Theory rolled to a 5 1/2-length win in his maiden special weight debut Saturday at Saratoga to become First-Crop sire Gemologist’s to earn the coveted TDN Rising Star tag.
Theory’s commanding score left little doubt who was the best in the field of 10 2-year-olds going six furlongs. Pressing the pace from his outside post position, Theory put away Tale of Silence just before the quarter-mile pole, then came home under a hand ride from John Velazquez to stop the timer in an excellent 1:09.80 (VIDEO).
Owned by China Horse Club and WinStar Farm LLC, Theory was a $335,000 purchase at the 2016 OBS Spring 2-year-old sale in April. Bred in Kentucky by Fred Hertrich III and Ron Kirk, Theory is out of the stakes-placed mare Gem Sleuth, a sister to four stakes horses from the same family as Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) winner Artie Schiller. Theory’s third dam is multiple Grade 1 winner Tallahto.
Gemologist, a graded stakes winner at two and three and one of the early 2012 Kentucky Derby (G1) favorites, ranks in the top 10 on the 2016 Freshman Sire list by 2-year-old sales avearge. His first runners now include maiden special weight winners at racing’s two most prestigious summer meets: Del Mar and Saratoga.
