It was a week of unlikely maiden performances: a staggering 106 debut Beyer and two fast runners from a rare 1 1/4-mile maiden race. 5) LATE NIGHT TEXT, 4/23-3rd, 7 furlongs (VIDEO)Beyer Speed Figure- 83(f, 3, by Into Mischief-Arrifana, by Curlin)O-Daugherty Racing and 24th Road Racing. B-LNJ Foxwoods & Gainesway Thoroughbreds (Ky). T-Saffie Joseph Jr. J-Micah Husbands.Running for Joseph for the first time, Late Night Text improved his previous top Beyer Speed Figure by 11 points in his sixth career start to defeat a pair of Brad Cox-trained favorites (including Godolphin's third-place finisher Delightfully, a full-sister to two-time champion Essential Quality). First foal to race from stakes-winning and GSP dam Arrifana, who was 5-for-6 lifetime with a best Beyer of 91. 4) RAGS OVER RICHES, SA, 4/25-3rd, 6 furlongs (VIDEO)Beyer Speed Figure- 83(c, 3, by Mendelssohn-Welcome Speech, by Henrythenavigator)O-Sayjay Racing. B-William Harrigan, Mike Pietrangelo and Mark McEntee (Ky). T-Richard Baltas. J-Armando Ayuso.His debut victory marked a double triumph over low expectations. First, he was bought as a yearling by Steve Young's Sayjay Racing for just $40,000 after RNAing as a weanling for $50,000. And last week at Santa Anita, he went to post as the 19-1 longest shot in a six-horse sprint field (his dam had zero speed and ran long on the turf), yet rushed past the leaders in midstretch en route to a 4-length triumph. And in case you're wondering, there is zero connection to Belmont winner Rags to Riches. 3) DIRECT STRIKE, CD, 4/26-8th, 1 1/4-miles (VIDEO)Beyer Speed Figure- 84 (2nd)(c, 3, by Into Mischief-Day of Victory, by Victory Gallop)O-Qatar Racing, Mountmellick Farm and Hunter Valley Farm. B-Cypress Creek Equine. T-Brad Cox. J-Irad Ortiz Jr.After setting the pace, he couldn't hold off Tiernanogue (below), who also beat him at Fair Grounds. But he keeps getting better numbers with each start. And his $500,000 yearling pricetag reflects his solid pedigree. Into Mischief needs no introduction, and his now-21-year-old dam also produced Gr. I winner Finley'sluckycharm and is a half-sister to multiple Gr. I winner Pure Clan and Gr. II winner Greater Good. 2) TIERNANOGUE, CD, 4/26-8th, 1 1/4-miles (VIDEO)Beyer Speed Figure- 85(c, 3, by Quality Road-Spritz, by Awesome Again)O-Mulberry Racing. B-Gary Holland (Ky). T-Brendan Walsh. J-Tyler Gaffalione.Billionaire Australian investor Mike Gregg is making a splash in racing down under, but Tiernanogue is his first U.S. winner in 16 total starts. The $300,000 yearling purchase has been improving with racing and with added distance, and gradually wore down Direct Strike in a manner indicating he probably wouldn't mind a mile-and-a-half. First foal of dam Spritz, stakes placed on the track but nowhere near as successful as her half-sister Judy the Beauty, the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (Gr. I) winner. 1) MASHALLAH, KEE, 4/23-6th, 6 furlongs (VIDEO)Beyer Speed Figure- 106(f, 3, by Maxfield-All in With Aces, by Quiet American)O-JR Ranch. B-Taylor Made Stallions, Louis Brooks Ranch, Bayshore Stables et al (Ky). T-Brendan Walsh. J-Joel Rosario.It's a Brendan Walsh exacta at the top of the rankings, but this one wins by a pole. She became the 20th horse since Beyer Speed Figures were first published in DRF in 1991 to record a figure of 106 or higher in a career debut. The fastest-ever was 114 by Maclean's Music in 2011, who never raced again. And this bodes well for Mashallah's future: of the other 18 on the list, 17 went on to run at least one more triple-digit Beyer. The post Five Fastest Maidens for the Week of April 19-26, 2026 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.