2026 DMR Trials
Well, the morning dawned and the stables started emptying as the track saw over 1800 juveniles stretch their legs for the DMR Trials. There were a few trainers that couldn’t resist riding out their charges and thus a good few of the top finishers were disqualified as horses ridden handily were against the rules. In truth, this was largely mistakes born from the early hour as players forgot to adjust their settings, but it did give us some interesting comparisons. The fastest two-year-old on the track today came from Bears Stable, Moon Gazer, the colt clocked 59.69, but more than one of the organizers noticed the rider going to the whip down the stretch and he was subsequently disqualified. Despite the mistake the home-bred went on a few watchlists and would almost certainly have broken the top 50 had the rider not given in to temptation.
As usual the fillies dominated with 15 of the top 20 dirt times showing once more how the works engine differs from the race engine. It did make me wonder though whether we may see a few more fillies try and take advantage of the weight allowance in the juvenile open races, in particular the early stakes races.
Of the times themselves there were only four that broke the 1-minute mark on the dirt and five on the turf but over 400 that broke the 1.01 on both surfaces showing once again just how close the racing will be come April. With many stables only sending their best and most mature juveniles we didn’t see the huge numbers of 1.05 plus horses we normally do with the slowest runner going under the wire with a 1.06.08 and rather aptly named Real Dog.
Here is who took the top places in the 2026 DMR Trials:
Dirt
1 Whispering Pines – Mb Stables – Championship Rounds – Silent Forest- Filly
A filly standing 15.1hh and weighing 1115Lbs she has an interesting conformation for such a fast early type. With Mid Low Stifles and a Mid Long Humerus coupled with a hip to stifle longest rear Triangle she looks more of a mile plus type filly, but conformation can be misleading with these pre-raced two-year-olds. Whilst stamina is almost certainly genetic here at HRP it can manifest differently at this time of year. A sprint-based conformation for example may be fast over 2 furlongs now but by the time the horse matures and races it may have the additional growth and strength to carry that speed over five furlongs. In a similar way a horse that may be much better over a mile at three may find five furlongs a comparative trip at this stage of its development. Thus, we tend to see either this type that can run out a full five furlongs or a very mature sprinter in the top 20 of the trials. That can also explain why, by the time they get to the races, the top 20 may struggle as the faster built horses have grown and matured enough to get the full five furlongs.
So back to this one who also displays another couple of traits that suggest she is an early type. The ideal Lumbo and the average forehand suggest ability with less longevity and the High Medium Humerus Angle supports the ability side of things making this one the type that we may see successful in her early career but less so later in life.
She clearly gets her speed from her sire, a grade one winner over six furlongs whilst her dam was less successful and remained a maiden after six starts, she also had enough early ability to race in the grade one Frizette as a two-year-old.
All in all, this was a strong work by a filly that should stretch out to an Oaks distance
2 Palantir – DJC Racing Stables – Chisel – Third Eye – colt
The first colt home, this will come as a relief to her trainer that went to $203.010 at auction to secure him. At 14.3hh and 1079Lbs he certainly has some growing to do but a solid and balanced conformation suggests that this will come evenly.
He carries the essential ability markers with an ideal Lumbo and a High Medium Humerus Angle but with a Light Average Forehand he also seems to have some good longevity there which could suggest there is more to come from the colt. The balanced rear triangle will help with early speed but not hinder his stamina so all in all he is a very promising individual.
Out of Chisel who won the BC Sprint it is clear he gets his speed through the sire with the only surprise being his Dam who at ten years old is pretty long in the tooth to produce such potential. Although she hasn’t been able to repeat it in 13 foals since her first foal was Hiei, a BEL and Haskell winner as a three-year-old with a similar conformation to this one and the owner will be hoping that this two-year-old proves that lightening can strike twice.
3 Data Center – Pan Farms – Chisel – Chilukki – colt
Again, the ability markers are all here with a very good Lumbo and a High Mid Humerus angle but this one has a slight edge towards speed. At 15.2hh and 1121 Lbs he may be slightly more mature than some so he could carry his speed through the full trip and he may, in time be competitive over a mile plus but the only way to be sure of that will be when he reaches the race track.
Another by Chisel who won’t be doing his stud worth any harm here at the trials he is out of a recently retired mare that only won once at the track but competed well at grade one level and was only a head from winning the grade two Golden Rod.
The breeding and conformation all point to a successful career and we may see him competing in some of the better two-year-old races with his speed being essential in those early races.
4 Ecosophia – Barcelona Farms – Tactical Wizard – Ecology – Filly
At 15.1hh and 1123 Lbs she is a compact sort and whilst I seem to be repeating myself displays the common ability factors in a very good Lumbo and a High Medium Humerus Angle. A balanced rear triangle brings some speed to a confo that seems to point towards slightly longer trips.
Her sire Tactical Wizard is a typical long term plan from her well respected trainer as he only raced the once after being bought from Mb Stables and was then put out to stud. His first crop was a little disappointing but the owner has stuck with him breeding a full book of two-year-olds with this being one of a few that look promising. His dam is a daughter of Neon Wolf who was picked up in the Smokey Stover giveaway for just $1.000 and has yet to produce any significant winners but this is the first time she has been matched to this sire so the owner may have found the magic formula.
5 Susan Lots Of Ice – Hammelot Farm – Offal Edge – Profound Paradox – filly
Standing at 15.2hh and 1122Lbs she has a very similar conformation to the trails winner in that she has the right mix of ability markers but with a lack of longevity displaying an Average Heavy Forehand. She certainly will go further than these five furlongs but how long she lasts will be questionable and it may pay the owner to make some hay whilst the sun shines. Talking of the owner, a recent inductee who raced their first horse at HRP in 2025 this has been a great trials for them and they have made my list for some big success in the coming years.
As you would expect from a newer player, they are building their breeding operation but they clearly have a good idea of what it takes after picking up this sire, a maiden runner, for just $12.000. At eight he only has 13 foals but the new owner clearly saw something in his genetic make up and matched him to another maiden runner in his dam to produce this precocious filly.
6 Poor Style – The Sidley Stud
Just outside the top five we find another of the big stables in the Sidley Stud with their Techfluence Heat Filly. With a conformation that could easily be overlooked she is the first “different” looking one home and whilst this may end up as her biggest pay day, she certainly looks to have some early speed which may help he win an early maiden.
7 What About It – Hammelot Farm
Only one other stable managed two in the top ten so Hammelot Farm finds themself in exalted company in only their second season. Another home bred that demonstrates the ability of the new player this filly has a much better confo than her stable mate and should give the stable plenty of excitement as April approaches.
8 Lison – Royalty Stables
A small but compact filly she was the best from the yard recording her best work so far. By Jurassic Park she has plenty of speed in her conformation but is clearly fairly forward and looks a likely contender in the early two-year-old races.
9 Mercy Bite – Team 7 Illusions
She has the confo of an early type that may not be racing much past four but at 15.3hh she is clearly ready to run and I suspect will be pushing hard for some early success
10 My Boy Flynn – Mb Stables
The champion trainer rounds out the top ten with their second entry. With the fillies dominating he gets into the top four as far as the colts and geldings go so this was a pretty good result for the son of Exemplary. Beautifully conformed he looks to have plenty of scope to become a TC hope for 2027.
11 Hauoli – Our Athletes
12 Bonsai Rose – C And C Racing
13 No Chants For Us – Sqb Racing
14 Lika Mafia – Night Rider Stables
15 Showman – Mb Stables
16 Poor Duck – BigKing
17 Sassette – C And C Racing
18 Shards Of Bo – Bigchief Stables
19 Bronze Wolf – TwinTowersRacing
20 Grayte By Fire – Acber Farms
Turf
1 Sensational Duck – Mb Stables
I guess the first thing that stands out about this colt is his turf conformation, the second would be that his sire was the underachieving Blue Duck. The six-year-old that promised so much in his career but rarely if ever delivered clearly isn’t going to have that problem in the shed as his limited first crop is showing plenty of speed. His dam has already produced a Stakes winner so this one may be one to look out for in the bigger turf races once they get going.
2 Apprentice Mage – Barcelona Farms
Barcelona Farms produces so many top turf juveniles that it is no surprise to see this one in the number two spot. Her Sire Aces Full has been well used and produced a couple of good ones but they are few and far between with the last being produced in 2023 with the Graded stakes winner Sorcerer who seems to find many similarities with this one. Out of an unraced mare this huge gangly two-year-old stands an imposing 16.2hh but his frame is lightly filled. He looks the type that could improve as he grows into his huge frame.
3 Its Yesterdays – Blazin D
The first filly home was this home bred who went under the wire as third fastest. A smaller type at 15.1hh she is out of one race winner Its Showtime who has had a small book of mares so far but that could well increase with this result. Another that looks ideally suited to the turf she will only improve as she matures.
4 Bosons Velvet Vixen – Noblepark
A sprinting type she signalled that she would be in contention for top honours here with a 57 and 3 work at SA on the grass so it was no surprise to see her in the top five. Out of a one race winning sire that has already produced the top filly Secret Of A Lady she also has her consistent dam Newton John to thank for her decent conformation which could stand her in good stead for the early big-ticket maidens.
5 Composure – Mb Stables
Tying in fourth fastest will be the second runner from the powerful Mb Stables who will be thrilled with the results this year as he rarely gets so many of the fastest at this time of year. We know of course that usually that all changes as the year rolls on so it may be rather ominous that we see so many of the prize winners this year coming from Mb Stables. This one has the build of an early type and being by the grade one winning sire Walk Em Down and out of a stake winning mare I would expect her to be taking a maiden very soon after the juvenile season gets under way.
6 Eliptical Orbit – Barcelona Farms
7 Bold Imagination – Noblepark
8 Bull Hobbit – Arkansas Elite
9 Dream Zomb – Arkansas Elite
10 Twin Lucy – Red Fox Farms
11 Obu Run Kenobi – The Sidley Stud
12 Two Assets – The Sidley Stud
13 Arcane – Mb Stables
14 Jungs Bounty – Noblepark
15 Hi Yo Silver – DJC Racing Stables
So that’s it for another year. As the dust settles and the staff get out on the track to rake over the dirt and pat down the turf, we are left to thank the organisers in John Henry and Mb Stables and look forward to another year as the two-year-olds sort themselves out over the next few months.
Finally let’s look at the who’s who in the DMR Trials with each represented stable and their number of entries in the dirt contest. There were 59 players represented at the trials, a reflection of maybe half the playing members but also a sad reflection of so few providing so many. I would also add that the number of entries in no way supports the number of two-year-olds that an individual player has in the game. It is clear a few entered most, but equally clear that a majority entered only a small fraction, so the true number of two-year-olds could easily be ten times this number. This analysis only includes the dirt trial and whilst I have endeavored to count (by hand) each of the numbers, I apologize if I have miscounted the odd one. (I have included those ridden handily).
TwinTowersRacing 210
Jive Inc 125
Martyparty 108
Royalty Stables 104
Arkansas Elite 78
DJC Racing Stable 69
Maletto 62
Team 7 Illusions 41
Bears Stable 41
Nynl Stables 40
Night Rider Stables 37
Winning Link 37
Zoeller 34
South Shore Stable 32
Asgar 31
Noblepark 30
Lemax 28
Mo Mentum Farm 26
Big Guns Stable 26
Sidley Stud 25
Avenue Z 21
Our Athletes 19
Pan Farms 19
John Henry 16
Mb Stables 15
Aer Stables 14
Spinetingling 13
C And C Racing 13
Jerry Garcia 12
YME 11
Sheffler Stables 11
Arindel 9
Chilli King Stable 9
Sc Lanciano 9
Parkers Pride 8
Rock Creek 8
Sqb Racing 8
Barcelona Farms 7
OnlineRacingClub 7
Oquinn Farm 6
Emerald Racing Inc 6
Jokerjoes 6
BigKing 5
Blazin D 5
Chubby Racing 5
Maxmillion Farm 4
Lagastable 4
Paradise Stable 3
LaCanada Raceh 3
Harrell Racing 3
Hammelot Farm 3
Buckeep Farm 3
Nightmare Racing 2
Lanfranco 2
Aml Stables 1
Hygana Stables 1
Robeth Stables 1
Freakshow 1
Threshold 1
The median time was around 1:01.5 for the dirt trial
Be sure to check out the forums for prize allocation. All information was correct as of midnight on the 15th March.
Categories: EDITORIAL, Racing Information
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