Priority Princess Stakes – G3

Priority Princess Stakes 3602.6415
Grade III
Seven furlongs
Fast Dirt
$125,000
Fillies and mares, 3 years old

Listed as the 15^th of 16 races on the Saturday Portugal card the Priority Princess Stakes – G3 has a field of 7 fillies lined up and ready to go. These fillies are looking for some back type earnings to add to their résumé and enhance their broodmare status.  Let’s take an in-depth look at each of the fillies in this field to find the gem. 

SILVER SPLENDOR(KY)   4/1

Silver Splendor started her career out on turf with her first 9 races on the grass. After two grade 3 wins early in her 2yo career she only placed once in her next 4 race attempts and was unsuccessful in her graded stakes tries so her trainer switched her to dirt for her 2^nd race as a 3yo. Her first try on dirt was successful as she won at 7.5 furlongs in an overnight stakes race posting a 91 speed figure. She stepped up in class with her next 3 attempts coming against graded stakes company and her most recent race resulting in a 2^nd place finish and her first triple digit speed figure of 100. She comes into the race with 3 weeks rest and will be a major factor if she continues to improve like she has in each of her last dirt races.

VICTORY FLAG(KY)  22/1

Longshot comes into this race off of 4 straight wins in the claiming ranks with her current owner successfully claiming this horse $4000 and promptly moving her up to $50000 and winning. He now moves her up into graded stakes company but her numbers still look a little light to compete in this field. The question is if Longshots (the owner) is secretly Scott Lake and can make magic happen?

WORLD DAISY(CA) 23/1

The longest shot in this field of 7. This filly comes into the race off a 6^th place finish in an overnight stakes race on the turf. With a win on both the grass and the dirt, this filly has shown a liking for both surfaces. Her top figure of 88 comes on dirt so the owner will once again try the horse on dirt. With only 2 weeks rest this filly might find graded stakes company too tough in her first try.

LURSA(KY) 3/2

The deserving favorite in the field comes into the race off of her first graded stakes win in 3 tries. Like Silver Splendor this horse also started her career out on the turf but has found the dirt to be more her liking in her last three tries and she sports 3 straight triple digit speed figures. Her most recent race is a win in the G3-I Said Be Classic Stakes resulting in a 104 figure with this coming at the same distance of Saturday’s race of 7 furlongs. With 3 weeks rest and the only filly to post consecutive triple digit figures she looks tough to beat.

NECRONOMICON(KY) 9/2

Cutting back to 7 Furlongs, Necronomicon enters this race off a 7^th place finish in the GR Simsters Kentucky Oaks Restricted stakes going 9 furlongs. A shorter distance might help this filly as she quit in her last race down the stretch but she has won going 8.5 furlongs. A need for the lead type horse, all of her races that she has won have been from start to finish. The two races she failed to make the lead at the first call are her only races with an off the board finish. Her top of 100 compares well with this field and she should be able to wrestle the lead from World Daisy who is stretching out to 7 furlongs. Will this filly be able to hold off the closers though?

WOOMERA(AUS) 5/1

Another horse that does well on both surfaces this filly is the trying graded stakes company for the first time and exits three straight tries against stakes company with her most recent start resulting in a win and her top figure of 99. This horse has never finished out of the money and has race from 5 to 8.5 furlongs. A filly that looks like she has room to improve coming into the race with 5 weeks rest, could easily post a new top and upset this field.

BAHAMA BREEZE(KY) 3/1

Last but not least, Bahama Breeze is one tough filly having started her racing career in stakes races and never trying anything else. She’s been pretty successful as from 9 starts she only finished off the board 3 times. Racing primarily between 7.5 and 8.5 furlongs since her 2yo season, she tried 7 furlongs her last start out and came in 2^nd with a new top of 100. With only 2 weeks rest and new top established this filly could be a prime bounce candidate.

Handicapping Recap:

Wow! What a tough field. I switched my mind 4 times between Silver Splendor, Necronomicon, Woomera and Bahama Breeze. I think the favorite will be a tough horse to beat but there is no glory in picking the favorite. I really liked Bahama Breeze until I noticed the 2 weeks rest so I tossed her. If this were real-life Necronomicon would be my top choice as speed kills but since this isn’t I’m going to pass. It came down to 2 horses who I think are on the improve, Silver Splendor and Woomera. Going to take a stab with Woomera at 5/1 as I think she is primed to run a big race.

1^st: Woomera

2^nd: Lursa

3^rd: Necronomicon