Full Field in BB Juvy Filly Turf
Preview – Breeders’ Bowl Filly Juvy Turf
Last year’s field featured Miss Timoshenko, who went on to parlay that victory into Horse of the Year honors after a remarkable juvenile season. Fourteen talented fillies hope to follow in that filly’s hoofprints, and the first step down that road would be a win here on Saturday.
The race is a flat mile on the turf, with the course rated firm, and boasts a rich purse of $1 million. All in all, it is a talented group, featuring no less than 11 graded stakes winners – the other three are graded stakes placed. This has left handicappers with somewhat of a dilemma – the favorite is a tepid 6/1, while the longest shot in the field is only 18/1. Leaves a lot of room for a solid payoff in the exotics, if you can figure this one out. The field of fourteen, in post position order, is as follows:
1. Montana Blanco (Capo Blanco x Tale of the Cat x Lyphard)
This striking dark bay filly has really taken to the course since arriving in California. Owned by Montanarox, a family run stable, Montana has never lost and never been headed, in her first three trips to the track. In her latest start, the Natalie-G3, she opened up by 5 3/4 lengths at the top of the stretch before coasting to victory under a hand ride, a comfortable two lengths ahead of the runner up. It wasn’t the deepest field, only four horses went postward, but you can only beat who shows up. The juvenile was bred for the ” Tip a Horse” contest, and when she arrived as a filly, there was a vacancy in the Montanarox stable, so she ended up there and never look back. This talented miss is capable of taking another step forward here.
2. Corner Guard (Sidney’s Candy x Curlin x Kingmambo)
This stormboot trainee has done little wrong in five starts to date. After finishing off the board in her debut on the dirt, she switched to the turf and has never looked back. She captured the Calvados-G3 over 11 rivals, rating off the early pace and kicking clear late with an 83 SF. In her latest start, the big chestnut went gate to wire, defeating Vic Datripper by 1 1/34 lengths while posting a career best 93 SF in the process. Connections are solid, and Vicki Gardner rides. This filly’s family has sent several BB runners postward. Corner Guard is a granddaughter of September Royalty, a millionairess and multiple graded stakes winner who was off the board in the 2007 Breeders’ Bowl Distaff, and a great-granddaughter of September Storm, who earned $2 million and was a multple graded stakes winner, finishing eighth in the 2001 Breeders’ Bowl Mile, Corner Guard looks to bring the elusive trophy home for the family.
3. Party Hook Up (Pulpit x Nureyev x Blushing Groom).
mtkplaz bred and trains Party Hook Up, who enters this race fresh off a sharp win the Dormello-G3. The compact bay stalked the pacesetters early before kicking clear in the stretch to win by two lengths over a field of six. She earned an 83 SF in the process, and with only three starts under her belt, is eligible to take another step forward.
4. Evermore Cahoots (Posse x Nureyev x Mt. Livermore)
Rlog‘s filly has been steadily knocking on the door, and the extra distance might be just what the doctor ordered to find this filly in the winner’s circle on Saturday. After winning her first two starts, she has closed to finish second in three straight graded stakes. Stretched out to 7 furlongs in the More Glare S-G1, she closed from fifth to finish second, two lengths behind Via Meydan, and posted a 90 SF in the process. The extra distance, and that speed figure, puts her in the thick of things. Her dam, Nurey Evermore, captured the QE2 Challenge-G1 and over $1 million during her career, and so far, Cahoots is doing mom proud.
5. Sodas Selzer (Oasis Dream x Awesome Again x Kingmambo)
6. Money Indysky (Monsun x A.P. Indy x Nijinsky II)
Royally bred filly has been nothing short of perfect for etonic. With each start, she has improved leaps and bounds, going from a 67 SF in her debut, to winning the Filly Grand Prix-G1 by 1/4 length with an 89 SF. Hard to knock anything about her; she’s won on the lead and from off the pace.
7. New Empress (Conduit x King Kamehameha x Three Wonders)
One of the more experience fillies in the field, the clooch715 homebred showed another gear when routing for the first time. She pressed the pace in the JPMC Jessamine-G3 before pulling away by 2 lengths to win with an 86 SF. It was a small field, but she put up a career best speed figure in the process. Clearly, she’s bred to go a route of ground, and the only real question is whether a mile will be too short.
8. Via Meydan (Rock of Gibraltar x Unbrided’s Song x Sadler’s Wells)
In 2006, Brabasong competed in the BB Juvenile Turf Filly-G1, back when it was run at 1 1/16 miles. This year, her daughter hopes to do even better. Owned and bred by brabant, the gun metal grey is the most experienced filly in the field, with 8 starts under her belt. This will be her first experience routing, but she has won the More Glare S-G1 at 7 furlongs with a 94 SF. Last out, she was second in the Chevel-G1, with a 93 SF. Her speed figures are among the best in the field and has a real shot here.
9. Poa Annua (Giant’s Causeway x Kingmambo x Sadler’s Wells)
Poa Annua is the latest graded stakes winner out of blue hen Botwisted, who has produced five , including Crosby who was second in the Breeders’ Bowl Filly Juvy Turf-G1 in 2010. The
10. Ravenous Blue (Raven’s Pass x War Chant x Storm Cat)
Vkstables1 has this precocious coppery hued miss who is unbeaten in three starts. Like many others, she goes to the front and never looks back. Most recently, she defeated six rivals in the Animale-G3 at a mile, posting a 93 SF in the process. On speed figures, she definitely belongs, and has every reason to continue to improve.
11. Mambo Down (Big Brown x Kingmambo x Caerleon)
Kroth4’s filly has shown ability on both the dirt and the turf, and has gotten even better with distance, as she is unbeaten in her two attempts at a mile or more. Most recently, she dashed to a 6 plus lead and won as easy as you please in the Miss Grillo-G3 at 9 furlongs with a 92 SF. Pace, with other frontrunners, may be an issue, but definitely has the speed and class.
12. Vic Datripper (Victoire Pisa x Gulch x Dehere)
The oxymoron2 trainee has been knocking on the door of late, with a pair of seconds against graded stakes competition. She rallied to finish second against Corner Guard in the Spring Hill S-G2, closing from fourth, and posting a 91 SF in the process. Should continue to improve and should have an honest pace to run at, but should be even better with additional distance.
13. Zabeel of Fortune (Zabeel x Hussonet x Affirmed)
Second choice in the betting is just 1 3/4 lengths away from a perfect record. Gets top rider Gossett in the irons, who knows this track inside out. Richest filly in the race, the golden chestnut won Equinics gold in the Meydan-G1, and has raced only once since, finishing second in a 7 1/2 furlong stakes, when she was left with a little too much to do. This will be the markbohy trainee’s first try at a route, but with her deep closing style, should be flying at the end.
14. All You Need (Falbrav x Green Dancer x Blushing Groom)
The abacus trainee is another who has been knocking on the door, finishing second in the Nunthorpe-G1 and third in the Cheval-G3. A deep closer, the extra distance looks like it would help, and if it does, watch her flying down the stretch.
Good luck to all the runners and their connections!