BY BROCK SHERIDAN
According to Daily Racing Form, Florida-bred juvenile star Rated by Merit returned to the top the list of best Beyer Speed Figures by a 2-year-old in North America this year with the 99 achieved in winning Saturday’s $200,000 Affirmed at Gulfstream Park. The seven-furlong Affirmed is the second leg in the colts and geldings division of the $1.2 million Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association Florida Sire Stakes.
Rated by Merit and jockey Jesus Rios were pressured through the first five furlongs of the Affirmed by Neoequos while clipping off fractions of :22.74 and :45.45. However, Rated by Merit sped away from that rival at the top of the stretch to win by three-and-three-quarters lengths in 1:22.55, just .09 of a second off the stakes record set by Soutache in 2017.
Trained by Michael “Bo” Yates for Vincent and Teresa Viola’s St. Elias Stable, the homebred son of the Battalion Runner is undefeated in three starts after winning a maiden special weight in July by nine-and-three-quarters lengths and the $100,000 Dr. Fager, the first leg of the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes, by six-and-a-quarter lengths on Sept. 7.
He was assigned a 92 Beyer number for the maiden win that topped all 2-year-olds at the time. He then produced a 93 Beyer number in the Dr. Fager that currently ranks as the fifth best Beyer Speed Figure by a 2-year-old this year while the 92 is still in the top seven.
Rated by Merit is out of Banner Waving, by Speightstown and has $220,000 in career earnings.
