I’ve been waiting to write about Liam’s Map’s first winner, because I love the horse. When I visited Lane’s End to view him when he first went to stud, he knocked my eyes out. He is the most unusual of gray horses, with a silver coat that appears to be star-spangled. But I was already pre-disposed to love him, because I’d put a big (for me) bet on his nose to win the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile-G1, and he did so in convincing fashion, by 2 ½ lengths, in a new track record. This was a race horse. He did not race at all at two, however, so I feared his first crop might not be precocious.

Yesterday, 7/21, at Saratoga, his son Basin won a maiden special weight over a prohibitive favorite. Owned by Jackpot Ranch, trained by Steve Asmussen, and bred by Cottonwood Stables, Basin demonstrated in his second start that he has potential. He’d already had a second at Churchill Downs, to the colt who would go on to win the Sanford S.-G2—not too shabby.

Basin is out of the Johannesburg mare Appenzell, whose pedigree complements that of Liam’s Map by adding a second dose of Damascus, and two more of Mr. Prospector to reach out to the Fappiano in the sire’s side. The important relative in the dams’ side, however, is Seeking the Gold, who adds another dose of Buckpasser to Liam’s Map’s already La Troienne-rich pedigree. As well, Appenzell’s pedigree includes two doses of Northern Dancer, through Storm Cat and Dixieland Band.

Liam’s Map entered stud for a fee of $25,000, which was reduced in 2019 to $20,000. Not a bad fee for a millionaire and multiple-grade-one winner, with his looks. I personally am looking forward to what his three-year-olds and four-year-olds will do, as that was when Liam’s Map turned into a winning machine. I’m hoping he will be the heir apparent of the magic that Unbridled’s Song had at stud.

-- Roberta Smoodin