'He's A Beast': Intriguing 3YO Debut Winner Vlahos Joins O'Neill Barn

The newest addition to Doug O’Neill’s barn, smashing debut winner Vlahos, arrived last week with a big Beyer Speed Figure and high expectations in tow. 

On March 9 at Santa Anita, Vlahos debuted for trainer Luis Mendez and blitzed what on paper looked to be a promising group of 3-year-old maidens. The strapping chestnut ridgling by Kantharos, dismissed at 13-1 in the wagering, went straight to the front under Edwin Maldonado in the 6½ furlong maiden heat, set fast fractions, and drew off to win by 4½ lengths. The winning time of 1:15.75 earned a lofty 98 Beyer Speed Figure. 

The winning debut came for owner Dan Northrup. Vlahos was subsequently sold privately and transferred to O’Neill. 

According to O’Neill, Vlahos’s new owners are Ty Leatherman, Todd Cady, and Greg Pappas with Northrup also maintaining a minor share. The sale price was not disclosed.

“We’ve only had him about a week, but it’s been a good week. He’s a beast,” O’Neill said Friday. Vlahos, bred in Kentucky by John Bates, Ron Kirk, and Greg McDonald, originally sold out of the Denali Stud consignment to Sunset Stables for $35,000 at the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. As a 2-year-old last year, his work tab shows multiple starts and stops. It was as a newly turned 3-year-old Jan. 1 that things began to get serious. It was that day he had the first of eight works for his unveiling, which would include a bullet half-mile work in :46.40 in early February. 

“He had such an impressive debut. That was a really good field he beat,” O’Neill said. “I’m good friends with Luis Mendez, he’s a fabulous horseman. When we heard he came up for sale, we got a deal done.” 

O’Neill added it would likely be another week before Vlahos returns to the work tab. At this point, he does not know when or where Vlahos may resurface. 

“It’s hard to find a 3-year-old with this much ability. The sky is the limit for him,” O’Neill said of the colt out of the Run Away and Hide mare Must Be Dreaming. “We’ll get to know him more and see if we go dirt, turf, short, or long. We do know about going short on dirt at Santa Anita. He certainly likes that. We’re excited about the future.”

As for Mendez, developing and then selling young prospects is familiar territory. Most notably, Mendez was behind the early development of multiple Grade 1 winner and current stallion Dr. Schivel. 

As a 2-year-old in 2020, Dr. Schivel broke his maiden at Del Mar for Mendez and owners William A. Branch and Arnold R. Hill. Dr. Schivel came right back to win the Del Mar Futurity (G1) for Mendez, with Branch being joined on the owner’s line by Red Baron’s Barn, Rancho Temescal, and Dean Williams. Dr. Schivel would subsequently be transferred to trainer Mark Glatt. By Violence, Dr. Schivel finished his career with a record of 15-7-2-3 and $1,347,100 in earnings. He currently stands at Taylor Made Farm in Central Kentucky for a fee of $12,500.