by Keith McClelland and Rachel McClelland. She has now earned $46,019.

I recommended Thistoo Shall Pass when she was cataloged as Hip 707 at Ocala's April 2010 sale of 2-year-olds in training, an auction from which she was withdrawn before going through the ring. I look forward to seeing her get more chances long on the lawn at Woodbine.

In other sales-tip action Saturday, PULGARCITO finished second in his second-straight non-blacktype stakes race at Canada's Assiniboia Downs, this time by a half-length to Hammers Bullet in the Harry Jeffrey Stakes going a mile and a sixteenth on the dirt. I tipped the now-gelded son of Greatness-Cat Attack, by Storm Cat, out of that same OBS April sale, where he failed to meet reserve with a $37,000 bid as Hip 849. He has won twice and placed four other times from 10 starts for $78,195, including victory in the Governor's Cup S. at Zia Park as a 2-year-old.

Click here to follow all 187 of my 2010 selections.