Pikachu

What catches the eye is the recent form. After a slow start with a fifth-place finish, Pikachu has run second, third, fourth, and then finally got its head in front at Hamilton Park. That's the kind of upward trajectory trainers dream about—each run building toward something, each near-miss making the breakthrough feel earned rather than lucky. At two years old, the horse is still learning, and Johnston's Middleham Moor yard—which has already sent out 131 winners this season—is clearly doing something right with its young prospects. The fact that Pikachu is still racing actively, with that win coming just over a week ago, suggests the team is keeping the momentum going rather than shelving the horse to reflect. In racing, timing matters. That win at Hamilton Park this week could be the moment things click into place.