2010 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Contender Profiles
On this blog and the Iron Maidens Thoroughbreds main website are profiles of the entrants for all four of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile races. The profiles contain straightforward pedigree and surface analysis and how the particular horse may do against the others in the race. All links open another window to each horse's race and pedigree charts, race videos, latest news and other features.This year, six of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Filly entrants will confront a dirt racing surface for the first time in their brief careers. Some have the breeding to enjoy the dirt while others will want no part of it. The field is fairly contentious and includes four Grade 1 winners, A Grade 3 winner, Graded stakes placed runners and an undefeated filly.
AWESOME FEATHER (Awesome of Course – Precious Feather, by Gone West)
AwesomeFeather - Photo: Jim Lisa |
Surface: Awesome Feather is undefeated over fast dirt. She hasn’t encountered an off track, but her pedigree indicates that it shouldn’t bother her.
Outlook: Awesome Feather is undefeated and basically untested. She is only the third filly to sweep the Florida Stallion Stakes series in Florida and has won all of her races by a combined 20 lengths. She’s won on the lead, pressing the pace and from off of the pace. The “who did she beat?” question comes into play here, but her winning times are consistent with the rest of this field.
A Z WARRIOR (Bernardini - Carson Jen by Carson City)
AZWarrior - Photo: Coglianese |
Surface: AZ Warrior won over Cushion Track, was so-so on the Polytrack and gave her best performance over the fast Belmont dirt. Her sire has produced winners over the off going.
Outlook: In the Darley Debutante, AZ Warrior was a fast closing second to Wickedly Perfect over Polytrack, which isn’t A Z Warrior’s best surface. She was flattered by Wickedly Perfect’s win over a nice group of stakes fillies in the Darley Alcibiades at Keeneland. A Z Warrior came back in Frizette, where she galloped away from R Heat Lightning, the recent Spinaway winner. A Z Warrior has the pedigree, experience and ability to be a serious contender in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.
BELIEVE IN A. P. (A.P. Indy - I Believe in You, by Pleasant Tap)
Pedigree: Believe in A. P. has strong stamina and dirt attributes throughout her pedigree. She is by Breeders’ Cup Classic Champ A.P. Indy and out of a dam by the second place finisher in the same race. Believe in A. P.‘s dam was in the money in all four starts and won the Hollywood Starlet, but her promising career was cut short due to injury.
Surface: Successful over fast dirt, hasn’t encountered an off track but has breeding to appreciate the mud.
Outlook: After butting heads with fillies at Saratoga and Belmont over the summer, Believe in A. P. was a blowout winner at Philadelphia Park. Like many of A.P. Indy’s progeny, she probably needed time to mature, but this is a tough spot for a repeat win. Keep an eye on her next year.
DELIGHTFUL MARY (Limehouse – Deputy's Delight, by French Deputy)
Delightful Mary |
Surface: Untested over dirt.
Outlook: After trouncing the competition by over 11 lengths in her first two starts, Delightful Mary couldn’t catch a loose on the lead Wyomia, who is entered in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. Delightful Mary may be talented, but she has a lot to prove against top class competition that will set faster fractions than she’s encountered.
Harlans Ruby Photo Candice Chavez |
Pedigree: Harlan’s Holiday’s offspring are sprinter milers and Smiling Eyes is a full sister to the G-3 stakes winning sprinter Popular. Harlan’s Ruby has already won at 1 1/16 miles but may not want to go much farther.
Surface: Harlan’s Ruby is a winner over turf and placed over the Polytrack at Keeneland. She was unplaced in her only dirt attempt.
Outlook: Harlan’s Ruby was beaten by over nine lengths in her sole dirt attempt at Churchill. She was no match for Wickedly Perfect in the Alcibiades but finished second, ahead of some stakes winning fillies. Her stalking running style could help, but she’s appears to be ducking the stronger Turf division.
INDIAN GRACEY (Indian Ocean – Miz Betty Grace, by Matty G)
Pedigree: Indian Gracey has a sprinter/miler pedigree with dirt influences. Her sire is well-bred but hasn’t been very promising at stud. His offspring are sprinter/miler types and he has yet to get a stakes winner in two crops. Indian Gracey’s dam is a half sister to a couple of stakes-placed runners, one of whom produced Grace 2 winning sprinter Warbling.
Surface: Untested over dirt.
Outlook: Indian Gracey has been in the money in all four starts. She finally won her maiden in her third start after stretching out to a mile. After leading the pack in the Oakleaf Stakes (G-1) , she tired but still finished third, beaten only 1 ½ lengths. She’s a talented filly who should move forward over dirt, but she’ll have plenty of company on the front end.
IZSHELEGAL (Macho Uno – Unkatzable, by A.P. Indy)
Pedigree: Izshelegal has a pedigree to appreciate dirt and a route of ground. By Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Macho Uno, Izshelegal’s distaff family is a long list of whose who and includes multiple graded stakes winners Katz Me if You Can and Cuddles as her first and second dams. Northern Afleet and the classy Tap to Music are also part of this family.
Surface: Untested over dirt.
Outlook: Izshelegal is still a maiden after four starts. She stared her ambitious career with a second place finish in the Landaluce Stakes, but has been off the board against Grade 1 winners in her last two attempts. She has a one-run style and should enjoy the switch to dirt, but she may be up against it class wise. She might be worth a longshot look.
JORDY Y (Congrats – Debt Free, by Fly So Free) *Second preference Juvenile Fillies Turf
Jordy Y - Photo: Crystal Jones |
Surface: Jordy Y has spent her career running on Polytrack. She has a strong dirt pedigree and should do well over the surface.
Outlook: Jordy Y tried to make up ground over the speed favoring Keeneland track in the Alcibiades in a futile effort. She was only beaten 2 lengths and finished third. Her off the pace style and experience at the race distance will help her in the Breeders’ Cup Fillies. Coincidently, her connections won this race in 2006 at Churchill with Dreaming of Anna, who prepped for the race over the Woodbine Polytrack.
Joyful Victory - Photo: Eclipse Sportswire |
Pedigree: Tapit, a son of Pulpit, is known for producing classy fillies. Joyful Victory has a very modest but durable distaff family and one half sibling has raced 67 times.
Surface: Successful over fast dirt.
Outlook: After winning her debut, Joyful Victory found herself in the deep end of the pool facing winners in the Frizette (G-1). She was a steady third all the way around, beaten by over three lengths. She can move forward off of that race, but this field appears too strong for her current form.
R HEAT LIGHTNING (Trippi – Yellow Heat, by Gold Fever)
R Heat Lightning - Photo: Coglianese |
Surface: R Heat Lightning is successful over a fast dirt track. She hasn’t encountered an off track. Trippi’s offspring are average in the mud.
Outlook: The dominant four length winner of the Spinaway Stakes, R Heat Lightning couldn’t catch A Z Warrior in the Frizette, but finished up well to place second, by 1 ¾ lengths. She has the ability to sit off of the pace and could rebound in this race.
Soundwave - Photo: Eclipse Sportswire |
Pedigree: Soundwave has a dirt sprinter’s pedigree. Her sire Friends Lake never won past a mile and hasn’t sired a graded stakes winner. Most of his progeny are sprinters, but he gets the occasional two turn winner. Soundwave is a half sister to the stakes winning Letgomyecho and another half sister produced last year’s Sapling winner, Western Smoke. Her dam is a stakes placed sprinter.
Surface: A winner over a fast track.
Outlook: Soundwave has won three of four starts, including the Monmouth Park NATC Futurity. Her only defeat came in her debut over the Churchill dirt. She will try to stretch her speed while contesting the lead in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.
TELL A KELLY (Tapit – Evrobi, by Tabasco Cat)
Tell A Kelly - Photo: Benoit |
Surfaces: A Grade 1 winner over Polytrack, Tell A Kelly is also Grade 1 placed over Cushion Track. Her sire and damsire have dirt pedigrees, but Tell A Kelly’s dam won or was in the money in half of her turf starts and none of her dirt attempts.
Outlook: Tell A Kelly was an easy 4 ½ length winner of the Darley Debutant over Wickedly Perfect, but offered no resistance to Rigoletta in the closing stages of the Oak Leaf Stakes in her first attempt at two turns. Now that she has experience at the distance, Tell A Kelly should be fitter and could rebound in the B.C. Fillies.
THEYSKENS' THEORY (Bernardini - Heat Lightning, by Summer Squall) *First Preference Juvenile Fillies
Theyskens' Theory - Photo: PA |
Surface: Has won over good to soft turf. Untested over dirt
Outlook: Theyskens' Theory is a Group 3 winner and was 1 ½ lengths shy of a Group 1 win in the Meon Valley Mile. Her pedigree is geared more towards dirt, but this talented filly appears to be flexible. She has experience, class and should take to the dirt. Theyskens' Theory can be a threat wherever she’s placed.
2010 Juvenile Fillies Turf Contender Profiles
Since it’s inception in 2008, the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Filly Turf has been won by U.S. based horses. This year’s field doesn’t appear as deep as the previous fields, but there are a few Grade 3 winners and a couple that are Group 1 or 2 placed. The only undefeated contestant, Winter Memories, is also the likely favorite to win the race.ALLURE D'AMOUR (Giant’s Causeway - Salut d'Amour, by Danehill Dancer)
Pedigree: Allure D’Amour has a strong turf pedigree top and bottom. Giant’s Causeway is an international sire. Allure D’Amour’s dam was a stakes winner in England and is a half sister to an English Group 3 winner. damsire was 1995 Irish high-weighted 2yo male. Second damsire is the legendary Sadler’s Wells.
Surface: Successful over yielding turf, hasn’t encountered firm going.
Outlook: Allure D’Amour is a recent (10/17) maiden winner. She has only two starts under her girth and while she has potential talent, she’s facing a more accomplished and experienced field.
Arch Support - Photo: Candice Chavez |
Pedigree: By the same sire as Blame, Arch Support’s pedigree has predominately turf and stamina bloodlines. Her damsire, a son of the great Alleged, won the 10 furlong Irish Derby (G-1) and was an excellent broodmare sire. Arch Support is a half sister to the stakes placed sprinter Bounding. Her dam was a listed stakes winner and placed in several stakes, all over turf.
Surface: Successful over firm turf and was second over yielding ground.
Outlook: Arch Support was 5 ¼ lengths second to Winter Memories when they crossed the finish line in the Miss Grillo Stakes and will met a tough group of fillies in this race. Arch Support should improve off of her last race, but might not be up to beating this group. She should improve with maturity and distance.
DOS LUNAS (Hennessy – Mi Luna Nueva, by El Prado) (AE List)
Pedigree: Dos Lunas has a sprinter/miler pedigree. Her dam is a stakes placed half sister to the graded stakes winning turf warriors Kim Loves Bucky and Transduction Gold.
Surface: Dos Lunas won her debut over the firm Churchill Turf and has and placed over yielding turf.
Outlook: Dos Lunas has won or placed in her two turf attempts. After dismal experiments over dirt and Polytrack, she finally gets back to her preferred surface. Of concern is her class level. She finished second in a listed stakes but has been unplaced against graded stakes company. She could be an interesting longshot.
FANCY POINT (Point Given – Fancy Clancy, by Rahy)
Fancy Point - Photo: Coglianese |
Surface: Fancy Point is a winner over firm turf and placed over yielding turf.
Outlook: After wiring the field in the PG Johnson Stakes, Fancy Point tired slightly after making the pace in the Miss Grillo to finish third behind Winter Memories over the boggy Belmont lawn. Her speed figures still improved and she should bounce back in this race. Fancy Point has been on the lead in her last two starts, and will have company up front. The cut back in distance won’t be a problem.
FLOOD PLAIN (Orpen - Delta, by Zafonic)
Pedigree: Flood Plain has a strong turf oriented pedigree. Her sire and damsire were Champion Two Year Olds in Ireland and Europe. Her dam was a stakes placed turf miler and second dam is a half sister to the multiple stakes winners Eltish and Forest Gazelle.
Surface: Successful over good-soft turf. Hasn’t encountered firm going.
Outlook: After winning her maiden at seven furlongs in her first attempt, Flood Plain took on Listed stakes competition and finished second to an unbeaten filly. She does have experience in large fields but she’s taking on a strong group of fillies in only her third start. The extra furlong should pose not problem.
Forest Legend - Photo: Candice Chavez |
Pedigree: Forest Legend is a half sister to Grade 2 turf miler Silver Reunion. Their dam won half of her 8 starts over the lawn, including the Mrs. Revere Stakes (G-2). She’s a half sister to multiple G-3 winners Comic Strip, Lucayan Prince and Sam Davis stakes winner Akiba. The third and fourth dams were European stakes winners.
Surface: Winner over firm turf, hasn’t encountered off going.
Outlook: Forest Legend won her debut over the Ellis Park turf in August but was unplaced when tossed into Grade 1 stakes competition in the Alcibiades over the Keeneland Polytrack. Despite the Keeneland conveyor belt, she was one of the only ones making up ground at the end and passed the rest on the gallop out. Like some others in here, she’s basically a maiden taking on more experienced fillies who have proven their form.
JORDY Y (Congrats – Debt Free, by Fly So Free) * First Preference Juvenile Fillies
Jordy Y - Photo: Crystal Jones |
Surface: Jordy Y has spent her career running on Polytrack. She has a flexible pedigree and could take to the turf.
Outlook: Jordy Y tried to make up ground over the speed favoring Keeneland track in the Alcibiades in a futile effort. She was only beaten 2 lengths and finished third. Her off the pace style and experience at the race distance will help her in the Breeders’ Cup Fillies. Coincidently, her connections won this race in 2006 at Churchill with Dreaming of Anna, who prepped for the race over the Woodbine turf.
Kathmanblu - Photo: Coady |
Pedigree: Bluegrass Cat is #2 on the First Crop Sires’ List and Kathmanblu is his first winner over turf. Kathmanblu’s dam was a stakes placed dirt sprinter and a half sister to Grade 1 winner Friendly Michelle. At first glance, Kathmanblu has primarily a dirt pedigree. Her sire is proving to be very versatile, getting winners over every surface. Her damsire is a full brother to the known turf influence Saint Ballado. Devil’s Bag was a Champion Juvenile and at stud he produced winners over dirt and turf.
Surface: Kathmanblu is a winner over firm turf at a mile. She hasn’t tried good or yielding turf.
Outlook: After winning her maiden gong a mile on the lawn, Kathmanblu came back in the PG Johnson Stakes to gain second place, closing to finish 1 ½ lengths from the winner, Fancy Point. Kathmanblu followed up with an impressive four length win in the JPMorgan Chase Jessamine Stakes at Keeneland. The field in that race wasn’t particularly strong and she’ll be taking on a more competitive group in the Juvenile Filly Turf.
MORE THAN REAL (More Than Ready – Miss Seffens, by Dehere)
Pedigree: Sire More Than Ready has become a leading sire in Australia. More Than Real’s dam was a stakes winning dirt sprinter and her second dam was also a stakes winner.
Surface: Successful over firm lawn, placed over good ground.
Outlook: More Than Real was a fast closing second to New Normal, beaten 1 ½ lengths in her graded stakes debut in the one mile Natalma (G-3). Like some others, she’s lightly raced, but talented with a flexible running style.
NINA FEVER (Borrego – Impact Now, by Major Impact) (AE List)
Pedigree: Nina Fever was the first winner for her freshman sire. Although Nina Fever’s dam was sprinter over dirt, Impact Now’s half sister was graded stakes placed over turf. Nina Fever has other strong turf bloodlines through her sire, who is descended from the premiere stallion Saddler’s Wells and her damsire Major Impact is a son of English/Irish Champion Roberto. Nina Fever’s second dam won the Sorority Stakes (G-3) and Arlington Washington Futurity (G-2) as a two year old.
Surface: Successful over firm turf.
Outlook: Nina Fever won her only start over turf and has been successful over Polytrack. She’s recently been running against $30,000 claimers at Keeneland.
QUIET OASIS (Oasis Dream - Silent Heir, by Sunday Silence)
Pedigree: By a Group 1 winning turf sprinter out of a mare by Champion Sunday Silence, Quiet Oasis has a classic speed over stamina pedigree. She’s a half sister to a Group 3 winner and her second dam is a ¾ sister to Champion New Approach.
Surface: Placed over soft turf.
Outlook: Quiet Oasis tried winners in a Group 3 Stakes over the lawn after a winning debut on Polytrack. She was stuck on the inside most of the way and never got into the clear. She hung slightly but finished fourth, only a length behind the winner in the seven furlong race. She could move forward off of that race and prefer firm ground, but may not have the class to fit here.
SILENT JOY (Kitten’s Joy – Silent Emotion, by Ghazi) (AE List)
Pedigree: Silent Joy has a turf oriented pedigree. She’s a half sister to the multiple turf stakes winner Unspoken Word, however her full brother Keith’s Kitten has only one win in six attempts. Her turf stakes winning dam is a half sister to the dam of the turf sprinter Cannonball and her second dam was also a stakes winner.
Surface: Winner over firm lawn, unplaced on yielding ground.
Outlook: Silent Joy won a turf sprint at first asking but showed nothing in the Miss Grillo Stakes. She shortens up, but may not have the ability to deal with this strong group of fillies.
TALE UNTOLD (Tale of the Cat – Bank on Her, by Rahy)
Pedigree: This filly has a sprinter/miler pedigree and could be capable over dirt as well as turf. Tale Untold is a half sister to turf stakes winner I’m in Love. There isn’t much black type (stakes winners) in her first two generations, however, Tale Untold’s fourth and fifth dams Intriguing and Glamour are blue hens and Tale Untold descends from the great mare La Troienne.
Surface: Tale Untold is a winner over Polytrack and has experience over good and yielding lawn.
Outlook: Tale Untold won sprinting over the Kempton Polytrack, but has lost her last two races by a scant nose sprinting seven furlongs over the turf. She beat Together by a neck in her last race and could benefit by the extra furlong here.
TOGETHER (Galileo - Shadow Song, by Pennekamp)
Together - Photo: Racing Post |
Surface: Together is effective over good turf and just missed in her last two races by a neck over soft ground. She hasn’t caught a firm turf course, but should really excel over the going.
Outlook: Together has been running with the best fillies England and Ireland has to offer and she’s won or been in the money in all but one start in her career. She is the strongest European representative in the race and could be the first European winner of the Juvenile Filly Turf.
THEYSKENS' THEORY (Bernardini - Heat Lightning, by Summer Squall) *First Preference Juvenile Fillies
Pedigree: Theyskens' Theory has one of the best pedigrees in the field. Her Champion sire is getting winners over all surfaces. Theyskens' Theory is a half sister to Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Stevie Wonderboy. Her dam is a half sister to the Group 2winner Fair Judgment and her second dam Mystical Mood won the Schuylerville. Theyskens' Theory has inbreeding to the blue hen Weekend Surprise through the half brothers A.P. Indy (Bernardini’s sire) and Summer Squall. She receives strong turf influences through her second damsire Roberto.
Surface: Has won over good to soft turf. Untested over firm lawn.
Outlook: Theyskens' Theory is a Group 3 winner and was 1 ½ lengths shy of a Group 1 win in the Meon Valley Mile. Her pedigree is geared more towards dirt, but this talented filly appears to be flexible. She has experience, class and can be a threat in either race.
Winter Memories - Photo: Coglianese |
Pedigree: Winter Memories has a strong turf pedigree and should be proficient up to 1 1/8 miles and possibly beyond. Her breeding is similar to multiple graded stakes winner Asi Siempre, who is by El Prado out of a Silver Hawk mare. Winter Memories' sire is known for producing strong runners over every surface (Kitten's Joy, Medaglia d'Oro). Memories of Silver, the dam of Winter Memories, was a multiple graded stakes winner over the turf up to 1 1/8 miles. She won the Q.E. II Challenge Cup, Beverly D, Diana Handicap, etc.
Surfaces: Winter Memories has a strong turf pedigree and has been successful over firm and yielding turf.
Outlook: Winter Memories has won both of her starts by a combined 6 1/2 lengths and is very capable over firm or yielding turf. In the Miss Grillo Stakes, Winter Memories demolished a nice group of fillies that included one graded and two listed stakes winners, stakes placed runners and the usual assortment of maidens. Winter Memories showed an electrifying turn of foot in the stretch of the Miss Grillo that others in this field will be hard pressed to match.
WYOMIA (Vindication - Beyond the Sun, by Kingmambo)
Pedigree: Wyomia is a half sister to world record holder Red Giant and turf stakes winner Carnera. Her first through third dams are stakes winners or stakes placed. Wyomia has a strong distaff family filled with graded stakes winners and Champions.
Surface: Unplaced over turf.
Outlook: Wyomia was unplaced in her debut over the turf and was soundly defeated by New Normal. Switching to the Woodbine Polytrack, Wyomia has been undefeated, including an easy win against Grade 3 company. Wyomia may deserve another shot over turf, but picked a tough place to prove it.