Winstar freshman stallion Carpe Diem’s first starter delivered a wire-to-wire win by over four lengths in a maiden special weight at Keeneland on April 17. Named Nayibeth, and trained by precocity-specialist Wesley Ward, she is a half-sister to Soldat, a multiple graded stakes winner who stands at Calumet Farm. Nayibeth’s connections are all stellar, as she was bred by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, ridden by Joel Rosario, and was a $230,000 yearling at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October’s yearling sale last year, purchased by Ben McElroy for owner Ramon Tallaj.

Carpe Diem stands for $25,000 in 2019, and earned over a million and a half dollars, with grade one success at both two and three. By the late Giant’s Causeway, he is out of the Unbridled’s Song mare Rebridled Dreams. To prove that when it rains, it pours, Carpe Diem is also the sire of hip number 532 at the upcoming Ocala Breeders’ Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training about to take place, and is certain to be a high seller given her fastest quarter mile work of the sale, clocking in at 20 3/5. Carpe Diem is clearly a young stallion to keep one’s eyes on.

-- Roberta Smoodin