Breeders' Cup Countdown - The Filly & Mare Previews
Trotman
Senior Member
FWIW
Remember, these previews were written before the official fields and post positions were drawn so includes all of the pre-entries.
Full Field Expected In Inaugural Juvenile Filly Turf...
Last year's Juvenile Turf was a rather successful event given the horrible conditions of the Monmouth turf course due to all the rain they received before and during the running of the race...so now that the fillies have their own division and the turf course figures to be in wonderful sunny southern California form this race should be a dandy. With twenty-one pre-entries drawn a full field of 14 is all but guaranteed.
Full fields mean great prices...but with that many horses starting in a one mile turf race over a 7 furlong turf course, talent, post position, running style and race riding are going to be of paramount importance. Of course there are a few maidens and a few fillies that have never been two turns, but surprisingly it looks as though a number of trainers are as prepared as you could be with a two-year old at this point of her career as 15 of the 21 pre-entrants have, on one surface or another run a mile or further at least once.
As you'd expect, with most of these youngsters only beginning to figure out the game, projection based on breeding and training method are also huge factors. Below is a brief review of the twenty one pre-entered for the Juvenile Fillies Turf. Only 14, max will go.
Seven of the fillies entered in the Juvenile Fillies Turf are also entered for the Juvenile Fillies.
April Pride - The English bred daughter of Falbrav has had 7 starts in her career, all on grass, but her third place finish in the 7 furlong Grade III Prestige Stakes at Goodwood in her last is also the first time she has gone beyond 6 panels. The James Cassidy trainee has shown some talent, but after 7 starts is still looking for career win number two.
Atka - The California-bred daughter of Swiss Yodeler is also looking for career win number two after 7 starts and curiously will be making her first grass start should she draw in. She is not particularly well bred for grass and has not been able to sustain her drive going two turns in her last pair. Looks to be in over her head unless the turf changes her prospects drastically.
Beyond Our Reach - So far the winner's circle has been beyond her reach after three career starts. However, the Irish-bred daughter of Danehill has spent her last two engagements in Group I company and two back did fairly well when she rallied into third and held the show in the Moyglare Stud Stakes travelling 7 furlongs at The Curragh. The mile distance will suit, but she remains a mystery.
Black Magic Mama - Another maiden, the Doug O'Neill trained daughter of Black Mamba ran evenly and close up for third in her debut in a 5 ½ furlong MSW and then was an even fourth when she tracked the pace and moved up late in the Grade I Oak Leaf Stakes over the synthetic Pro-Ride surface here on 9/27. While her grass breeding is nominal at best, she did turn in a nice five furlong work around the dogs on 10/12 and did face some of the better ones from the division in the Oak Leaf. Will still need significant improvement to be among the top three or four at the finish. Also cross pre-entered in the Juvenile Fillies.
C Karma - The Florida bred, Canadian based shipper has already proven her worth by winning the Grade III Natalma at Woodbine in her turf debut. A five time starter the daughter of Exchange Rate has shown strong finish sprinting and in the mile stakes. What is more important, she has the tactical speed to get in striking position early in the race, which should serve her well. The course was quite soft for the Natalma so I wouldn't be all that concerned with her :27 3/5 final quarter off soft early fractions, especially given that Laragh also faltered in the late going that day and returned to win the Jessamine at Keeneland last week. She is moving forward so must be considered.
Consequence - The daughter of El Prado won her debut handily sprinting 5 ½ furlongs on the grass vs MSW rivals and made her second and most recent start in the Grade III Miss Grillo at Belmont. She raced wide most of the way over a yielding turf course in the mile and a sixteenth test yet finished her last 2 ½ furlongs in a strong :30 4/5. She's wonderfully bred for the surface and distance and only needs to continue improving to be a strong factor.
Dancing Daisy - The NYSB has improved significantly since moving to the grass and her possible long-shot form is represented well by finishing in front of her stable-mate Freedom Rings in a MSW turf test before that one came back to run second in the Grade III Miss Grillo Stakes. She might be an Empire State filly, but sire More Than Ready stands in Kentucky and this filly is a breed-back that was foaled in New York so probably shouldn't be seen as "just" a NYSB. Her BRIS grass speed numbers are a little soft, but her maiden breaker last time was quite impressive. Honk if you like Donk.
Dave's Revenge - I've said on more than one occasion that The Cliff's Edge may make up in the breeding shed for the promise he didn't fulfill on the race track. This gal might prove to be an example. She rallied 5 wide on the Polytrack surface at Del Mar and lit up the tote-board at 37-1 in her one and only career start. She has some green blood in her via her grand sire Gulch and the third and fourth generation on her female side. Unfortunately she hasn't raced since that 8/31 maiden breaker and may need a bit more experience going to the grass for the first time off such a layoff vs this kind in only her second career start. Is also cross pre-entered in the Juvenile Fillies.
Dream Express - She began her career on the grass and after breaking her maiden at two turns at Saratoga in start number two switched to Polytrack at Keeneland and easily dispatched her six rivals in the Grade I Alcibiades, a key Juvenile Fillies prep...a race in which she is also pre-entered. In the pre-entries her regular rider Robbie Albarado is listed to ride her in this race while he is named definitely on C.S. Silk in the Juvenile Fillies, so perhaps trainer ken McPeek has already signaled he will send her to what might be the easier spot. Either way she's got the goods and is an improving youngster.
Emmy Darling - Another filly that is cross pre-entered, there are a number of questions wherever she goes. First and foremost is what to make of her bad performance in the Grade I Del Mar Debutante in her most recent. The first three races of her career showed plenty of promise. She ran out of race track when she closed for second vs MSW foes in a 5 furlong debut and returned to win the six furlong Grade 100K Landaluce Stakes in start number two. She followed that up with a tough luck third in the 6 ½ furlong Grade III Sorrento as she was steadied sharply during mid-rally. In her last, however she went 7 furlongs in the Futurity and readily gave way after being caught a bit wide from the outside. John Sadler has worked her forwardly since her last start on 9/1, but questions still remain as to her ability to sustain her drive for a distance on either surface.
Evita Argentina - Another from John Sadler and another that is cross pre-entered you might figure that he'll run one here and one in the other since he has no other fillies entered in either race. Arguably, this gal is bred better and has shown more form to indicate that she would be the better of the two in either engagement. The daughter of champion Candy Ride is bred wonderfully for the grass and should get better the further she runs. She broke her maiden from off the pace at 5 furlongs in her debut, followed up with a strong close at 6 furlongs to win the Grade III Sorrento and was moving late in the Grade I Del Mar Debutante when she missed second behind division leader Stardom Bound by a neck and a nose after lagging early. Although her stable-mate would have a tougher time on dirt, this gal's late running quick turn of speed might be hampered over that same surface. Just the same, she has the goods.
Freedom Rings - Either the Miss Grillo field wasn't that stellar or this gal has just run into some bad luck and solid competition...otherwise she wouldn't be entering here as an 0 for 3 maiden. I'll lean towards the latter because in her two turf tests to date she has been right there at the finish despite lacking room at the eighth pole in her debut and getting stuck down on the rail in the Miss Grillo. The daughter of Proud Citizen is another NYSB breed-back and has very strong grass breeding. Her sire was mostly a successful sprinter type, but his sire Gone West has been superb influencing middle distance turf horses and the female line has plenty of green blood.
Heart Shaped - European shipper is one of the O'Brien clan and has already faced Group I and Group II rivals in England. Although the Kentucky bred son of Storm Cat has yet to travel further than 6 furlongs on grass and has yet to win beyond his maiden score in five career tries, his breeding suggests he'll relish stretching out and a look at his running lines shows all sorts of compromises at the break in all three Group tries. Tabor and Magnier and Storm Cat's 300K fee. This is always a serious consideration.
Internallyflawless - The son of Giant's Causeway is flawlesslyimpecablybred and showed it when trainer Bob Baffert moved him to the turf for career start number two last time as the daughter of Giant's Causeway moved to the fore late and held off her opposition to score clear in the one mile MSW test. The Fipke home-bred has turned in two solid drills since the 9/28 victory and although she will need to improve yet again in order to compete with the top ones in here, her bloodlines suggest doing so wouldn't be a huge surprise.
Laragh - After getting beaten solidly by C Karma twice at Woodbine, the daughter of Tapit was turned over to John Terranova for IEAH Stables and she promptly shipped to Keeneland where she reversed form dramatically and took no prisoners in going wire-to-wire at 11.60-1 in the Jessamine Stakes on 10/9. Although she'll be making her third start in less than six weeks if she goes on Friday, she could still be on edge. What the connections and handicappers have to worry about, however, isn't her talent level, but the fact that she shipped from Woodbine to Belmont, from Belmont to Keeneland, and now to southern California, all in the space of that same six weeks. That might be tougher to overcome than her competition.
Maram - Back-to-back grass wins to begin her career culminated in her tracking victory in the Grade III Miss Grillo last time. She is another who is difficult to gauge because she got her initial win vs maiden claimers (albeit at 75K) and managed to neck a filly (Freedom Rings) who will also run here as a maiden. Astonishingly trainer Chad Brown has won with 21 of his last 24 (that is not a misprint) last out winners so that alone should pique interest in this daughter of Sahm. Has strong cruising speed and both races have been at 8 ½ furlongs. Has to be considered.
Oui Say Oui - The daughter of champion Royal Applause doesn't appear a killer based on her three European races...she won her debut at 6 furlongs then finished second in the Group II Debutante Stakes at Leopardstown and fifth in the Goffs Fillies Million going 7 furlongs over a yielding course at The Curragh in her most recent. What does make her viable is that in each race she has run evenly in the late going and her breeding suggests more distance and firm going might be to her liking. She could very well be the best bred filly of the lot, so deserves what long look one is able to give her.
Renda - Another tough call in a race full of them. The Juan Arias trained daughter of sharp first year sire Medgalia D'oro has three daylight wins from five career starts to her credit and is beautifully bred for the grass. Yet she has never been on the surface, having been washed off at Monmouth in the Jr. Champion Stakes on 8/23...a race she went on to win by 7 lengths from just off the pace. Her two losses came when she tried Graded company at CD and Saratoga, however, and she wasn't close in either. She may need more ground and the turf (is also cross pre-entered for the Juvenile Fillies) in order to shine or based on some of her BRIS speed numbers may need softer company. Like I said...another of many tough calls.
Saucy Evening - The fifth of the cross pre-entered fillies, the Graham Motion trainee enters off a rallying victory in the restricted Cal Cup Juvenile. The daughter of More Than Ready broke her maiden sprinting vs MSW rivals in her debut and her three subsequent races have each been on a synthetic surface. A graduate of the Del Mar Debutante, she finished 7th in that race after being steadied at the sixteenth pole. But she was still pretty far back at that point and her high turn of speed and considerable late run might be better served on grass than on Pro-Ride. If she stays in this race she gets strong consideration.
Screen Gem - It is difficult to envision this winless filly getting into the race, and even if she did, the fact that the daughter of Dynaformer is 0-2 after a pair of mile turf races and has been beaten an average of 8 lengths while never threatening puts her in deep, whatever. Crazier things have happened, but...
Sugar Mom - Three straight wins at three different distances since being moved to synthetic dirt, the daughter of Monarchos would make her debut on turf in this race. One of only two fillies in the pre-entries that have won three races (Renda is the other) she is wonderfully bred for the grass and distance and her victory in the 100K Kentucky Cup Juvenile Fillies at Turfway last time gives every indication that she has the perfect running style for this race. The Wayne Catalano trained miss has never faced graded company and broke her maiden vs 40K maiden claimers so will likely be overlooked by class players...but if she goes she becomes an intriguing long shot. Besides, ever since Monarchos won the Kentucky Derby for me and my followers I've had a special spot in my heart for all his off-spring.
Remember, these previews were written before the official fields and post positions were drawn so includes all of the pre-entries.
Full Field Expected In Inaugural Juvenile Filly Turf...
Last year's Juvenile Turf was a rather successful event given the horrible conditions of the Monmouth turf course due to all the rain they received before and during the running of the race...so now that the fillies have their own division and the turf course figures to be in wonderful sunny southern California form this race should be a dandy. With twenty-one pre-entries drawn a full field of 14 is all but guaranteed.
Full fields mean great prices...but with that many horses starting in a one mile turf race over a 7 furlong turf course, talent, post position, running style and race riding are going to be of paramount importance. Of course there are a few maidens and a few fillies that have never been two turns, but surprisingly it looks as though a number of trainers are as prepared as you could be with a two-year old at this point of her career as 15 of the 21 pre-entrants have, on one surface or another run a mile or further at least once.
As you'd expect, with most of these youngsters only beginning to figure out the game, projection based on breeding and training method are also huge factors. Below is a brief review of the twenty one pre-entered for the Juvenile Fillies Turf. Only 14, max will go.
Seven of the fillies entered in the Juvenile Fillies Turf are also entered for the Juvenile Fillies.
April Pride - The English bred daughter of Falbrav has had 7 starts in her career, all on grass, but her third place finish in the 7 furlong Grade III Prestige Stakes at Goodwood in her last is also the first time she has gone beyond 6 panels. The James Cassidy trainee has shown some talent, but after 7 starts is still looking for career win number two.
Atka - The California-bred daughter of Swiss Yodeler is also looking for career win number two after 7 starts and curiously will be making her first grass start should she draw in. She is not particularly well bred for grass and has not been able to sustain her drive going two turns in her last pair. Looks to be in over her head unless the turf changes her prospects drastically.
Beyond Our Reach - So far the winner's circle has been beyond her reach after three career starts. However, the Irish-bred daughter of Danehill has spent her last two engagements in Group I company and two back did fairly well when she rallied into third and held the show in the Moyglare Stud Stakes travelling 7 furlongs at The Curragh. The mile distance will suit, but she remains a mystery.
Black Magic Mama - Another maiden, the Doug O'Neill trained daughter of Black Mamba ran evenly and close up for third in her debut in a 5 ½ furlong MSW and then was an even fourth when she tracked the pace and moved up late in the Grade I Oak Leaf Stakes over the synthetic Pro-Ride surface here on 9/27. While her grass breeding is nominal at best, she did turn in a nice five furlong work around the dogs on 10/12 and did face some of the better ones from the division in the Oak Leaf. Will still need significant improvement to be among the top three or four at the finish. Also cross pre-entered in the Juvenile Fillies.
C Karma - The Florida bred, Canadian based shipper has already proven her worth by winning the Grade III Natalma at Woodbine in her turf debut. A five time starter the daughter of Exchange Rate has shown strong finish sprinting and in the mile stakes. What is more important, she has the tactical speed to get in striking position early in the race, which should serve her well. The course was quite soft for the Natalma so I wouldn't be all that concerned with her :27 3/5 final quarter off soft early fractions, especially given that Laragh also faltered in the late going that day and returned to win the Jessamine at Keeneland last week. She is moving forward so must be considered.
Consequence - The daughter of El Prado won her debut handily sprinting 5 ½ furlongs on the grass vs MSW rivals and made her second and most recent start in the Grade III Miss Grillo at Belmont. She raced wide most of the way over a yielding turf course in the mile and a sixteenth test yet finished her last 2 ½ furlongs in a strong :30 4/5. She's wonderfully bred for the surface and distance and only needs to continue improving to be a strong factor.
Dancing Daisy - The NYSB has improved significantly since moving to the grass and her possible long-shot form is represented well by finishing in front of her stable-mate Freedom Rings in a MSW turf test before that one came back to run second in the Grade III Miss Grillo Stakes. She might be an Empire State filly, but sire More Than Ready stands in Kentucky and this filly is a breed-back that was foaled in New York so probably shouldn't be seen as "just" a NYSB. Her BRIS grass speed numbers are a little soft, but her maiden breaker last time was quite impressive. Honk if you like Donk.
Dave's Revenge - I've said on more than one occasion that The Cliff's Edge may make up in the breeding shed for the promise he didn't fulfill on the race track. This gal might prove to be an example. She rallied 5 wide on the Polytrack surface at Del Mar and lit up the tote-board at 37-1 in her one and only career start. She has some green blood in her via her grand sire Gulch and the third and fourth generation on her female side. Unfortunately she hasn't raced since that 8/31 maiden breaker and may need a bit more experience going to the grass for the first time off such a layoff vs this kind in only her second career start. Is also cross pre-entered in the Juvenile Fillies.
Dream Express - She began her career on the grass and after breaking her maiden at two turns at Saratoga in start number two switched to Polytrack at Keeneland and easily dispatched her six rivals in the Grade I Alcibiades, a key Juvenile Fillies prep...a race in which she is also pre-entered. In the pre-entries her regular rider Robbie Albarado is listed to ride her in this race while he is named definitely on C.S. Silk in the Juvenile Fillies, so perhaps trainer ken McPeek has already signaled he will send her to what might be the easier spot. Either way she's got the goods and is an improving youngster.
Emmy Darling - Another filly that is cross pre-entered, there are a number of questions wherever she goes. First and foremost is what to make of her bad performance in the Grade I Del Mar Debutante in her most recent. The first three races of her career showed plenty of promise. She ran out of race track when she closed for second vs MSW foes in a 5 furlong debut and returned to win the six furlong Grade 100K Landaluce Stakes in start number two. She followed that up with a tough luck third in the 6 ½ furlong Grade III Sorrento as she was steadied sharply during mid-rally. In her last, however she went 7 furlongs in the Futurity and readily gave way after being caught a bit wide from the outside. John Sadler has worked her forwardly since her last start on 9/1, but questions still remain as to her ability to sustain her drive for a distance on either surface.
Evita Argentina - Another from John Sadler and another that is cross pre-entered you might figure that he'll run one here and one in the other since he has no other fillies entered in either race. Arguably, this gal is bred better and has shown more form to indicate that she would be the better of the two in either engagement. The daughter of champion Candy Ride is bred wonderfully for the grass and should get better the further she runs. She broke her maiden from off the pace at 5 furlongs in her debut, followed up with a strong close at 6 furlongs to win the Grade III Sorrento and was moving late in the Grade I Del Mar Debutante when she missed second behind division leader Stardom Bound by a neck and a nose after lagging early. Although her stable-mate would have a tougher time on dirt, this gal's late running quick turn of speed might be hampered over that same surface. Just the same, she has the goods.
Freedom Rings - Either the Miss Grillo field wasn't that stellar or this gal has just run into some bad luck and solid competition...otherwise she wouldn't be entering here as an 0 for 3 maiden. I'll lean towards the latter because in her two turf tests to date she has been right there at the finish despite lacking room at the eighth pole in her debut and getting stuck down on the rail in the Miss Grillo. The daughter of Proud Citizen is another NYSB breed-back and has very strong grass breeding. Her sire was mostly a successful sprinter type, but his sire Gone West has been superb influencing middle distance turf horses and the female line has plenty of green blood.
Heart Shaped - European shipper is one of the O'Brien clan and has already faced Group I and Group II rivals in England. Although the Kentucky bred son of Storm Cat has yet to travel further than 6 furlongs on grass and has yet to win beyond his maiden score in five career tries, his breeding suggests he'll relish stretching out and a look at his running lines shows all sorts of compromises at the break in all three Group tries. Tabor and Magnier and Storm Cat's 300K fee. This is always a serious consideration.
Internallyflawless - The son of Giant's Causeway is flawlesslyimpecablybred and showed it when trainer Bob Baffert moved him to the turf for career start number two last time as the daughter of Giant's Causeway moved to the fore late and held off her opposition to score clear in the one mile MSW test. The Fipke home-bred has turned in two solid drills since the 9/28 victory and although she will need to improve yet again in order to compete with the top ones in here, her bloodlines suggest doing so wouldn't be a huge surprise.
Laragh - After getting beaten solidly by C Karma twice at Woodbine, the daughter of Tapit was turned over to John Terranova for IEAH Stables and she promptly shipped to Keeneland where she reversed form dramatically and took no prisoners in going wire-to-wire at 11.60-1 in the Jessamine Stakes on 10/9. Although she'll be making her third start in less than six weeks if she goes on Friday, she could still be on edge. What the connections and handicappers have to worry about, however, isn't her talent level, but the fact that she shipped from Woodbine to Belmont, from Belmont to Keeneland, and now to southern California, all in the space of that same six weeks. That might be tougher to overcome than her competition.
Maram - Back-to-back grass wins to begin her career culminated in her tracking victory in the Grade III Miss Grillo last time. She is another who is difficult to gauge because she got her initial win vs maiden claimers (albeit at 75K) and managed to neck a filly (Freedom Rings) who will also run here as a maiden. Astonishingly trainer Chad Brown has won with 21 of his last 24 (that is not a misprint) last out winners so that alone should pique interest in this daughter of Sahm. Has strong cruising speed and both races have been at 8 ½ furlongs. Has to be considered.
Oui Say Oui - The daughter of champion Royal Applause doesn't appear a killer based on her three European races...she won her debut at 6 furlongs then finished second in the Group II Debutante Stakes at Leopardstown and fifth in the Goffs Fillies Million going 7 furlongs over a yielding course at The Curragh in her most recent. What does make her viable is that in each race she has run evenly in the late going and her breeding suggests more distance and firm going might be to her liking. She could very well be the best bred filly of the lot, so deserves what long look one is able to give her.
Renda - Another tough call in a race full of them. The Juan Arias trained daughter of sharp first year sire Medgalia D'oro has three daylight wins from five career starts to her credit and is beautifully bred for the grass. Yet she has never been on the surface, having been washed off at Monmouth in the Jr. Champion Stakes on 8/23...a race she went on to win by 7 lengths from just off the pace. Her two losses came when she tried Graded company at CD and Saratoga, however, and she wasn't close in either. She may need more ground and the turf (is also cross pre-entered for the Juvenile Fillies) in order to shine or based on some of her BRIS speed numbers may need softer company. Like I said...another of many tough calls.
Saucy Evening - The fifth of the cross pre-entered fillies, the Graham Motion trainee enters off a rallying victory in the restricted Cal Cup Juvenile. The daughter of More Than Ready broke her maiden sprinting vs MSW rivals in her debut and her three subsequent races have each been on a synthetic surface. A graduate of the Del Mar Debutante, she finished 7th in that race after being steadied at the sixteenth pole. But she was still pretty far back at that point and her high turn of speed and considerable late run might be better served on grass than on Pro-Ride. If she stays in this race she gets strong consideration.
Screen Gem - It is difficult to envision this winless filly getting into the race, and even if she did, the fact that the daughter of Dynaformer is 0-2 after a pair of mile turf races and has been beaten an average of 8 lengths while never threatening puts her in deep, whatever. Crazier things have happened, but...
Sugar Mom - Three straight wins at three different distances since being moved to synthetic dirt, the daughter of Monarchos would make her debut on turf in this race. One of only two fillies in the pre-entries that have won three races (Renda is the other) she is wonderfully bred for the grass and distance and her victory in the 100K Kentucky Cup Juvenile Fillies at Turfway last time gives every indication that she has the perfect running style for this race. The Wayne Catalano trained miss has never faced graded company and broke her maiden vs 40K maiden claimers so will likely be overlooked by class players...but if she goes she becomes an intriguing long shot. Besides, ever since Monarchos won the Kentucky Derby for me and my followers I've had a special spot in my heart for all his off-spring.
Comments
In the previews above there were seven fillies mentioned that are cross pre-entered for this race. Now let's take a look at the pre-entered BC Juvenile Fillies contenders.
Be Smart - Wasn't quite the same 49-1 she was in her debut victory at Saratoga, but she almost performed as well after showing speed and fading late in her first two turn and Grade I try in the Alcibiades at Keeneland two weeks ago. The daughter of Smarty Jones has been a one-dimensional speed horse to date, as are many of Wayne Lukas' runners these days and that method hasn't been highly successful at Santa Anita so far during this meet. But if she can improve as much as she did from 5 ½ to 1 1/16 miles she just may be able to carry herself far enough to get a piece.
Black Magic Mama - (See Juvenile Fillies Turf.)
C.S. Silk - Ran a sharp tracking and off the pace race to break her maiden traveling 6 furlongs at CD in career start number two and then outran the entire field despite being wide the entire way in the one mile Grade III Arlington Washington Lassie over Polytrack back on 9/6. The Dale Romans trained daughter of Medaglia D'oro has continued to work brilliantly at CD and is bred to love the distance. She has also indicated that she has the potential to extend her cruising speed running style so has to be one of many that are taken into serious consideration.
Dave's Revenge - (See Juvenile Fillies Turf.)
Doremifasollatido - The sharp NYSB daughter of Bernstein tipped her talent in start number two when she broke her maiden with a 5 furlong exhibit that garnered a 7 length margin and a 108 BRIS speed number. She was outrun in the Grade II Adirondack after a slow start and settled for the place before reverting to solid form and wearing down her rivals in the 7 furlong Grade II Matron last time. She has a good stalking style that could settle her just off the front runners and clear of a number of apparent closers and if she can stay out of traffic has a good shot to be in the thick of it inside the furlong marker. She does give away some experience to fillies that have been longer or two turns and is unproven in a race or work over the Pro-Ride surface. Her running style says she'll like the surface...if she does look out.
Dream Express - (See Juvenile Fillies Turf.)
Emmy Darling - (See Juvenile Fillies Turf.)
Evita Argentina - (See Juvenile Fillies Turf.)
Palacio De Amor - Another dedicated speed filly, the daughter of Dixieland Band has taken a clear lead to deep stretch only to be caught and passed decisively by Stardom Bound in both the Grade I Del Mar Debutante and Grade I Oak Leaf in her last two. Certainly youngsters reverse form or jump up big time at this point in their development, but with as much speed as the filly figures to see again, this may not be the spot it happens. She has still shown more than enough to make her a candidate for support awards.
Persistently - The Shug McGaughey trained daughter of Smoke Glacken closed smartly to run second to a pair of rivals she will likely face again in here. In the Grade II Matron she rallied from last of nine to get the place in the 7 furlong race when outgunned by Doremifasollatido. In the Grade I Frizette she once again came calling from far back but also settled for the place in that 8 ½ furlong test when Sky Diva stalked closer to the pace and beat her to the garden spot in mid-stretch. She has the breeding and the form, but if the other two could beat her to position late in New York, the question becomes will the same thing happen over the tracking style favoring Pro-Ride surface? On the other hand, both of those NY races were around one turn. Lots to think consider in what is obviously a deep field.
Pursuit Of Glory - The Irish bred daughter of Fusaichi Pegasus makes his NA debut after a combined trio of 6 furlong tries in Ireland and Great Britain. Bred to run much further than the sprint distance she has engaged in to date she should be able to put the tracking style that got her a victory over synthetic dirt in the Emerald Isle in her second career start and on the turf vs Group I rivals in her most recent to good use. Counting on youngsters carrying their stalking speed a distance of ground when they try for the first time is always a crap-shoot, but if the breeding is there, you have a much better chance.
Renda - (See Juvenile Fillies Turf.)
Saucy Evening - (See Juvenile Fillies Turf.)
Stardom Bound - The further they've gone the better she's gotten and given the developed racing style of most new Pro-Ride winners the fact that she has come from far back only flatters her talent. She came up just short in her MSW debut ran second in the Grade III Sorrento while still a maiden and then has won her last two, the Grade I Del Mar Debutante and Grade I Oak Leaf from well off the pace in a romp. The Christopher Paasch trained daughter of terrific first crop sire Tapit showed that she hasn't lost her edge with a strong 5 furlong breeze on 10/11 and returned to the track this past Saturday to drill 5 furlongs in :59 1/5. She'll be the favorite, but with a full field will need all the right luck to maneuver from as far back as she figures to be.
Van Lear Rose - Canadian shipper travels west following two straight victories over Woodbines synthetic dirt, including a four wide rally in the Grade III Mazarine Stakes at a mile and a sixteenth. The Catherine Day trained daughter of Stroll has improved every time they've sent her longer and she should be able to stay within close enough striking range to have a shot in the lane. She has great mid-distance breeding and has shown the versatility to stalk if necessary and overcome traffic as she did last time. Not as long a shot as she's liable to be at post time
Communique - (Scratched)
Dynaforce - She showed promise in her first two tries in this country with a pair of place finishes this summer in the Grade II New York and Grade I Diana Handicaps. She was steadied at the start of the Grade III Glens Falls Handicap and never recovered, but in her most recent put it all together to win the Grade I Flower Bowl at Belmont in front-running fashion over a yielding turf course. She is usually on the pace, has never missed a check at the distance (5-2-2-1) and although probably better on a softer turf can compete on firm.
Folk Opera - The Group II and multiple Group winner from Europe shipped to Canada for her NA debut in last and eclipsed the Grade I E P Taylor as the 3-2 favorite. The Godolphin filly showed her usual speed, this time going right to the front and staying there throughout the 10 furlong test. Trainer Saeed Bin Suroor has won with 28% of his starts this year and has gotten this daughter of Singspiel to the winner's circle 5 times from 10 career starts. She has good tactical speed and can lead, press or stalk, which makes her a viable candidate in this test.
Forever Together - The Jonathan Sheppard trained 4-year old has skyrocketed up the ranks since being moved to the turf in mid-May. The daughter of Belong To Me never fails to fire from the back of the pack and has won 3 of 5, including the Grade I Diana at Saratoga and the Grade I First Lady at Keeneland. Her conditioner has been particularly adept at setting her up to stretch out off of mile races, winning the Diana off such a move and prepping for this with her First Lady triumph. With as much speed as there is in here she could definitely come running late for a piece, or maybe even all of it.
Goldikova - The 3-year old Irish-bred filly has already won 5 races (two Group I affairs) and just under $1 Million in purse money from 8 career starts. And as impressive as her wins have been, it is her third place finish in the Group I Prix de Diane (French Oaks) at Chantilly behind Zarkava, perhaps the best female race horse in training which points out her talent. She battled along the rail in that mile and five-sixteenths race, moved into second over the soft course and weakened a bit late. She also finished second to Zarkava and ahead of Halfway To Heaven in the prestigious Group I Poule D'essai Des Pouliches at Longchamps. The daughter of Anabaa has plenty of versatility as she has won from off the pace, by tracking or by pressing. She will have to prove she can get the distance, as only one of her races is beyond a mile, but she is maturing quickly and is bred to run all day.
Halfway To Heaven - Another of the sharp European quartet, the daughter of Pivotal has never missed a check (8-4-2-2). The 3-year old Aiden O'Brien trainee has faced Group I foes in her last five tries and has won three of them. Like Goldikova, she has a very competitive race with Zarkava, finishing third in the Group I Poule D'essai Des Pouliches at Longchamps and perhaps more importantly has already shown an ability to win nat 10 furlongs with a tracking victory in the Group I Nassau at Goodwood three races back. At the top of her game right now with room for improvement given her age.
Mauralakana - After four straight wins, including her first ever Grade I triumph in the Beverly D two races back, the 5-year old mare was no match for Dynaforce over a yielding turf course at Belmont in the Grade I Flower Bowl 9/27. She has certainly come into her own in 2008 with a 7-5-2-0 mark and has the kind of tracking and stalking style that could be put to good use. How good this year's distaff turf handicap division is has been a recurring issue, but consistency means a lot in this sort of test and the daughter of Mutathir definitely has that asset. She did fail in her lone try on this surface in last year's Grade I Yellow Ribbon, but she was in a different barn at that time so might be excused.
Precious Kitten - The Bob Frankel trained mare has failed to hold her advantage over both Forever Together (the First Lady) and Mauralakana (the Beverly D) in the last two and has been a beaten favorite in three of her last four. The 5-year old daughter of Catienus has four wins in her last ten tries and in each of those was either on or pressing the lead throughout. Given her need to run this way and the preponderance of solid tactical mile speed from the European invaders as well as Dynaforce and Wait A While, this could be a tough spot.
Pure Clan - There is no doubt that this 3-year old daughter of Pure Prize is on the rise, and her 5-4-1-0 turf mark that includes a victory in the Grade I American Oaks at the distance at Hollywood makes for a pretty solid resume. The question the Robert Holthus trainee will have to answer on Friday is whether or not the rivals she has beaten in her graded stakes engagements...the American Oaks was her only test vs older...are up to the class status of much of this field. She has a good even-paced running style that usually results in late interest, so if she continues to move forward could surprise, but this is by far her toughest challenge yet.
Sealy Hill - The 4-year old daughter of Point Given was blocked and rallied for third in the E P Taylor behind Folk Opera in her most recent. The Mark Casse trained filly has actually fared better on dirt than on the turf winning 5 of 8 on a fast track and posting an 8-2-2-2 grass resume. Her inconsistency vs collectively lesser would seem to be a problem as she has a win and two thirds in her last six but alternated those with a 4th, 5th and 10th with an average of 7 beaten lengths. Given her in and out form this would appear to be a tough spot.
Vacare - There is no question the Christophe Clement trained daughter of Lear Fan has talent, but the distance and competition may be a bit tough. She has won three of her last eight under her current conditioner, but those have come at a mile and a sixteenth twice and a mile. She did fairly well in her first career try at 10 panels last time when she finished just behind Wait A While in the Grade I Yellow Ribbon here on 9/27. But she has also been unable to finish with Forever Together the last two times she's faced that one and has also been behind Dynaforce and Wait A While on other occasions. She could with a couple of breaks be a candidate for the tail end of the exotics, but that would take her best.
Visit - The English-bred daughter of Oasis Dream would have to be considered the least accomplished of the four European invaders, but if Halfway To Heaven is as good as advertised than this 3-year old has to get consideration for her good third place finish behind that one's victory in the Group I Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket on 10/4. On the other hand, she was dismissed at 20-1 that day and her lone two career wins from eight tries have come at the Group III level. On her best she can track the pace but has had more occasions where she's run from the back of the pack. She might gain success on the back end by association with the better contenders from her contingent, but she'll need the race of her young life to be a factor.