$2,000,000 BB Distaff
Yes, it is THAT time of the year when Simmers around the world hope they will awake on Saturday morning to watch their prize Sim steeds tussle for genuine stardom (and LOTS of Sim money).
This particular article covers the $2,000,000 Breeder’s Bowl Distaff, a Grade 1 test for 3yo and older fillies and mares over Kentucky’s famed dirt oval. Which of these 14 fine ladies will be fastest, toughest, and strongest? Which name will be added to the list of past BB Distaff winners Cheyenne Storm, One Attack, Rakida’s Road, First Ryder, Suzy Jinsky, Livvi’s Lass, Squall Is A Storm, Swift Kick, Armed With Money, Sweet Sister Mercy, Black Flag Flying, and Slave To Ambition?
MOLDAVIA, half-sister to Sim turf legend Title Defense (who tries to defend his BB Turf title today), will go from the rail at 16/1. This 3yo filly has four graded-stakes wins on her resume, including a Derby Lock win at New York. Her ensuing Derby attempt wasn’t so good, however, and she was moved back in with her own sex with more success, including a couple of strong turf wins. Interestingly, rider V Gardner has ridden this filly four times at four different tracks, so he should be familiar with the filly’s moves. Asked about the filly’s uncharacteristic flop last time out, futurestar said, “I don’t know what that rider was thinking last out. My filly was the clear speed in that race, but he held her back. She fought to grab the bit, and probably used up her energy before it was time to get into contention. Gardner knows this filly well, and should be able to use her natural speed to get into the race early.” The daughter of Ghostzapper out of the excellent-producing A-graded Sim mare Dangerous Reward (Kingmambo) could very well be a “live” runner here.
PORTRAIT is another 3yo taking a shot at older runners, and will go from post 2 at 13/1. Trained by toreup, she has one graded-stakes win and four other graded-stakes placings. She keeps rider F Gossett aboard from her strong 3rd in the Grade 1 Bra Snap Stakes last out, and the Distorted Humor filly out of an A. P. Indy Sim mare is the consistent sort who should be able to get close in today’s big race.
TAYLOR’S STORY is yet another 3yo filly trying her hand against older. The deyoto3 trainee had three consecutive graded-stakes wins earlier this year, including the Grade 1 Bluegrass Oaks. After a pair of tough losses, the Distorted Humor filly out of a Hennesy Sim mare got a few weeks off before a strong tuneup in a minor stakes last out. Her training pattern sets up well for a big effort here, but she’ll likely need a lifetime-best performance to see the winner’s circle here. Goes from post 3 at 11/1.
FACELIFT is a 4yo daughter of Smart Strike out of a quality-producing Danzig mare who goes from post 4 is the 5/1 choice on the morning line. Her crowd-pleasing finish-with-a-rush style has carried her to three graded-stakes wins and a bunch of graded placings, enough to get her the #1 ranking in her division. However, her very best performances have been at a flat mile. Trainer claymore says, “Don’t worry about that extra furlong; I think she’ll finish strong here.”
SKIDMORE INDY is a speedy 5yo daughter of A. P. Indy out of a Sadler’s Wells mare with five graded-stakes wins to her credit. However, the jrogue trainee has come up short in most of her 9-furlong tries, not winning such an event since August, ’09. She goes from the 5 post at 9/1.
3yo filly UNION JACK FLYER, going off at 11/1 from post 6 today, took on the number 1 ranked 3yo classic route dirt colt Flame of Apollo in a G3 last time out and came out on top, which was sweet revenge as the same colt beat her by a head a couple of runs back. “We were well chuffed with a speed of 114, and we think 9 furlongs is Union Jack Flyer’s optimum trip”, says poowillck. (I’m going to guess that “chuffed” is a good thing) 🙂
“As our stable group name ScotsAnglo suggests, I (Pogo) am Scottish and Will (Tees) is English, and thats where the name Union jack Flyer came from, the Union Jack being the flag of the UK.”
ARTEMIS AND APOLLO is yet another 3yo filly trying older here. She had never missed the tote board until her last when she was beaten less than 4 lengths while finishing 6th in a tough Grade 2 at Idaho. A daughter of Montjeu out of a Kingmambo mare, she tries older for the first time after having been one of the top 3yo fillies all season. It would be no surprise to see this one find her way to the winners’ circle at a nice 10/1 price.
For the 8 horse, 5yo mare LACADA POINT, we’ll just let lasthope speak on behalf of the 13/1 shot:
“She has been a great horse for several years, being a G1 winner and having won nearly half her starts. It’s getting near the end of the line for her, and although she does belong in this race based on her accomplishments, she’s more in there as a tribute to her wonderful career. She deserves one chance in the limelight. It’s unfortunate that there aren’t many big races for fillies going 10f on dirt, as she was truly one of the best around for a long time at that distance. She can run 9f, but it’s not her best. She does have a graded placing at the distance though, so if she’s in the mood she will be competitive. Throw her last race out, as I experimented and had the rider drag her way off the pace. That’s just not her deal. So look for her to be forwardly placed in this one. If she can manage a top 3 showing, or even get lucky and win it, it would be a wonderful way to close out her career.
Side note on her pedigree (Giant’s Causeway out of a Kingmambo mare)… her 3yo half-sister French Revolution will be in the BB F/M Turf.”
EMPIRE HAACK caught lightning-in-a-bottle for a couple months awhile back, reeling off three consecutive graded-stakes wins with impressive speed ratings. Unfortunately, the 4yo daughter of Empire Maker immediately went into a slump for trainer marisol, only hitting the board once in her five tries since that streak. She goes from the 9 post at 9/1.
WIT BEYOND MEASURE is a 4yo daughter of Awesome Again who will go from the 10 post at 10/1. The speedy checkmate4 trainee might be better off at a flat mile or even sprinting, but she does have a graded win at 9 furlongs to her credit. Her training regimen has been stiff lately, this being her third start in just five weeks.
A bit of a surprise to many is the fact that YOU SEE LA is running against females here when she has faced (and often beaten) males practically all year. Trainer pinerivers says, “I seriously considered entering her in the Classic. May have if she had won the Travelers, but ten furlongs is clearly not her cup of tea, and the top older males are a pretty classy, fast and deep group. My filly can go with them and she will next year. But this Distaff field is tough enough. My girl will need her best to beat them.”
Jockey A Rolling has ridden this filly twice, incuding her G1 Middle Jewel win. 10/1 is a very friendly price for this powerhouse of a filly by Special Week out of a Storm Cat mare.
IDAAN is next, at 25/1 the longest shot in the field despite solid performances in three of her four graded-stakes efforts. The 3yo Galileo filly ran poorly in her only try against older, her most recent start. “I just wish this race was at 10 or 11 furlongs,” says trainer given2. “She’d be really tough to handle at those distances”.
DIABOLU’S PACISCOR is well-regarded at 8/1 and goes from the 13 post. The Rahy filly is riding a 2-race winning streak, including her first Grade 1 win last time out. Trainer babycolt says, “She’s my first true classic-distance star, and I’m glad she qualified for this race. She’s sharp and should run well.” Distance is a question, but she’s had excuses in her previous 9-furlong tries.
THIS COLD BLACK goes from the outside at 7/1, and is the very definition of “late developer”. At the end of her 3yo year, she had just three wins and looked like a career allowance runner despite her excellent scratch-bred pedigree (Unbridled’s Song x Alydar x Northern Dancer). However, when the calendar changed over to 2010, this sdmf5 trainee began to transform into a monster. After two quick allowance wins, she stepped up into stakes company, only missing the board once while grabbing a minor stakes, then a Grade 1. Her dependable closing rush could see her getting a big part of this purse.
Truly any one of these fine distaffers could take this race, but I’ll pull out the ol’ crystal ball and give it a shot…
I’ll go with YOU SEE LA to take this, mostly because of the nice odds in this wide-open battle.
THIS COLD BLACK is a star on the rise, and should be able to catch almost all of ’em late.
DIABOLU’S PACISCOR has a stalking style that fits well here, should grab the show dough.
Good luck at the races!