TORONTO — By Matthew Lomon

Getting the Call

After flying through the minor leagues with ease, Baltimore Orioles phenom Jackson Holliday was recently crowned Major League Baseball’s top prospect. If there was a similar list of prospect rankings but for Thoroughbreds, 3-year-old colt Carbone wouldn’t be too far behind.

The Steve Asmussen pupil is set to make his stakes debut in this Saturday’s $800,000 Southwest (G3) at Oaklawn Park following a dominant first two starts.

In his maiden voyage on November 19, 2023, Carbone waltzed his way to an eight-length score. He followed that up with a four-length victory on New Year’s Eve.

It won’t be a cakewalk this time around, especially with graded stakes winner Wynstock (2023 Los Alamitos Futurity, Grade 2) lurking, but Carbone (9-2) has earned his right to run with the big dogs.

Toss Up

When two athletes are evenly matched, the default move is to side with the more experienced competitor. If we apply that logic to Saturday’s $250,000 Withers Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct, then El Grande O (5-2) enters with an advantage over Mission Beach (6-1).

Both entering their sophomore campaigns, the former has competed five more times than the latter with his most recent coming on January 6. Altogether, El Grande O is 3-4-1 through nine contests.

Mission Beach, on the other hand, is 2-0-0 in four starts, missing the podium in his only graded attempts (fifth in the Grade 1 Hopeful and fourth in the Grade 3 Bob Hope).

The 3-year-olds will chase the elusive title of ‘graded stakes winner’ in their first head-to-head meeting.

Who Dare Challenge the King?

Reigning Breeders’ Cup Juvenile champion Fierceness is returning to action for the first time since his career-defining score on November 3, 2023.

The colt’s 2024 campaign will begin at Gulfstream in the $250,000 Holy Bull (G3) for 3-year-olds. On paper, the Todd Pletcher trainee should have no problem adding another graded title to his resume, but for the sake of this exercise, let’s see who might challenge the budding superstar.

Perhaps it’s Otello, a young Kentucky-bred coming off a Mucho Macho Man score. Or, maybe it’s Hades, who burned his rivals in an eight-length trouncing last time out.

While neither foe has competed against a horse on the same level of Fierceness, what’s to say they can’t hold their own?

Witchy Woman

Coming off back-to-back wicked performances, Three Witches heads out west for Saturday’s $200,000 Santa Monica Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita.

The 5-year-old mare rides into this weekend’s seven-furlong tilt on the heels of a third in last November’s Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) and a first in the Princess Rooney Invitational (G3).

Closing at 34-1 and 10-1, respectively, both oddsmakers and bettors greatly underestimated Three Witches’ capabilities. Now, however, they have no choice but to respect what the Saffie Joseph Jr. disciple brings to the table.

Sitting at 3-2-2 and on the most prolific run of her eight-start career, Three Witches is well positioned for a second graded conquest.

On Standby

Prince Abama (IRE) hasn’t raced since February 5 of last year, but that won’t stop the 6-year-old from returning to Santa Anita on Saturday afternoon to defend his San Marcos (G3T) crown.

It seems the Flavien Prat mount is ready to pull a Rob Gronkowski and come back after a long layoff to do what he does best: win. A multiple graded stakes winner, Prince Abama is no stranger to showing up when it matters most, even if it’s been a while.

Before last February’s San Marcos triumph, the gelding captured 2022’s edition of the Hollywood Turf Cup (G2) at Del Mar.

The well-rested California course regular is 4-4-1 through a dozen career starts.