RACE 2, ALL TWO-YEAR-OLDS, 5 1/2 FURLONGS, DIRT, 1:35 P.M.

JUSTIN PHILIP (2yo dark bay or brown colt) was set to make his first start on August 7, but was scratched after unseating his rider during the post parade. He was bought for $400,000 at Keeneland last September, making him the second most expensive of 44 yearlings by freshman sire First Samurai to have sold in 2009. Out of the Grade 3-placed Ava Knowsthecode, Justin Philip is a half-brother to Keyed Entry, winner of the 2006 Grade 2 Hutcheson and third in that year’s Grade 1 Wood Memorial; Successful Mission, who won a listed event for juveniles at Belmont Park in 2008; and overnight stakes winner Alex’s Allure.

Owner: Zayat Stables LLC
Trainer: Steven Asmussen
Jockey: Shaun Bridgmohan

 

EMCEE (2yo dark bay or brown colt) is out of Surf Club, a half-sister to 2002 Grade 1 Spinaway winner and 2003 Grade 1 Alabama runner-up Awesome Humor. Surf Club has produced four other foals of racing age, including Baffled, third in the Albany Stakes in England as a juvenile. Emcee is a homebred by Unbridled’s Song.

Owner: Darley Stable
Trainer: Kiaran McLaughlin
Jockey: Alan Garcia

 

BANNED (2yo bay colt), by Kitten’s Joy, sold for the fifth-highest price at the Fasig-Tipton Fall Yearlings sale when he was acquired for $130,000.. His second dam, Footing, won two minor stakes at the Meadowlands and placed in three graded stakes, including the Grade 1 Frizette.

Owner: Glen Hill Farm
Trainer: Thomas Proctor
Jockey: Jose Lezcano

 

ROCK HARD NICKY (2yo bay colt) is out of Ioya Forever, a half-sister to two graded stakes winners on the turf: Ioya Two, who won the Grade 3 Modesty and earned $460,851; and Mystery Giver, who took the Grade 2 Mervin H. Muniz Jr. Memorial Handicap and banked over $1.2 million. Rock Hard Nicky, scratched out of an August 14 maiden race, is a homebred by Rock Hard Ten.

Owner: My Meadowview Farms
Trainer: Nicolas Zito
Jockey: Julien Leparoux

 

RUNNING TAP (2yo gray or roan colt) is out of Wild Flo, a half-sister to Grade 1 Hollywood Starlet winner Diplomat Lady and Grade 2 Comely winner Dream Play. By Tapit, Running Tap was a $90,000 Keeneland September yearling.

Owner: Jim & Susan Hill
Trainer: George Weaver
Jockey: Javier Castellano

 

IT’S TRULY AHVEE (2yo bay colt), by Yes It’s True, sold for $100,000 at Keeneland in September. His dam, Vision Quest, is a half-sister to Voodoo, winner of the Grade 3 Sport Page Handicap and second in the Grade 1 Carter Handicap and Grade 1 Vosburgh.

Owner: Everythings Cricket Racing
Trainer: Linda Rice
Jockey: Ramon Dominguez