Folsom Blues

What gives that debut third place some real context is the stable behind it. Folsom Blues is trained by Joseph Patrick O'Brien at Owning Hill in County Kilkenny, and O'Brien's yard has sent out 160 winners already this season — a number that puts it among the most productive operations in training. When a yard is firing at that kind of volume, the horses coming through its doors tend to be well-prepared and well-placed, which makes even a promising third worth noting. A debut placing rather than a win is no cause for concern at this stage; many good horses take a run or two to find their stride, and O'Brien's team rarely give up on a young horse after a single outing.

With only one race to go on, there is not much of a pattern to read yet. But a two-year-old, freshly raced, in one of the busiest and most successful yards around — that combination alone makes Folsom Blues worth keeping an eye on as the season continues.