BC Juvenile Fillies Turf – Grade I
1 Mile Turf Stake Purse $1,000.000 Filly 2 Year Olds.
Through the first quarter, it was Blakeney that came out as the leader from gate 8 with Klassy Kat stalking on the rail and Puzzlement stalking three wide. Behind those three The Viper Crew held the rail in a good spot with Anybodys Authority, Ruths House and Lucille stuck out wide. Not Yet and Zion Beleiver were also hung out just back from midfield with Ava getting to the rail from gate 6. Creepy Runner party and Houseofidentity were taken to the back from their wide draws and would have to rely on traffic to make their runs.
By halfway Blakeney was steadily pushing up the speed with only Klassy Kat holding on to her tail, Puzzlement let them go a bit and The Viper Crew was getting a soft run up the rail. Everything else was in with a chance with only about six lengths covering them but Creepy Runner party had detached a little from the back of the field.
Crowning the bend and with a quarter to go Bakeney was still going well in the lead and was now clear whilst the rest were fanning out to make their late runs in a familiar look to most HRP races. If there was one to beat the leader, it looked like it was coming from wide as usual and although still some way off the Creepy Runner party was making an ominous move. Klassy Kat was still there in the stalk but hindering The Viper Crew who was still glued to the rail but with nowhere to go. Ruths House was trying hard, but the race was still wide open.
With a furlong to run it seemed the closing jockeys had forgotten about Blakeney who was still out in front and looked to have an unassailable lead. Creepy Runner Party was really getting into gear but would have to be Pegasus to get there from 4 lengths back. Klassy Kat was keeping on in second and The Viper Crew had finally found clear running and come off the rail to mount a challenge.
In the run to the line, it was a horse I have barely mentioned in Ava that found the miracle gaps right through the back and burst into the lead right on the line. Creepy Runner Party was flying too and these two went head-to-head to the line with the tired but brave Blakeney in third. As usual at HRP it was a close finish with nothing being beaten more than a few lengths.
1st Ava Royalty Stables Buick W T 1:33.88
The Miss Grillo winner barely got a mention by the commentator as she sat behind midfield for a large majority of the race seemingly destined to be an also ran. But those who know the Buick AI also know that the flying late challenge in turf routes is a trademark, and they were sitting quietly waiting for the gaps to open down the stretch. It would have been a hard watch for the trainer but then the miracle happened, and the Red Sea parted allowing her to mount a sprint finish that was both impressive and breathtaking. She got home by a nose with a perfectly timed finish and the party began at Royalty Stables.
2nd Creepy Runner Party Mb Stables Franco M 1:33.90
It is a pretty common sight to see a wide runner go all the way back and then fly home but this one stayed at the back for so long that I thought it would never happen. Like the sprint winner though the jockey steered a wide path avoiding traffic problems and she flew down the short stretch looking like an unlucky fifth, the winner and then the unlucky runner up all in the space of a half-furlong. I thought she was going to collar the winner, but I wasn’t expecting Ava to come through the middle like she did and in the end, she went down by a nose after covering about ten yards further than the winner but running wide through the turn. This was a huge effort by a horse that looked to have little chance at the quarter pole.
3rd Blakeney Royalty Stables Davis D 1:33.95
What a brave effort and what a tactically perfect race by the stable mates. She went hard from the gate and looked to have a lead that was not going to go with a furlong to run but this race was almost a copy of the Turf Sprint, and she was running in quicksand in the last half furlong. In the end, she held on for third and will need a long rest after this gallant effort.
4th Ruths House TwinTowersRacing Geroux F 1:34.07
A brave effort by the filly that only qualified for this race two weeks ago and was coming off a quick turn round. In the firing line throughout I thought the fatigue of that recent race would show but, in the end, she never gave up fighting to end up fourth.
5th My Sharona Riggins Racing Lopez P 1:34.11
6th The Viper Crew Fractious Centeno D E 1:34.13
7th Klassy Kat Riggins Racing Hernandez R M 1:34.14
8th Not Yet Mb Stables Gutierrez Mario 1:34.30
9th Anybodys Authority Nakamura Stables Gallardo A A 1:34.33
10th Lucille D J C Racing Stables Velazquez J R 1:34.44
11th Katy Bo Mb Stables Prat F 1:34.60
12th Zion Believer La Canada Racehorses Bridgmohan S X 1:34.65
13th Houseofidentity Noblepark Baird E T 1:34.69
14th Puzzlement Maxmillion Farm Jimenez A 1:34.82
Categories: BC 2024, Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES, THE BREEDERS CUP
