by Charlene Polk, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Fort Washington, MD — With the arrival of June and stakes races just around the corner, tracks across the country are starting to see the first 2-year-olds in the qualifying box.

In Maryland, Rosecroft Raceway held its first baby races May 30 and June 6.

Among the first group of 2-year-olds to go behind the gate were Shore Native and Tooth Ache, both from the Joe Offutt stable. Tooth Ache, owned by dentist Anne McDonald, trotted his initial mile in 2:02.3 with a last quarter of :30.3. He is an SJ’s Caviar colt out of a Speedy Crown mare.

“He’s been training pretty good all winter,” Offutt said. “He’s on the lazy side but he’s got a lot of ability.”

Shore Native, an Allamerican Native colt out of the Forrest Skipper mare Coast, paced his mile in 1:59.4.

“Hopefully we’ll have some luck with them,” Offutt said. “Just how far they’ll go you don’t know.”

Another week brought an even larger group of horses out, as there were eight 2-year-old races at the Ft. Washington oval June 6.

USTA Photo

George Teague’s five freshmen all won their baby races at Rosecroft.

There may have been plenty of colts there, but trainer George Teague’s certainly stole the spotlight.

Teague traditionally qualifies his 2-year-olds at Rosecroft (in addition to the Meadowlands) because he likes the track and says the starter takes his time with the young horses.

Teague qualified five 2-year-olds, all of whom won their races. The two standouts though, were Moon Beam and Duneside Perch.

Moon Beam, a Dragon Again colt out of an Artsplace mare, was two seconds faster than the rest of the field, pacing a mile in 1:56.3 with an impressive :27 second final quarter. The colt, owned by Teague Inc., was a $20,000 Harrisburg Yearling Sale purchase.

Teague, who drove all of his horses, said, “He’s a nice sized horse, with a real good mouth. He’s very willing.”

Duneside Perch, a $45,000 Lexington purchase, is a Cam’s Card Shark colt out of the Goalie Jeff mare Duck Duck Goose. The colt paced a mile in 1:56.1 with a last quarter of :27.2.

“I liked him because he was out of a real good family,” Teague said.

Duneside Perch is a full brother to Aba Daba Doo p,4,1:49.1 ($541,037) and Eric p,1:52.3s ($34,953).

“He always trained down like he was in the top of my colts,” he added.

Teague also qualified the Artiscape filly Just Desserts (2:01.1), the Life Sign colt Perseus (2:00.1) and the Western Hanover colt Costa Rica Kid (1:58.2).

Teague says that although he qualified the five he did first, that does not mean they’re the best he has.

“I have probably four or five more like this that I think will be alright,” he said. “They definitely seem like nice quality colts. I just hope it’s as good a season as last year.”

Teague, who’s training about 40 2-year-olds, said that he focused on those with the earliest stakes races first. He will probably qualify Duneside Perch and Moon Beam at the Meadowlands before their stakes races, he said, since that is probably where they’ll be racing.