Breeders Bowl F&M Turf
Subplots galore in this twisted tale of 2200 meters to glory.
In lieu of a prelude, we will jump right into the deep field of 20 and try to encapsulate these three elements of each entrant, to supplement their online profile aka the past performances:
The Past (how did they get here?)
The Present (what have they done recently?)
The Future (namely, Saturday October 31st)
No fluff, just the good stuff. And like the hopeful trainers with their steeds, we’ve done our prep and hope that’s enough.
| PP 1 WAY TO THE CHANNEL | Owner/Trainer/Breeder IANWHIPKEY |
| 4yo Filly bred in JPN | JUST A WAY x ENGLISH CHANNEL x SADLER’S WELLS |
| 21 starts 9 wins $1.191 million G1 winner | Dam: BACK CHANNELS Stk Placed |
How’d she get here: Steady as she goes. Two time claimer didn’t try a stakes race until a 4yo in start number 16, gradually finding her footing at 12 furlongs with a listed stakes (110 SP), followed by a G1 triumph in her first attempt at group level – 12f G1 British Champion Gals – 110 SP. This is looking like a possible key race, with the number of quality entrants emerging out of her wake.
Here and now: Couldn’t be any hotter with two straight stakes wins, identical blasts from dead last and 10th at the top of the stretch but still get to the line first.
The future looks: Very bright for a 4yo at the top of her game. As for the Breeder’s Bowl, I am inclined to reference a popular song by a local Bay Area artist as it pertains to her podium chances; she should be moving fastest of all, but I must “Blow the Whistle” on a win wager… just like the rapper himself, the race at 11 panels may simply prove “Too Short” for her liking.
| PP 2 QUEENS AND STARS | O/T/B: STOCKSWAMI |
| 5yo mare bred in IRE | SEA THE STARS x KINGMAMBO x MONTJEU |
| 20 starts 7 wins $1.467 million G1 winner | scratch bred |
How’d she get here: Modestly successful at three (graded stakes placed, no stakes wins) but she came alive last summer with three consecutive G2/G3 wins (at 9.5 or 10f) and an impressive 118 SP over her home country Ireland course. A second in the 10f G1 Itchstock (December ’25) and a win in the 9.5f G1 Cedora Stakes (115 SP) this August solidified her spot in the field today.
Last out: Didn’t need the entry points, but followed up the G1 win with an excellent closing 3rd in the 10f G1 Prix Opera on Sept. 21st. Should be adequately rested and ready in only her 5th start of 2026.
What is coming: Like many of the contenders today, we have no data on what these ladies will do at the oddball 11 furlong distance – the majority of the big races in the game are run at 8, 10, and 12 furlongs. 10f tends to be its own little universe, with a different cohort of successes at 8f (speed and turn of foot) or 12f and beyond, which are the stayers. So who will thrive in inbetween land? QUEEN AND STARS has wins at 9.5f and 10f but was unplaced in her lone 12f try. To which side of ‘tween does she lean? It remains to be seen.
| PP 3 KEEP WATCHING | O/T/B: TENPOINT, bred by SLOWROLL15 |
| 5yo mare bred in KY | FLIGHTLINE x SADLER’S WELLS x KINGMAMBO |
| 23 starts 9 wins $2.96 million EOY G1 winner | scratch bred |
She’s here because: The multiple G1 winner is nothing if not cleverly trained. At 2, she broke maiden on the dirt. At three she pulled off an Oaken double (New Zealand and Japan, both Group 1 at 12f), then closed the year annhilating a short-field 16 furlong G1, on dirt, versus older mares. That will earn you an EOY award for the long distance category. Lone victory in 2025 was a G2 going 12f. Qualified for today’s race almost entirely on the merits of her last race, another G1 victory in the 12f Yorkshire Oaks.
Here and now: She’s in form again at the right time; you can’t complain with a G1 victory in your prep for the biggest race of the year. In fact she is in better form now than she was last year at this time, where she ran an even 5th in the 2025 installment of the BB F&M Turf. There are questions about the quality of the field she beat last out (no G1 winners and only one other foe today, #7 OLD SCHOOL REVIVAL), but she is ready for her top effort.
The future looks: Mysterious. KEEP WATCHING is the first face of a five-headed monster saddled by the behemoth TENPOINT stables; there are any number of outcomes you can imagine in such a scenario. I’d feel better about her chances if I could understand what went wrong after her G2 victory last May… in an attempt to repeat this year, she was a distant 3rd by seven lengths, and 3rd again in her next before the G1 win. Besides the trainer she also has a multi-faceted running style in her favor, as she has won from off the pace and if the need presents, can be forwardly placed. My recommendation? Keep watching 🙂
| PP 4 GODMOTHER OF AI | O/T/B: TENPOINT bred by BLOOMINGTN |
| 4yo filly bred in GB | DUBAWI x FRANKEL x STREET CRY |
| 14 starts 6 wins $1.072 million G1 winner | Dam: FRANK AND SARA allowance winner |
How’d she get here: A listed and then G3 winner at 3, AI really got cooking after a 4 month break leading into her 4yo campaign, earning her first win against older mares in a 10f G3 in April. No real letdowns since then, culminating in a second vs. QUEENS AND STARS in the G1 Cedora, then turning the tables to beat her in the G1 Prix Opera last out (113 and 112 SP, respectively).
Right now you’d think: She’s at the height of her powers. No mysterious flubs like her stablemate, as she is 5-2-1-1 on the year and her latest race was her greatest race. Despite never running a step beyond 2000 meters, she shows every indication of improvement with distance.
The future looks: Dangerous, with untapped potential. Much like real life AI. WIth only 14 lifetime starts it could very well be that we have only seen the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Be very afraid.
| PP 5 RABBI’S NIGHT | O/T/B: WRATHBEARD bred by ETESTCASE |
| 4yo filly bred in IRE | NIGHT OF THUNDER x I AM INVINCIBLE x GALILEO |
| 16 starts 7 wins $2.3 million EOY G1 winner | scratch bred |
The backstory: My memory is spotty, but I am going to guess that the trainer LUCKYRABBI had some stellar performances during a 2024 Twitch racing event… in which WRATHBEARD won a prize with some fortunate sire selections (this is an ETESTCASE homebred, basically like the SIM stork brings you a god-baby.) An interview with the trainer himself confirms that she was indeed a prize, and LUCKYRABBI is the guilty party for chosing the name! The resultant 2yo filly was masterfully handled, patiently brought along through allowance conditions, a listed stake, and eventually big wins in the G1 Cremation (8f) and G1 Dell Web Oaks (9f). Like a lot of these “pulled it off at the buzzer” stories, RABBI’S NIGHT took down a December Grade 1 victory (9f) to earn the EOY prize for 3yo routers. Did I mention it was against the boys? Oh and it was older boys? The 26-1 shocker is still reverberating in the “did not see that coming” section of my brain.
When asked how this EOY plan come together, WRATHBEARD replied “Pretty much when she won the Dell Web Oaks, I knew she was in the mix but there were few good spots at the time resulting in a drop to 8f followed by a run on the dirt – neither suited. I put the RaFi to all G1 races and up came the Winter and I thought “let’s go for it, what’s the worst that can happen?” We’ll never know – and tells me you always gotta take your shot!
This was no fluke, as there was no letdown for the 4yo filly who has managed three more Group placings in 5 starts, including an impressive 112 SP win in the 10f G1 The Friendly Wager. She has yet to face the boys again!
What happened last race was: Jockey K Ledwith, a notorious trickster, had her uncharacteristically close to the lead in the G1 Prix Opera (against several of today’s foes) where she ran an even 4th by 1 3/4 lengths. By no means is this an embarrassment, but certainly this past performance line does not look like any of her other winning efforts over the last eight starts or so. The 111 speed figure in the defeat, plus some luck and a minor adjustment to the piloting (R Whisper aboard today) should be enough to put her in the mix.
Keep a wary eye on: The dreaded “D” word (distance.) She looks equally potent at 10f as she does at 9f, but how wide is her range when you are facing the best of the best? Tougher to factor pedigree cues on a scratch-bred, but her status as the best overall Night Of Thunder foal in the game reinforces the possibility of an anomaly – the next three G1 winners on the list are all exceptional milers. If she turns out to be BETTER at 2200 than she is at 2000, the other 19 jocks are running for second.
There’s more at stake than just a Breeder’s Bowl trophy – RABBI’S NIGHT currently sits top of the rankings for Turf Route. And while WRATHBEARD is slightly concerned about the distance, he knows “a good result could boost her chances of another EOY award.” Best of luck!
| PP 6 ATOMIC IMPACT | O/T/B: TISJULIET |
| 5yo mare bred in ENG | FRANKEL x DUBAWI x DEEP IMPACT |
| 26 starts 12 wins $1.062 million G1 winner | based on: BACKYARD SHOOTOUT G2 winner 8f |
Her road to the Bowl: Paved with patience. Despite the excellent pedigree (Frankel o/o a G2 winner who is o/o an EOY G1 winner) this one essentially manufactured her own bootstraps, by which she ever-so-gradually pulled herself up to the top tier of turf performers. She was never pressed for a class test despite winning at first asking at 2, exhausting all allowance conditions before trying a listed stake at three, where she was uncharacteristically unplaced. Back to the drawing board in more conditioned and since-a-date allowances, ATOMIC IMPACT spiked a high temperature in the form of 110 SP when stretched out to 11 furlongs. Mind you, this is now the middle of her 4yo season. TISJULIET, now cosplaying as a modern day Job, patiently stuck with the plan through five more similar allowance races, until drawing off impressively in her 5yo debut – this time a 114 SP at 11 furlongs inspired another try in stakes company. A second place finish was all she needed confidence wise, and it was off to the races in more ways than the literal one. Two G3 wins and a listed score followed, which should have been enough to gain entry into this field, but she scored a G1 victory for good measure in her first try, the 12f Vermillion (107 SP.)
Current form: Fantastic. You can’t draw it up any better than Tisjuliet has orchestrated this campaign, with every rise in class resulting in a victory. The only blip was a still unexplained 8th of 10 in an 11f G3 in June, right after winning under the same conditions. Was it simply bad luck? The following two races were both easy victories at 12 furlongs, so we should rightly expect more of the same. But does she want to turn back, however slight the impact of 200m might be?
What to expect: There’s gotta be more 12f races in her future, but considering that she’s 5 and this is start 26 I’d think this is her best shot at glory. Recency bias at it’s best, she’s a top contender, and is undefeated in her two Group tries at 12 furlongs. Whether she’s maximized her form, reached peak maturity, found the optimal distance, or perhaps some combination of all three – I won’t quibble over the distance when the connections always seem to make the right moves.
| PP 7 OLD SCHOOL REVIVAL | O/T/B: MTK76 |
| 7yo mare bred in KY | TAPIT x GALILEO X KINGMAMBO |
| 28 starts 8 wins $1.029 million Graded Placed, Stakes Winner | based on: ROYAL INTRIGUE stakes placed |
Things you don’t see everyday: This gal’s got a laundry list of interesting tibits about her story! This Breeder’s Bowl appearance has been a long time in the making, and not necessarily according to script. The daughter of TAPIT and a Galieo horse who was best going 1900m on the dirt made her debut at a mile in Florida. over the main track, on August 8th, 2021. After 4 winless starts (2 dirt 2 turf) she enjoyed 13 months on the sidelines, evenually breaking maiden as a 4yo going 9.5f on the turf. Since then she’s never run in a race SHORTER than 12f, plowing through allowances and listed stakes at that distance before some decent efforts in G1 company in early 2024 (a 4th and a 3rd, at 12f and 13f, respectively.) The ultra-consistent mare kept racking up listed wins and placings, rarely trying the big leagues but always performing respectably when asked (4th and a 2nd in 12f G1s this year).
Current state of affairs: Despite only three starts in 2025 and one win this year (January listed 12f, 109 SP), Old School needs little form Revival. The last time she exhibited a sub-par effort was literally two years ago (8th in a listed). She followed that up with a listed win at 11 furlongs.
On the horizon: No signs of slowing down, but her fastest has always looked a tick slower than what it takes to get the victory. Having recently joined the millionaires club and (at 7yo) a likely candidate for the breeding shed this year, it’s only that star badge with a G inside that she has left to aim for. Maybe one more late December crack at Group winner status. Fringe awards today.
| PP 8 PULL YOU UNDER | O/T/B: XPANSION5 |
| 5yo mare bred in IRE | SEA THE STARS x DUBAWI x HEART’S CRY |
| 25 starts 11 wins $827k G3 winner | Dam: A LITTLE THUNDER G2 winner |
What’s her deal: A damn tough cookie, that’s what. Handled by the unlinked Midas Residency stable XPANSION5, she may or may not trace back to a strong Dixiedotco champion named FRAME BY FRAME, who won three straight 12f G1’s in 2015 and just narrowly missed Hall of Fame consideration. She’s half to two G1 winners, including very recent G1 Saint Legend victor I NEVER WOULD (Equinox(JPN)). PULL has been handled like a champion herself, focusing on marathon distance turf spots (Group wins at 12f, 15f and 16f.) The peculiar / brilliant details are that 5 of her last 6 races have come against open gendered company. The first two of those were victories, so who would argue with the sentiment! Two so-so G1 efforts were complicated by off tracks (last seen splitting the Equinics 12f F&M field), over which she conveniently has never previously raced. Despite placing exclusively in G3 and listed stakes, those were more than enough to get into the BB F&M field. Maybe that’s the angle for running versus the boys…. hmmm.
Right now she looks as if: She’s ready to face the ladies once again. Will it be received as class relief? PULL was an excellent second last out in the 11f G3 Ark Trial (109 SP), so there are no qualms about recent form.
High tide or smooth seas? : Convential wisdom says she will run well, but based on previous successes she may prefer a little more ground at this level. I expect her best effort, but cannot predict whether her class catapaults her to victory, or is just left with too much to do down the lane.
| PP 9 WAN SERIOUS STROKE | O/T/B: TYEDYE |
| 5yo mare bred in FR | ELVSTROEM x STREET CRY x MEDAGLIA D’ORO |
| 21 starts 7 wins $352k G3 winner | Dam: WAN SERIOUS MOFO Graded Placed SW |
She’s here because: Not unlike Tisjuliet’s ATOMIC IMPACT, patient handling through conditions elevated her form and speed figures to be viable at the Group level. Let’s call it a “deliberate ascent” through both time and space (and class). Start number 20 was her Group stakes debut, which explains the modest bankroll (lowest in the field.) Two dominant allowance wins (both 109 SP, 11 furlongs) prompted Pye to place her in a German G3 The Stutenpreis, which she pulverized (113 SP, going away by 6+ lengths.) A subsequent 3rd in an identical race 4 weeks later was enough to nudge her comfortably over the points threshold.
Last time she looked like : A horse that bounced off a lifetime best. She was also running on uncharacteristically short rest (27 days between starts, where she had 8 weeks or more between the prior two efforts.) I love the fact that she is making her 5th consecutive start at this weirdo 11 furlongs distance – it’s as almost as if the trainer had this race in mind a long time ago.
Chances are : WAN is going to need to reach full stroke on all her simulated cylinders to make an impact in this deep field – but is not hopeless. She makes a huge class jump but has shown the talent and has a legitmate excuse last out (now fully charged up with approximately 60 days of downtime). I also favor her mid-pack stalk/close ability in a big field with a lot of come-from-the-clouds types. CPU capper respects her chances at 16/1.
| PP 10 TOTAL REAL DEEL | O/T/B: TENPOINT |
| 4yo filly bred in AUS | DUNDEEL x FRANKEL X KINGMAMBO |
| 16 starts 6 wins $2.5 million EOY G1 winner | Dam: GRACE BAY allowance winner |
You might already know: This one’s a well-named beast. The first AUS bred in the field was the 3yo EOY award winner on the stregth of her English / Irish Oaks double. Turning 4 didn’t phase her, sandwiching an admirable try versus SAMMY DOUBLES DOWN, FRANKS STAR FORTY and the other G1 Sand Castle Golden Turf Classic guys with two more G1 wins, the Spiced Turtle and the Coronation Pilsner (boys!) Every one of the races I mentioned are G1’s at 12 furlongs. She’s getting into any kind of race she wants, including the BB Turf if Mr. Ten felt like it. He’s got (at least) one entrant in that field, another very accomplished filly named TRIED SO HARD. I’d say he’s trying to win here.
Current state of affairs : Might be irrelevant for a horse that qualified for this thing back in February. Three starts back she beats the boys, 115 SP. Two back she’s facing two three other EOY winners and two (or more) HOF horses when unplaced, 108 SP. Draw a line through that. Last out she “preps” versus the girls, cannot hold her contested lead over a “good” Newmarket turf course when passed by WAY TO THE CHANNEL and OLD SCHOOL RIVAL. She was 0 for 2 in wet track allowances prior, so I will draw a line through this one as well. 107 SP, one furlong shorter and a return to firm ground are all to her liking.
Deal or no deel?: On paper this is best horse in the race, but we don’t run on paper. The trainer controls 20% of the field and that could be a factor – whether it helps or hurts her, we may never really know. Glass half full types will note she has never run today’s 11f distance, and was unplaced in her lone 10f try in a G1. I think of greater importance is where she settles out of the gate – I feel she is not at her best on the lead, and probably would want to stalk in a field of 20 horses. The top contender with a legit chance and a couple of tiny niggling marks.
| PP 11 DAME TU NUMERO | O/T/B: MTK76 |
| 6yo mare bred in GB | DUBAWI x GIANT’S CAUSEWAY x GALILEO |
| 20 starts 6 wins $596k G1 winner | Dam: CALLING HEAVEN stakes winner |
How’d she get good: Steady progress through conditions and gradual increase in distances got her, belatedly, up to the G1 level. Ironically it was a cutback from 12f to 10.5f, late in her 3yo season, that first hinted of serious talent when she lit them up from 17+ lengths behind to post a 111 SP in an Alw N2L. She spent the entire 4yo season going through conditions, had a hiatus-looking 15 month gap in her PPs until finally a listed try in December 2025, another hard charging assault from 18 back to miss by a nostril in a listed stake. 4 Group starts as a 6yo, all at 13f or 14f distances, led to her best lifetime effort last out.
What’d she do last out: She won the G1 Sabbath Prix going 14 furlongs, is what. With gusto. 110 SP and it wasn’t even close. So that’s how a 6yo with only 20 lifetime starts is “on the verge of a breakout”. I’d be foolish to pick against her in any race resembling what she did there on October 3rd.
What do you think today? : Slap my bass and call me foolish, because I am picking against her. Despite having good looking wins at 10.5f and 12f, and a near miss in her lone 11f try, I have to think there is something to her emergence linked to the experiments with 2800m races. She is likely to be last away from the gate and will need the race of a lifetime, plus a little extra, to pass 19 foes before the wire. Maybe next time?
| PP 12 YES NEXT FRAME | O/T/B: LIAM |
| 5yo mare bred in FR | SIYOUNI x SHAMARDAL x DUBAI MILLENIUM |
| 22 starts 6 wins $1.225 million G1 winner | Dam: SUICIDE SAL allowance winner |
The Prologue: Another French bred representing well for strong sire Siyouni, she’s been nice since turning 3yo and rolling through the ranks as a 9f specialist. Despite only a listed win, she was never beaten more than a couple of lengths in Group company, remedied by her first G2 win last March (G2 The Randy Vet, 9.5f.) She continued a close-but-no-cigar campaign at 4, finally breaking through with two strong G1 efforts, winning the G1 Omicron (113 SP.)
The here and now : FRAME has firmly established herself as a force to be reckoned with, at 10 furlongs. Thats 8 races in a row at the popular 2000m distance, 5 of those in the money. We’ll excuse last out where she got the lead early in the 10f Equinics race and faded, over a good course she probably didn’t care for (first wet track start, lifetime.) She’s fresh and in good form.
Yes, and : And here come the ‘buts’. Can she be this good at 11 furlongs? She once ran 2nd at 10.5f, but was much faster in subsequent starts at 9 or 9.5f. Mom was a modest allowance winner who maybe, probably but not for sure was best around 9f? I’d like this one at this distance, on an easy lead, to lead them around, but that scenario is less than likely today. Her next frame might be another winning one, at the right distance.
| PP 13 FROZEN BAY | O/T/B: VEEMAN bred by HOLDASEC |
| 5yo mare bred in IRE | NEW BAY x DANSILI x MONTJEU |
| 34 starts 12 wins $543k G2 winner | Dam: SNOWY DAZE G2 winner |
The long road to Cali: Tied for the most starts in the field with 34, the path to glory was a wild one. VEEMAN claimed the grandddaughter of Dubawi for $10,000 – this out of a January 2026 Twitch race, where we often offer talented horses for a chance to win a prize. In start number 28, she was worth the investment as a modest broodmare prospect. But this wasn’t the first time she’d been claimed… or the second. This lady has been in 4 different barns, running in claimers 9 different times, despite having strong pedigree and credentials (mama won a G2 going 12 furlongs, just before turning 5.) Prior to the Tommy Takeover, FROZEN’S best performance was a 112 SP earned in a $30,000 claimer. She smoked a starter allowance field after being nabbed for $3500, but failed badly in two 11f listed stakes before the fateful Twitch race. She immediately took a liking to VEEMAN training, destroying an 11f open allowance (110SP) and eventually winning a listed AND a G2 at 13 furlongs. You’ve come a long way, BAY.
Recency bias: In her 33rd start, this mare who twice ran sub 56 speed figures in 2yo sprints attempted her highest class level of her career, and beat them easily (110 SP). Three of her last four starts earned her a 110 SP, the outlier being an unplaced effort at 11f. Before that, an unplaced effort at 11f. Before that, the aforementioned 110 SP in an allowance. Ignoring anything but recent data, she’s a very classy mare that is quite competitive at the shorter marathon distances.
Cold hard truths: FROZEN BAY is a superb success story and a testament to the “never give up” mentality that pays off in the game. She also has been telling us, in no uncertain terms, that her speed ceiling is 110 SP and she would much prefer 13 furlongs to the paltry 11 she gets today. She could prove us all wrong today, as she has done countless times in the past. Or she could run a respectable 10th and seek out some longer races to pad her stats before having a date that starts her second career. Either way, congrats and best of luck!
| PP 14 RENTED BEACH | O/T/B: UNREAL |
| 5yo mare bred in AUS | SEPOY x DUBAWI x MONSUN |
| 34 starts 12 wins $1.07 million G1 winner | Dam: TWISTED GEM G1 winner |
How’d she get here: Homebred debuted in a hot race, won a listed stakes at 3, and after failing to hit the board in subsequent stakes while exhausting her allowance conditions, UNREAL dropped her into a $100,000 claimer. Typically the next paragraph details how the astute new trainer made changes and guided the mare to glory. NOPE! None of us were wise enough to drop the claim ticket. RENTED BEACH ran a lifetime best 111 SP and rode that momentum into a strong career as a distaffer… winning 4 stakes, three as a 5yo, including the important 9f G1 Ugly Breeders Bowl Distaff, staged here in California.
Seaside conditions today: The weather at the BEACH has been a little choppy since the big win in May; badly beaten in the 10f G1 Omicron, then unplaced in the shorter, wetter 8f Equinics race. She regained some form with a return to 9 furlongs, but her 108 SP figure was only good enough for 3rd in a listed stake in NZ.
Coming attractions: UNREAL is on record as saying “It has been a great career for this modestly-bred mare. Although it has been a bit since she has ran this far, she earned the right to give it a shot. I feel like if the pace breaks right for her, you will see her coming down the stretch.” Everyone else I’ve talked to wants to know if she’ll get the distance… she’s by Sepoy, and her mom was a G1 miler. Half-brother TWIST AND SNITZ(Snitzel) was… also a G1 miler. I’m gonna say no, but I’ve been wrong before – including (like all of you except UNREAL) when not claiming a future G1 winner and likely exceptional broodmare!
| PP 15 MIGHT HAVE BEEN | O/T/B: TENPOINT bred by SLOWROLL33 |
| 5yo mare bred in IRE | SEA THE STARS x MONTJEU x DUBAI MILLENIUM |
| 21 starts 6 wins $1.087 million G1 winner | scratch bred |
What has already been: Yet another million-dollar G1 from TENPOINT; initially she made her way as a 3yo marathoner (won the 12F G3 Koko Kitten, twice third in G’s at 11f and 12f) but ultimately developed into a strong 10f specialist and/or wet turf specialist. Still lightly raced, starts 19 through 21 have been her best, with speed figures on the rise (112, 114, 115) and lots of points racked up from more G3 wins and a G2 placing
What it is: Comes into the F&M Turf smoking hot off the heels of that 115 SP… but the important part is it was her first G1 victory, the Grace of the Queen Prix, over a good Paris turf course.
What might be: This all comes down to perception vs. reality. Is she a maturing 5yo at the peak of her powers, who demolished a 11f G1 last out and is ready to do the same today? Or is she a very nice horse who moves up significantly when the track is wet (6 starts, 5 wins is no joke!)? Maybe it’s both? Her only “poor” wet effort was off a 4 month break, earning a 106 in a G3 at 10f. She ran right back 10f G3, wet track, won with a 112 and hasnt been out of the exacta since. I might be inclined to back this one, showers or not.
| PP 16 SAKHAR | O/T/B: XPANSION93 |
| 4yo filly bred in AUS | PIERRO x DUBAWI x MONTJEU |
| 18 starts 8 wins $1.164 million G1 winner | Dam: ARABIQUE G2 winner |
How’d she get here: What may or may not be DIXIEDOTCO’s second runner in the field was a bonafide 3yo phenomenon. Three for 4 at two in allowance races, she turned 3 and was unleashed upon unsuspecting stakes competitors. What followed was 4 stakes wins and 2 seconds from 8 starts, including a big G1 win at 10 furlongs, the Wooly Mammoth 2000. Her 4yo campaign has not produced any stakes wins, but she is steadily improving in the win department and trying longer distances with some in-the-moneysuccess.
Last out report: SAHKAR nearly pulled off what I’ll call the XPANSION XSPECIAL, finding a short field in a Group race versus males, running a very nice second while stretching to 12f for the first time in the G2 Angry Dragon. With her last graded stakes win coming on November 2, 2025, this very well could have been the entry points play necessary to get her to qualify for the top 20 of this (or other) G1 races to follow. And she’s holding form.
So what’s next?: I did the math and see this one’s had only 20 days rest since the last race; not optimal, but probably not going to affect her performance (only 18 lifetime starts.) I don’t think this filly is on the precipice of a big maturity spike… but how could anyone tell? Mom did win a listed stake at 5, and her 5yo half-bro SOUL OF FRANCE(Churchill) ran a nice 3rd in a G1 just a week ago. Her mom’s little sister VAPEUR (Contrail o/o JEU DE MOT) is a 6yo and still earning accolades on the track, second in the G1 Sabbath Prix (14f) 4 weeks ago. The page is littered with late-career successes – so don’t be surprised if she pops a big one here.
| PP 17 KADZENI | O/T/B: OAKRIDGE |
| 3yo filly bred in FR | VADENI x DUBAWI x FRANKEL |
| 6 starts 4 wins $733k G1 winner | Dam: LA GRAN BICHITA allowance winner |
The past? I remember it like it was yesterday: This is because it practically was moments ago when this fascinating entry made her debut, taking out a 4 horse hot race on the day before New Year’s Eve, 2025. Usually these horses are afterthoughts, trying to beat the buzzer on some expiring sire share, or use every last mare in your breeding pool for claiming fodder. Luckily, OAKRIDGE was available with answers to quench the fires of my inquiring mind:
“Her breeding was part of a last minute end of the year frenzy that is usually spurred on by the sire discount that takes place in December. I am a mid market breeder so that becomes a busy time of year for me with the sale. I also tend to not mind breeding route turf runners late as I see them being more successful at 3 years old and beyond.”
He didn’t have to wait for the ‘and beyond’ part – Kadzeni burst on the scene with 4 straight wins to open her career, including the 11f G1 Diana Grand Prix. Her dam (La Gran Bichita) was a turf sprinter, and her best sibling (Bichita Austral, by Lohnro) was a stakes winner on dirt.
Mr. Ridge, may I call you Oak? At what point did you start thinking “this horse could not only compete in, but win a Breeder’s Bowl race”?
Now see here, lad. You will address me as “Sir”. No, what he actually said was “It was not until she won the Diana Grand Prix did I even begin to dream that she could compete in a Breeder’s Bowl race.” ” Once she won, I began to plot the course for her to make the race with the intention of possibly running in the Equinics as well. Her form indication is that there is a big gap between her and the top win contenders here (BB F&M Turf) but from what I have seen from her on the track, I think she belongs and she has a closing kick make her an exciting prospect. I would be thrilled to see her at least make her run and contend for a placing. I have not allowed myself to place any expectation on winning.
But is she gonna win?: Today’s distance is in her sweet spot! She’s definitely got growing to do! The last two races were fine (12f was too long, 10f too short) so the Goldilocks Method says this one is just right.
| PP 18 DEEP NOTE VII | O/T/B: DEREKPINKOS bred by TEXCAT |
| 5yo mare bred in IRE | GHAIYYATH x DEEP IMPACT x NUREYEV |
| 19 starts 7 wins $489k G2 winner | Dam: DEEP NOTE JR G3 winner |
How’d she get here: She loves the 10. She loves the 10.5. It took 8 maiden races and a trainer change to for this filly to find her footing, when in her first atempt at 2100m she belted out a 111 SP going away by 12+ lengths. Derek certainly suspected he had something after that – several nice allowance wins were not buoyed by stakes success until she returned to 2000m as a 4yo, and has never looked back. Placed in a G3 and winning a G2 (108 SP, 10.5f) put her squarely in the field, with time for one last prep.
The song on the radio is: Not a hit, but not a dud, either. Shortened up to 10f for her first G1 try in the Friendly Wager, she chased a hot pace and succumbed to 7th as the betting favorite. 105 SP isn’t bad, and she’d already been looking like 10.5 is the minimum she wants, not the maximum.
Extended play on the way?: This would be the spot for a bounceback effort with a little extra real estate. We’ll also find out if the class ceiling is a bigger factor than the finicky distance algorithm.
| PP 19 LEGYOZHETETLEN | O/T/B: ADRIAN |
| 5yo mare bred in IRE | LOPE DE VEGA x INVINCIBLE SPIRIT x DANSILI |
| 25 starts 12 wins $648k G3 winner | Based on: THREE PUTT BOGEY stakes winner |
Word on the street was: Finally we have a female who wants ALL the pace. Very fast daughter of a 7.5f stakes winner indeed won her first two starts at 1100m or less! And as she has tested the limits of her ability to wire a field, the speed figures continued to inflate. Many many allowance and stakes wins at 11 and 12 furlongs have etched into the record that she has no problem with this distance. She earned a 115 SP winning a G3 in February (11f) and a 112 SP in her last out, a listed stake.
What’s new to the equation is: Today is a re-do of her first G1 start. I say that because her other G1 try came at 10 furlongs, right after her impressive victory at 11f. It didn’t go great. Her subsequent race at 12f went even worse. She failed in an allowance race after that. This three race losing streak really looks unexplained as she has been lights out in the last two. I’ll pretend like it didn’t happen and today she has a green light for the lead and the class test.
How long will she last?: Yo! ADRIAN can expect LEGYO (not typing all that again) to be in the frame until the final 50 meters, and then it’s in the hands of the Derbyfever luck goblins and whatever other evil forces control the outcomes of the Breeder’s Bowl races.
| PP 20 EVIL JEZZABEL | O/T/B: TENPOINT |
| 6yo mare bred in IRE | SEA THE STARS x SADLER’S WELLS x STORM CAT |
| 23 starts 10 wins $4.8 million HOF EOY G1 winner | scratch bred |
Do you even have to ask?: Last in the gate and absolutely, postively NOT least… in fact, this is the MOST accomplished entrant in the field. That could possibly be said if she were in many of the other Breeder’s Bowl contests she’d be eligible for. EVIL JEZZABEL is back to defend her crown – she won this race last year from post #13. Her first Group win came in start number 10, and it was the G1 Bald Bull where she defeated such hard-hitters as Given’s I LOVE RICK JAMES, and Francua’s NORRI. Since then it’s been a G1 frenzy – she’s feeding on the fear generated by TEN STRAIGHT BOARD FINISHES in GROUP 1s, a feat I dare say may never be repeated. The last of those was the 2025 BB F&M Turf! She then tried the boys (wasn’t interested), took several months off and was off the board in a G1 comebacker, but returned to form two back taking the G2 Sheepherder Beach Hcp (defeating KEEP WATCHING.)
How’s the champ feeling right now?: Last seen going to post as the 3-1 favorite in the ladies’ 12f Turf Equinics race, a premature move to the front by 12.5% winning jockey J USTIN allowed for her to be caught by a career listed stakes mare making her Graded debut – perhaps the off track didn’t help, either. Even in defeat that effort and 108 SP makes her live in this spot. It’s just weird to see three losses in the last four starts for a horse with 5 Group 1 wins and the HOF badge in only 23 trips to the track.
Today she will have to overcome: The post. 20 is a horrible draw, and I suspect she will not want to be so close to the lead… unless… as part of a 5 horse entry, she can be used early to soften things up for a MIGHT HAVE BEEN or a PULL YOU UNDER. The permutations are numerous, and it will be very very very interesting. A repeat win catapaults her from Hall of Fame to One of the All Time Greats (like GOAT, if you’re dyslexic.)
The final word: Wow.
There’s so much talent out there! I am thinking of the generations of babies these runners are going to generate, and am thinking I need to get out there and scout some claimers!
Good luck everyone, and thanks for reading. Comments are welcome!