Following Sea dazzles in Oaklawn MdSpWt

Spendthrift Farm’s homebred colt Following Sea turned a $93,000 Oaklawn Park maiden special weight contest into a one-horse race Saturday when the 3-year-old colt won effortlessly by nearly a half-dozen lengths while being geared down late.

The flashy bay, trained by Bob Baffert, officially won by 5 ¾-lengths after leading most of the six-furlong trip and increased his margin over the field despite not being urged on at all in the final furlong.

After covering the distance in a rapid 1:09.92, which was faster than older distaffers in the $250,000 Carousel S. and just a tick slower than CZ Rocket in the Count Fleet Sprint S. (G3), Following Sea earned a gaudy Beyer Speed Figure of 97 and was named a TDN Rising Star.

The winner is out of the stakes-winning mare Quick Flip, who is a half-sister to the Baffert-trained stakes winner Qahira. Quick Flip has 2-year-old Into Mischief filly.