Ten Year Storm Takes Juvenile Filly BB

Ten Year Storm, handled by wtas02 stable from Dixiedotco Racing, is having a two-year-old season that ranks with the finest in history.

On Saturday, the brown daughter of Silver Deputy convincingly won the Grade I Breeders Bowl Juvenile Filly Stakes in record tying time.  The record of 1:43² for the mile and a sixteenth was set in 2000 by Minsky and reached again in 2006 by Sisson’s Chant.

A stable spokesperson before the race had declared about Ten Year Storm, “She’s done everything right so far, and we’re expecting a huge race out of her on Saturday.  She’s been aimed for this race since the early in the year.”

The winner improved her record to five wins and a second in six starts.  She finished second in the Grade II Stoker Handicap in late June and first in the Grade II Margarine Stakes.  The benchmarks for a two-year-old filly were set by Seekin Sal in 2001 when she won six of her seven starts, including three Grade I wins, and in 2006 when Sisson’s Chant won seven of eight starts, including three Grade I wins.

The win vaulted her to a number one divisional ranking and increased her lifetime earnings to over $1.5 million.

Many handicappers expected a fast early pace that might favor a late running style.  The early fractions were not particularly fast, but Ten Year Storm had no problem rallying from as far back as twelfth in the early going.

Future trainers for this race might note that three of the past four winners of this race prepped in the Margarine Stakes.

Historically, winners of the Breeders Bowl have struggled in their three-year-old seasons and later.  Sisson’s Chant may be breaking that pattern, giving hope to Ten Year Storm’s connections as she nears the end of the year.

Dreamy Cat, of the elzid barn in the Baggio Stables had never routed before, but she does have a history of running faster at longer distances.  Her race strategy appeared to be: Stay with Ten Year Storm, as she ran on her heels throughout the race.  At the top of the stretch she followed the winner through the same opening in the early leaders, but was no match at the end.

Dreamy Cat now has hit for the cycle in graded stakes: a first, a second and a third. 

She should also serve as an inspiration to longshots – she just barely made the field as the fourteenth qualifier.

Sage Royale, of thevillage barn in the Spinround Stables, ran with a four or five filly crowd behind the lone early runner and proved the strongest of that group.  She even put in her own mild rally to win the photo finish to see who completed the $5,352.10 trifecta.

Sage Royale was running her second route with only a three week break.  Conventional wisdom says that, especially for a two-year-old, one can’t get the best results on such short rest.  That may bode well for her after a longer break.

Appeal This, of the upperhand2 barn of  Given Stables, was the second choice in the betting.  She patiently sat just off the early leader, and rallied to take the lead at the half pole, only to relinquish it despite her game late efforts.

Nehi Orange, trained by hillhouse of Lilbitfarm Stables, rallied past Appeal This to take the lead, but was caught shortly after the top of the stretch.  She was able to take home fifth place prize money.

GK Ghost Prospect, trained by ckstables3, of Team CK, ran last early and tried to rally late.  Undoubted jockey K Ledwith had been hoping for a breakdown in an early pace, but the rally came after the issue had been decided.

Autumn Nights, trained by Lenny18, the longest priced filly in the race, put in an even race to finish in the front half.

Tropical Trophy, from the deepblue barn, was surprisingly able to get a clear early lead and get over to the inner part of the track, while setting reasonable early fractions.  In her prior race, she was also able to get the early lead, only to be caught.  Against this better field and with the longer distance, her fade was worse as she dropped to eighth.

Oasis Nine, from Given’s master stable, tried to stay with the early runners, but was no match.

Favorite Mean Girl of Tropicount’s gg barn sat behind the wall of early runners, appearing to be in prime striking position.  But the filly, off just three weeks’ rest had no rally.  She will be given a break after this race.

Demonic Presence, winner of the World Cup Juvenile Filly Mile, dropped to being rated number two in the division after a lackluster effort.

LPGA Spike, Dehere That, and Silver City Gal all started well but steadily faded to take the last three positions.

Here are the payoffs: