More Breed Special features five fillies
A lot of cash and bragging rights are on the line in the More Breed Special, an $80k stakes for 2yo fillies going a short 6 furlongs on the dirt at British Columbia. The race is named for the stakes-winning Mr. Prospector mare More Breed, whose oldest get is a stakes winner himself. More Breed’s lone stakes win came at this distance on this surface. Her son Fast Break (now retired) alsopicked up one of his stakes wins at 6 on dirt. All of the fillies enteredin this race are looking to pick up their first black type in open company ondirt.
Cape Cod Devil will break from the rail. The brown filly is by Cape Town out of the well-bred mare Boston Devil. Cape Cod Devil is fresh off her maiden win in a debut race at Northern California, where she went 6.5 furlongs in just over 1:18 to earn a 75 speed figure. She showed a solid front-running style in that race, and it would not be a surprise if trainer Pilgrim9 has jockey B Bauder gun for the lead here. Cape Cod has a fair amount of support on the morning line with 5/2 odds.
The longshot in this field at 16/1 is Fappiano Kids, a daughter of A.P. Jet out of a Sefapiano mare who herself is out of an All Gone mare. That’s a hefty dose of Fappiano blood. Kids has two starts and one win. Her debut was in a 5 furlong turf MSW where she finished a lackluster 11th by eight lengths. Her next start on dirt showed a nice improvement as she wired a small field of 5 in a 5.5 furlong owner-restricted stake to pick up a 62SP. She would need to really improve in this race if she hopes top-3, but trainer Pookie clearly feels his filly is up to the challenge.
In the middle of the gate will start Denver Doll, who is 3/1 on the morning line. Denver is a striking chestnut third offspring of Nurse Attic by the solid sire Miesque’s Son. Denver is the most experienced filly in the race with six starts under her for three wins and a show. She is coming off a win the 7.5 furlong Zig My Mill Stakes over the Rhode Island turf course. Two starts back Denver picked up an allowance win at 6 on dirt. Her race record and speedy style (she’s a confirmed front-runner) should give trainer Denveru much confidence in his filly. Top jockey A Rolling has the ride.
Desert Lady(IRE) is the 2/1 cofavorite. Hurons4’s chestnut filly is sleek and swift. Her lone race saw her win a 5 furlong dirt maiden by just under a length with a 73 SP. Her dam, Oohs and Aahs, was a stakes winner by Affirmed who prefered a mile or more, and her sire is the respected Desert King(IRE). Lady showed a front-running style in her only race, and there is every reason to believe she’ll shoot for the lead again. Z Kidder, one of the best jockeys at this track, will ride.
Thetis, the other 2/1 cofavorite, will break from the far outside post. This is one fast filly, as evidenced by in-the-money finishes in a pair of restricted stakes with 79 and 81 speed figures. Trainer Troy5 bred this Lion Heart filly (out of a Black Tie Affair mare) with an eye toward speed and enough stamina to run longer as she matures. Thetis broker her maiden in her second start going 6 furlongs. Once she moved up to (restricted) stakes company, she started to blossom, rattling off those two high numbers at 5 and 6.5 furlongs. Her last start saw her falter at a mile. The drop in distance may be just what Thetis needs to pick up her first stakes victory.
Denver Doll, Cape Cod Devil, and Desert Lady will all want the lead, which will likely mean blistering fractions. Thetis will hang back and make a late run to pass the tiring frontrunners. If she doesn’t run out of ground, she’ll just eke out the win. Fappiano Kids should run with Thetis through the backstretch, but likely not have enough in her to mount a convincing run.