Five promising two-year-olds are achieving high marks with their trainers as they prepare for racing, providing Runnymede and our partners with much to anticipate in the coming season.
Four of the juveniles are being schooled under the keen eyes of David Scanlon at the Robert Scanlon Training Center in Florida, while a filly by Street Cry out of our graded-stakes winning mare Meribel is being developed by David Lanigan in England.
Runnymede Vice President and General Manager Martin O’Dowd recently traveled to the Ocala, Florida, area to inspect the juveniles based there, and he returned to Kentucky with upbeat assessments of all of them.
“I could not be happier with what I saw,” O’Dowd said. “David Scanlon has once again done an excellent job. They all looked great and I was highly impressed as I watched them gallop on the track.”
Following is a brief report on each of the American-based juveniles.
An elegant dark bay colt by Elusive Quality out of our Saint Ballado mare Sacre Coeur has grown and thrived. Named Boundless Heart by Runnymede Chairman Catesby W. Clay, the colt is a half brother to Grade 3 winner Bizzy Caroline, who races for Clay and the farm.
“This colt has done really well and early indicators suggest he is talented. Here’s hoping he can emulate his sister,” O’Dowd said.
Boundless Heart will be trained by Kenny McPeek, who also conditions Bizzy Caroline. The now four-year-old filly has rejoined his barn after a winter vacation from racing.
Another juvenile colt, a strong chestnut by champion and freshman sire Big Brown out of our stakes-winning City Zip mare Little Miss Zip, has filled out and done everything right, Scanlon reported. Named Mach Seven, “this guy looks fabulous—powerful and fast,” said O’Dowd. “I cannot wait to see him at the races.”
Mach Seven is the second foal of Little Miss Zip, whose three-year-old son Zip Cat, by Kitten’s Joy, is currently in training with Jeff Bonde at Oaklawn Park.
Another two-year-old in the Runnymede racing stable is Brief Reign, a chestnut daughter of City Zip out of Wavering Crown, by Monarchos, who will be sent to Michelle Nihei. This filly has matured beautifully since she left Kentucky last fall and seems to enjoy her work under tack.
“I was delighted to see how well this filly has done,” O’Dowd said. “She has grown a lot and has a lovely way of going on the track.”
The final member of Runnymede’s two-year-old team is a filly to which everyone at the farm has a deep sentimental attachment. 
By Medaglia d’Oro out of our outstanding producer Lovington, she is half sister to Clay’s graded stakes-winning Rogue Romance, third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) to champion Uncle Mo; graded stakes winner Savorthetime, an earner of more than $600,000, and Grade 2-placed Tizbig.
The Medaglia d’Oro filly has been named Loveofalifetime, in part as a tribute to Lovington as she was the mare’s final foal.
“This filly has matured nicely. A big strong filly, she will take a little more time to come to herself, but she has smooth and powerful action on the track,” O’Dowd said.
A decision on trainers for Loveofalifetime and Mach Seven will be made soon.