Schoolyardsuperman Runs Second in Allowance Optional Claiming
On Sunday at Aqueduct Racetrack, Schoolyardsuperman turned in a commendable effort in his fifth career start, finishing second in an $83,000 Allowance Optional Claiming race over one mile on the dirt for trainer Chad Brown.
While it wasn’t the win, this was a fast, high-quality race (where he ran a 99 Beyer–more below), with him and stablemate Hedge Ratio drawing 11 ¼ lengths clear of the rest of the field.
This was a race that deserves a closer look than the running line alone. Schoolyardsupermanbroke sharply and was first away from the gate, showing his trademark speed. Manny Franco allowed him to establish position without asking him to do too much too soon, and through an opening quarter in :23.50 he was traveling beautifully in third, just behind the pace.
He remained comfortably in rhythm through the half-mile in :46.37, continuing to travel strongly into the far turn. Approaching the three-quarter pole in 1:10.87, Franco tipped him four to five wide, and the colt responded immediately—lengthening stride and advancing with authority.
Turning for home, he locked onto Hedge Ratio, and the two colts separated themselves from the field in an exciting stretch battle. Despite finishing a length short, Schoolyardsupermanran all the way through the wire, stopping the clock for the mile in 1:35.47, a strong time for this level.
From a speed-figure standpoint, this effort stacks up extremely well. His 99 Beyer Speed Figure places him among the top tier of 3-year-old milers in the country right now, underscoring just how legitimate this performance was.
Final Thoughts
This was a step forward and a race that should leave all SchoolyardSuperman fans encouraged. While second is never the ultimate goal, the quality of the effort, the fast final figure, and the daylight back to the rest of the field all point to a colt moving in the right direction in a big way.
