Freshman sire Strong Mandate was bound to throw precocity. He himself won the Hopeful S.-G1 at two, and finished third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile-G1. Though he underachieved at three, his pedigree is chock full of quality black type on his dams’ side, and sons of Tiznow continue to be well represented as sires. So it’s no surprise that Strong Mandate’s first starter was also his first winner on June 17. The colt, named Strong Will, was already designated as a star, as he sold for $775,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sale March, after a stunning 9 2/5 second breeze. Strong Will demonstrated his dominance at Arlington in a maiden special weight by winning by 2 ¼ lengths and looking professional while doing so.

Out of the Majestic Warrior mare Majestic Stinger, Strong Will is owned by Carolyn Wilson, bred by Golden Pedigree, LLC, in Kentucky, and trained by Larry Rivelli. Strong Mandate stands at Three Chimneys Farm in Midway, Kentucky, for a modest $10,000 stands and nurses, but Three Chimneys has been bullish on him, showing him to breeders with enthusiasm when he first entered stud and encouraging them to bring good mares to him. Like many sons of Tiznow, he is a sturdy, well-balanced, handsome horse with good size and bone. Given his own precocity, we can expect to see many more winners from Strong Mandate’s first crop.

-- Roberta Smoodin