Marathon Mares Featured at Delaware
It’s cold and wintry here at Delaware, but the fillies competing in the Lois the Affair will be nice and toasty after going a grueling two miles. Seven hardy souls have signed up for the challenge, including the 9/5 favorite, Fivelittleindians(GB) who was purchased at auction for more than $5.5 million just prior to the Breeders’ Bowl. At the time of the sale, she was fresh off a victory in the G3 Canary Stakes (14 furlongs, 95 SF), assuring her an entry in the Turf Distaff. She could manage only eighth for new owner fernando, but won a stakes next time out, and enters this race fresh off a second place finish, missing the win by just a head, in the 13 furlong Miss Leslie. The six year old grey has a 6-2-1-3 record at this distance, and her proven track record, and good recent form make her tough to overlook. The presence of Herbert Ross in the irons only adds to the attraction.
Lightly raced Salfly’s Stormer has really started to blossom with increased distance, winning an allowance at this distance with an 86 SF, and making a nice move late to close for third in a 14 furlong stakes last time out. The regally bred filly, by Storm Cat, gets her marathoning ability from her “dam”, Salfly’s Well, who won the G1 Ark de Triumph and was second in four other G1 events, including the Gold Glass at two miles. If the speed duel materializes, that will only be to this chocolate brown miss’s advantage. Lots to like about this one. The value play at 6/1.
Joshua2’s Financial Disaster(IRE) looks to make a financial hit here and go over the half-million mark. The big bay won a stakes under identical conditions in her last start, earning a solid 90 SF for the 2 miles while hitting the finish under wraps, more than 6 lengths in front. The Northern Spur mare was making her first start at this distance, although she has done well at 13 and 14 furlongs in the past. Very dangerous if she can repeat that effort, and has a top jock in Brian Ironside aboard.
Cjt’s Wonderwoman(IRE) has been on a downward spiral of late, failing to hit the board in her last eight starts, and wheeling right back after a seventh place finish in the 10 ½ furlong Stripesquirrelfish last week. The five year old daughter of Galileo has bankrolled almost a million dollars to date, largely based on her sophomore season where she won the G1 Yellow Submarine and hit the board in three other G1 events. Wonderwoman hasn’t shown much of those magic bracelets in her previous attempts at 12 furlongs, and increasingly has looked like she might want a mile, tiring in the stretch at 9 and 10 furlongs, so I’m not overly optimistic about how this experiment is going to work. Still she does have some terrific backclass to her. Wonderwoman(IRE) and Sidewinder Too look to duel early – if one can get loose on the lead, that would help that horse’s chances tremendously – otherwise, there’s a risk they’ll burn each other out on the front end. The jockeymax3 trainee went wire to wire in the 13 furlong Time Traveler Bonanza five starts back, but since then, she’s been shortening stride late at 10 and 11 furlongs. The General Meeting mare has never gone further than 13 furlongs (although it should be noted that she is unbeaten at that distance, in addition to the Time Traveler, the mare won an allowance in 2003 by 23+ lengths). There’s a real chance here that she could relax with the added distance and carry her speed farther, so don’t ignore this one, particularly if she can shake her rival in the beginning. A win boots her over the half-million mark.
Rounding out the field is ausbred’s Uncompromising, who broke her maiden two starts back with a 57 SF.