Comet Flies Over Montana Fillies
Comets are one of those rare phenomenon that bring out the stranger qualities in people and horses. Kind of like blue moons. This week in Montana is the running of the Grade III Haley’s Comet Stakes, and we have nine three-year-fillies looking to the skies for some answers to some serious questions that may determine their fates. Can I go the distance? Can I handle graded company? Can I run on turf? The race is a mile on the turf course here in Montana, and these fillies look to be an unpredictable bunch with or without lights flying through the skies.
On the inside post we have topicount2’s Storm’s Ghost. This Storm Cat filly broke her maiden two starts ago and since then has been trying to find her niche on the stakes circuit. She showed a preference for turf early in her career, and although her one win came from going to the lead she will likely run just behind the leaders. Storm’s Ghost has finished first or second in half of her starts so far, but her inexperience may be what beats her this time out. At 11/1, she is one of the long shots of the field.
Breaking second is Miss Haack (IRE), the 9/1 entry from ottox. We have a closer here, who in her last start in the Banana Stallion Stakes (I had to work that in somewhere because I really like the name) came from 7th in the stretch to win by a head. Coming into this race, Miss Haack (IRE) has two wins in a row, which would give anyone confidence. The Daylami (IRE) filly’s speed figures have been improving and she should be one to watch.
Gradeone’s Bit Of A Ruse has the third spot in the field. She comes off two very disappointing starts in some Grade I races. Bit Of A Ruse, who is by Seeking The Gold, had a great two-year-old season that left her as the 6th ranked turf classic filly but has yet to impress at three with only a lone fifth to her credit. Ideally she would like to go to the front but recently has been seen more towards the back. She goes off at 9/1.
In the four slot we see Katherine, a beautiful Pine Bluff filly from phonetrick’s stable. This will be her first run on the turf. Her two career wins have come in sprints, but she should be able to handle the mile in this race. Katherine is a closer who could easily sit anywhere in this field to wait for her opportunity to run. The railbirds (and there seem to be a lot of them in Montana) are quite impressed with this filly and have her picked as the favorite at 5/2. If she can run on the grass, which is the one huge question swirling around her, she will be a threat to the other eight here this week.
Starting fifth is Blame Canada, a 9/1 shot from zambrano. The Blushing Flame filly may prefer a little more distance than a mile, although her last two starts were not as impressive as she has shown she can be. Blame Canada won a dirt sprint as a two-year-old, but improved when given more distance and switched to turf. She will probably hang just off the pace, but we will see if she finds her form again.
In the sixth position is sprinter’s Battle Tested, another good looking filly with a serious question about her. As nice as her record looks, this daughter of War Chant has never faced graded company. It’s very difficult to argue with a record like this though: in five races she has three wins and two places. She has won two allowances at a mile on the turf, both by over a length. Battle Tested has shown that she can go to the lead as well as rate. All she has to prove is that she can face the tougher competition and a field of more than six starters. At 11/1, not too many people have much confidence in her, but she appears ready to live up to her name.
Starting seventh is Bandstand. She is the most experienced filly in the race with fourteen starts behind her. She has shown she can run, but the question here is about distance: kevoman5 has only run the Dixieland Band filly in a route once and this was on the dirt course. Bandstand came home 11th in that start, though whether it was the surface or the distance that hurt her remains to be seen. On turf her most impressive speed figure, a 90, came at 7 furlongs so the extra furlong may not be too much to ask. She may be a good choice to have some impact in this race and will go off at 7/1.
The eight horse is Ascendancy, a Rainbow Quest filly who is trying hard to find her place in graded races. She has done alright so far in her three-year-old season but has yet to win this year despite some good efforts. Ascendancy is a deep closer who has shown she is capable of coming from ninth to first if her situation calls for it. At 5/1 she should not be ignored.
On the outside we have Peyragudes, who has a string of wins in allowances and stakes. Limpid’s filly has improved in her two starts in graded company and may be ready to win this time out. She has managed to hold her form from two to three and the handicappers like her at 3/1. Peyragudes will go to the lead and make every attempt to wire the field. The Unbridled’s Song filly looks ready to step into the next stage in her career with this race.
Despite the eclectic nature of this field, Peyragudes might be the one to handle them. She should win, but “should” doesn’t always cut it when there’s a comet in the title. If Katherine can run on the grass, and if Battle Tested can run against the tougher fillies, we will have quite a race. Don’t count out Miss Haack (IRE) and Bandstand as both of these fillies will be looking for moments of weakness from the others to make their moves.