The Darley Alcibiades Stakes (G-1) is one of the last prep races scheduled for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. The last filly to win both races was Silverbulletday in 1998. Since then only one Breeders’ Cup winner 2009’s She Be Wild, also placed in the Alcibiades. In 2009.
This year’s Alcibiades contest is wide open with a full field of 14 fillies and an also eligible entered. The only undefeated stakes winner, Tu Endie Wei, is the likely favorite.
#1 PUTTHEBABIESDOWN (Closing Argument - Turtle Beach, by Out of Place) was wide in the PG Johnson Stakes and settled for fourth. She has a stamina-oriented pedigree and should appreciate the longer distance. Her dam is a half sister to the dam of multiple stakes winner Probation Ready. Putthebabiesdown recorded two good works over the Keeneland Polytrack and they appear better than her Saratoga breezes.
#2 FLASHY LASSIE (Flashy Bull – Lemon Pop Lassie, by Lemon Drop Kid) won the Debutante Stakes (G3) at Churchill and was second in the Mountaineer Juvenile Fillies Stakes. Her first crop sire Flashy Bull has 32 runners, 12 winners, but none have won over synthetics. Flashy Lassie’s dam Lemon Pop Lassie is a half sister to a stakes winner and two stakes placed runners, all fillies.
#3 VENETIAN SONATA (Bernadini – Moonlight
Sonata, by Carson City) Gained late for fourth place, beaten only 1 ½ lengths in the Arlington Washington Lassie and should enjoy the extra distance of the Alcibiades. Her second crop sire is above average in producing winners over Polytrack, but while his offspring can run and win over the surface, they improve when switching to dirt. Venetian Sonata’s full brother Wilburn recently won the Indiana Derby. Her half brother Beethoven won the 2008 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G-2). Venetian Sonata’s dam won the Arlington-Washington Lassie and her precocious half brother Bevo won the Belmont Futurity (G-1) and Saratoga Special (G-2). The second and third dams are also stakes winners. Venetian Sonata breezed an average 5F in 1:00 3/5 over the Keeneland Poly in her last work.
#4 TU ENDIE WEI (Johar - Ms. 
Cornstalk, by Indian Charlie) is undefeated in two starts, both stakes races. She lead all the way in the 6 ½ furlong Ontario Debutante and held off Northern Passion by ½ a length. That filly came back to win the G-3 Natalma Stakes. Tu Endie Wei’s fourth crop sire has three graded stakes winners. The majority of his offspring are best over the turf, but he has a handful of winners over synthetic tracks. They win from sprints to 1 ½ miles. Tu Endie Wei is a half sister to two-time Champion and Horse of the Year Biofuel.
#5 SWEET CAT (Kitten's Joy - Claire's Smile, by Carson City) won her maiden convincingly sprinting over the turf at Saratoga. Her sire Champion Turf Horse Kitten’s Joy, gets most of his winners over the turf and synthetics. Sweet Cat is a half-sister to Loose Leaf a stakes winner over dirt who is also stakes placed over the lawn. Her dam is an unraced half-sister to a stakes placed runner and Sweet Cat’s third and fourth dams are blue hens. Champions Flanders and Surfside were produced by this family.
#6 EGG DROP (Alphabet Soup - Rehocracy, by Adhocracy) won her maiden at fist asking over the Del Mar Polytrack. The second place finisher came back to win next time out. The pretty gray filly has little blacktype in her distaff family, although her mother is a half sister to Redoubled Miss, a Calder fixture and winner of listed stakes there. Egg Drop worked a bullet 5F in :59 1/5 (1/17) in her second to last work over the Hollywood Cushion Track. Her jockey Joe Talamo sticks with her.
#7 STEPHANIE'S KITTEN (Kitten's Joy - Unfold the Rose, by Catienus) hung in the stretch of the Natalma Stakes to finish third, beaten by a widening 3 ½ lengths by Tu Endie Wei. She’s the first foal produced by her unraced dam. Her second dam Bail Out Becky was a good multiple stakes race mare and her major accomplishment was a win in the Del Mar Oaks (G1). Stephanie’s Kitten gets her fourth rider in as many starts.
#8 NEW WAVE (Tale of the Cat - Ecology, by Unbridled's Song) After leading most of the way in the PG Johnson Stakes New Wave lugged out in the stretch and finished second to Alura Michelle by 2 ½ lengths. This pretty gray filly is a half sister to General Quarters, winner of the Bluegrass Stakes over the Poly and Woodford Reserve Turf Classic, both G1 contests. New Wave has flashed three strong works over the Keeneland Poly and gets back to the surface where she won her maiden.
#9 AND WHY NOT (Street Cry - Alchemist, by A.P. Indy) was a well-beaten third in the Spinaway (G-1), her second lifetime start. And Why Not’s sire and damsire pass endurance to their offspring. And Why Not’s half brother Burj Dubai is stakes placed. Their dam Alchemist was an allowance level runner who placed third in a Grade 3 stakes. Alchemist is a half-sister to Turnback the Alarm H.(G-3) heroine Altesse. The second dam Aldiza won the Go For Wand (G-1) and placed in the Test (G-1), Spinster (G1), Frizette (G-1) and other graded stakes. The fourth dam is blue hen Courtly Dee, dam of Champion Three Year Old Filly Althea. And Why Not’s sire is above average Poly sire. The bay filly gets a rider switch from Leparoux to Gomez.
#10 FROLIC'S REVENGE (Vindication - Stormy
Frolic, by Summer Squall) invades from Calder, where she finished second in the Brave Raj last time out. Ironically in her previous attempt, Frolic’s Revenge won the Lindsay Frolic Stakes, named in honor of her second dam. Frolic’s Revenge is the first stakes winner produced by her dam. Stormy Frolic is a stakes winner and a half sister to five blacktype runners, including the multiple stakes winning warrior, Super Frolic. Both the second and third dams are graded stakes winners and this is a top Florida distaff line. Frolic’s Revenge breezed a 5F bullet in 1:00 ¾ in her last work.
#11 HEART OF DESTINY (Lion Heart - Doc's Destiny, by Doc's Leader) won her maiden by a fast-closing nose in her second start, going 1 1/6 miles over the turf. Her sire gets an average number of Poly winners. Heart of Destiny is a half sister to grade 2 placed Brother Bobby. Their dam is stakes placed, but that’s it for blacktype in this immediate family. Heart of Destiny has fired two consecutive bullets, including a 5F :58 1/5 move over the Keeneland Poly.
#12 CHEERLEADER (Flashy Bull - Destiny's Yield, by High Yield) dominated maidens, including Tavern On the Bay, by over six lengths in her debut. Cheerleader is the second daughter of Flashy Bull entered in the Alcibiades. She’s the first foal for her dam, who won once in nine tries. That one is a half sister to the dam of Westchester Handicap (G-3) hero Sir Greeley. Cheerleader has breezed two six furlong stamina works for the race.
#13 TAVERN ON THE BAY (Offlee Wild - Terrified Ice, by Darn That Alarm) after being drilled by Cheerleader, Tavern On The Bay finally won her maiden in her sixth attempt. Her sire gets the occasional winner over Poly and has one graded stakes winner at Keeneland. Tavern On The Bay has a modest distaff line with no blacktype in the first two generations.
#14 ANN OF THE DANCE (English Channel – Dans La Ville, by Winning) trounced the colts in her second start then was a gaining third in the Arlington Washington Lassie . Her first crop sire English Channel won the 2007 Breeders' Cup Turf. He has five winners from 26 starters and Ann Of The Dance is his only Poly winner. Ann Of The Dance’s unraced dam is a half sister to a Chilean Oaks (G-1) winner. That one produced Pennsylvania Derby hero Grand Hombre. Ann Of The Dance has been working steadily at Arlington.
#15 ON FIRE BABY (Smoke Glacken - Ornate, by Gilded Time) is Also Eligible. She won her debut sprinting at Ellis Park. Her sire has a few winners over Poly, but overall, his progeny prefer other surfaces. The pretty gray On Fire Baby is a half sister to Fantasy Stakes heroine High Heels and stakes winner French Kiss. Their dam is also a stakes winner. On fire Baby has recorded average works at Churchill.
SELECTIONS:
How the track is playing: Traditionally, Keeneland is very speed favoring, especially near the rail.
TU ENDIE WEI is the class of the field and should handle the stretch out. ANN OF THE DANCE has won at 1 1/16 miles over Poly and is stakes placed. She’s shown progression in her last two races and I really like her, but she is hindered by a far outside post. VENETIAN SONATA should appreciate the distance and owns improving Brisnet speed figures. The Helmbrecht barn is 21% with shippers. Ditto STEPHANIE'S KITTEN. HEART OF DESTINY has the highest late pace speed figure in the field. She also has the best works and a win at the distance. NEW WAVE gets back to the Poly after forays onto dirt and turf. She’ll carry last Fall’s leading rider Leparoux. AND WHY NOT has a fantastic pedigree and good works. She should improve going two turns.
#4 TU ENDIE WEI
#3 VENETIAN SONATA
#9 AND WHY NOT
#11 HEART OF DESTINY
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