BC Fillies and Mares Turf (Grade 1)- $2,000.00 Purse
KEE- For Fillies and Mares Three Years Old and Upward
One Mile and Three Sixteenths on the Turf
October 31, 2026

It’s time for another edition of the BC Fillies and Mares Turf, the premier race for female stars on the grass, and we have had no shortage of greats that have taken home the trophy. It’s a division that will not be talked about as much as others, but when you look at those who have won this very race, there are some horses that were truly memorable when they were actively running. La Terrifiant, the greatest female in the history of the game, in terms of earnings, beaten only by Bronze Sabre and Alpha Ultimo when you consider the boys, is a former winner, but there’s much more. Attraction was another who was widely respected in her day, and perhaps a little forgotten now since name recognition of fillies and mares that raced a while ago can be dependent on what they ended up doing in the shed, but she was a great one and won this race in 2014 and 2016. She was beaten in 2015 by Broomsticks Copy, a horse who herself won two different BC races. Attraction’s feat of winning this race would be duplicated by Painville, who went on to win in 2023 and 2024. She also just missed making this field as well.

Speaking of this year’s field, about 24 hours before the nomination deadline, there were 27 nominations for the race, a number that perhaps went up even more from when I looked at it, so there was plenty of interest and hopes that their filly and mare would be able to draw in. Of those that we will see, 2025 winner Lady Hilltopper is in the field, so she can become the third two-time winner of the Fillies and Mares Turf with a victory with Black N Gold Stable again leading the way. Here’s a look at our entire group of fourteen!

1- November Storm (Mb Stables, ridden by J P Spencer)- Starting us off, Mb Stables is hoping that November Storm can strike a day earlier than expected. The six year old mare by Cherokee General has won eleven times in 36 starts, with three of the wins happening this year. Two of them came early, in the Very One (Grade 3) and Bewitch (Grade 3), but she’d also win at the Spa in July in the Glens Falls (Grade 2). Two of those victories came on soft turf, a trait that you would expect from a storm-named horse, but thankfully we expect an entirely dry weekend for the BC. Cementing her spot in this race was a runner up last time out in the Grade 2 Flower Bowl, which was on yielding turf. Look, she can also run well when it’s dry and doesn’t need it to rain, she just wouldn’t complain if it did.

2- Beach Towel (Winning Link Stables, ridden by B Curtis)- Beach Towel was a part of the field in the Fillies and Mares last year, using a win here in the First Lady to help make it, but she would not show much in the BC. But little did we know then that she was just getting started. 2026 has been a massively successful year for her, with three wins and three more seconds over eight races, leading to over $2,000.00 in earnings just this year alone. Those results placed her directly on the top of the points leaderboard coming into the race. A victory in the $1,500.00 KD Ladies Turf accounted for a large share of her earnings, but she also would win the $1,000.00 CD Distaff Turf Mile (Grade 2) in May. In other words, when the purse amount goes up, she’s doing anything but laying on the beach. Strong contender in this one.

3- Poetic Panther (Maletto, ridden by J R Velazquez)- She’s been good for a while, as evidenced by now making her third start in the BC Fillies and Mares Turf. In 2024, she set the early fractions and held on for a decent, though out of the money, fifth place finish. A year later, she would cash in something out of the race, with a second place, via dead heat, result. Into her six year old season, she has been great, hitting the board on all but one occasion, with a particularly strong effort at SAR, winning both the Diana (Grade 1) and The NY (Grade 1). Because it is so impressive, you have to mention it: she’s now won the Diana three years in a row. She loves SAR, but until the powers that be decide to take a chance, and deal with some cold weather while realizing that while it could snow, odds are that it won’t, the BC isn’t going to be at the Spa. She’s 1-for-2 at KEE, which is what matters.

4- Neon Woof (TwinTowersRacing, ridden by S X Bridgmohan)- Last month at BEL, Neon Woof found herself way back early in the Grade 2 Flower Bowl, before charging hard and grabbing the win in that key automatic qualifier for this race. Finished 20th on the leaderboard, so she did need that victory to get into this race, but now that she’s here you have to see her as one that can follow that up and do it again. She’s won two of seven on the year, also capturing the Grade 3 Mint Julep Handicap at CD in late May. Other than one blemish, Neon Woof has been very consistent on the year cashing checks for her trainer. Working well, and while others in this field will capture the attention, and wagers of the public, she’s capable.

5- Lucy Heat (The Sidley Stud, ridden by P Lopez)- In one way, we have many veterans in this field that we have gotten used to in the BC. We’ve seen them, and know what they are capable of. But in another way, we have this new crop of contenders that show us that when those other names move on, the division will still be in good hands. Lucy Heat is one of the new crop, a three year old that will get a three pound weight advantage in this field. She’s won four of seven, highlighted by the Grade 3 Eatontown at MTH in June and the Grade 2 Canadian Stakes at WO in August. Three weeks ago, this usual frontrunner was way off the pace in the Grade 1 QE II Challenge Cup, but that would not matter as she got up for third. If she doesn’t get it done here, continue to keep an eye on her going forward.

6- Lady Hilltopper (Black N Gold Stable, ridden by S Elliott)- What an amazing career this now seven year old race mare has had. In 2026, she would earn her fourth straight start into the BC Fillies and Mares Turf, and will be looking to successfully defend her crown after winning last year. Around this time was part of an incredible stretch for her, going into the BC hot, but it would continue after she left DMR, beginning a four-race winning streak. In January, she would win the Grade 2 Pegasus F & M Turf, which was followed by winning the Grade 2 Hillsborough. After allowing others to visit the winner’s circle for a few races, she stepped up again, beating several of those she sees again in the $1,500.00 Grade 3 Ladies Marathon. This great year has allowed her career earnings to exceed $6,400.00. Would be a very worthy two-time winner.

7- Categorical Destiny (Mb Stables, ridden by L Saez)- Categorical Destiny was able to get into this race as a three year old last year, but would not have the result that she was hoping for. The trainer punished her by having to make a start at BTP in the middle of January, but would soon return to the graded ranks. Not wanting to mess up again, this filly would earn two wins and three seconds over her next races. The victories were each of the wire to wire variety, where she won the Grade 3 RGD at DEL by two, before taking care of small field in the $500.00 Grade 2 Beverly D at CNL. Last time we saw her, she was second in the Grade 2 Rodeo Drive Stakes at SA, putting her solidly into sixth on the points leaderboard.

8- Cailleach (Jerry Garcia Racing, ridden by L Salles)- Our second three year old hasn’t been racing on the turf all year, but the way she is going right now, you have to think that she has a home here on the grass for a long time. After running fourth in the Grade 1 Test at SAR, showing that she could always be competitive on the main track, she was entered into the $1,500.00 Grade 2 Music City Stakes at KD and stunned the field with a win at 21/1. Her next two starts saw her take in more money right here at KEE, grabbing wins in the QE II Challenge Cup (Grade 1) and the Valley View (Grade 2). So yes, that means this will be her third start in three weeks. I often think it’s not two starts in close proximity that’s the issue here, it’s the third one.

9- Voltaire (Threshold, ridden by A Fresu)- Voltaire returns to the BC Fillies and Mares Turf once again, and will look to do better than her eighth place run out at DMR last year. The six year old mare has been lightly raced in 2026, making just five starts but has been able to make the most of them. While she did get off to a good start in the Pegasus F & M Turf, she would go on to hit the board in each of the Wilshire (Grade 3), Gamely Stakes (Grade 1), and Beverly D (Grade 2). Finally, last time out, she would get her first win on the year in the Grade 2 Mabee Stakes at DMR. Those are strong, but not necessarily flashy statistics when considering the strength of this field, and she’ll have to be at her best to have a shot here. Finished 13th on the leaderboard.

10- Ginger Gem (The Sidley Stud, ridden by V Espinoza)- Another one of our two year olds in the field, and will be making her tenth career start. Last time out, Ginger Gem clinched her spot into this race by winning the Grade 2 Rodeo Drive at SA. It’s a win that she had to have in order to make this field, as she placed 19th on the leaderboard after the victory. Outside of that, she’s similar to Voltaire in that there is nothing wrong with what she did over the year in order to get here, there is simply not much else other than the one big win to really point to her. She’s consistent, and should be able to build on whatever ends up happening to her this year. It just may not be her time as of yet.

11- Explorer (Avenue Z, ridden by R M Hernandez)- Avenue Z is looking for his first BC win, and will give Explorer her second chance to accomplish that feat. When we saw Explorer out at DMR last year, she was able to finish in the top half of the field, but in that agonizing fifth place spot where a check is just missed. She bounced back well by winning the Grade 3 Clement at GP, then did the same in the Grade 3 Orchid at the same race track two months later. That’s her last win, she has hit the board in her last three, including a third (in a dead heat) last time out at the Grade 1 Taylor up north. Placed eighth on the points leaderboard.

12- Patronize (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by F Pennington)- Next to enter the starting gate will be another three year old, but not one that runs in the BC for the first time. She was able to run in the Juvenile Fillies Turf last year, and closed hard in the stretch to get up for fourth. This year has seen two victories, one being an allowance but the other coming last time out in the Grade 2 Dance Smartly Stakes up at WO. Back in August, she also had a very good looking runner up in the Grade 1 DMR Oaks. Between them, there’s an ugly race line in the Dueling Grounds Oaks, but you can safely throw that out as a result of running on short rest. She’s ready to run here.

13- Rain Rattle (Bears Stable, ridden by R Santana Jr)- Bears Stable is also looking for his first BC win, and you have to think that Rain Rattle provides a very strong opportunity to get that for him. The four year old filly initially made a name for herself on the main track, and once ran in the KYO, but would eventually find her home on the grass. Three straight wins last year got her into the BC Fillies and Mares Turf, a race where she placed sixth. A lot of these greats in this division with the lengthy careers saw their first BC appearance end up in the middle of the field and then they were able to build on that, and that seems to be a trajectory that Rain Rattle is following. She’s had a consistent year, hitting the board in six of her seven starts, and two of her last three races have ended up with her in the winner’s circle: the Nassau Stakes (Grade 2) and the Taylor (Grade 1), each at WO. She’s an impressive 13-for-25 in her career, making just a hair shy of $1,600.00 in total. There should be plenty more on the way, and a chunk of that may happen here.

14- Star Sequence (Team 7 Illusions, ridden by G Corrales)- It’s pretty impressive to get a horse into the BC that has only made five career starts, but Team 7 Illusions has been able to do that with this three year old. She would debut last December, but reappeared ready to run in June, making her first turf start and breaking her maiden. Next up, the Grade 3 Matchmaker at MTH, followed by the Grade 1 DMR Oaks. Win and win. Just like that, four starts into her career, she was looking unstoppable, and when she was entered into the $2,000.00 Grade 3 Dueling Grounds Oaks, she was not the slighest bit out of place against that type of field. In that, she was edged out by Valley Center, and settled for second. Star Sequence has plenty of upside , and while certainly a contender here on Saturday, is a name to remember for the future.

Prediction: 6-2-13-3

— NS

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