It’s called the Breeder’s Cup, so let’s take a minute to talk about breeding. Five of the fillies entered in this contest are by freshman sires, and four of them are ranked in the top 10 Freshman Sires, including Winter Warrior (Tightness). Commanding (Feel The Thunder), General Motors (General Belle) and Nebraska II (Romantic Nebraska) are ranked in the top 100 Second Year Sires, with Commanding at #1 on that list.
Six of these ladies met in the Natalma (G1), a race won by Cinis, a newcomer with only three starts in her career. Three of the last four to win the Juvenile Fillies Turf came out of the Natalma.
The stakes record, 1:33.15 was set last year by Childe Of Nature. The top 3 finishers in the Natalma (Cinis, She Needsa Brazilian, and K T D) went a mile in times within .5 seconds of that mark. Feel The Thunder did so in winning the Surfer Girl Stakes, as did Darkest Days in the La Senorita Stakes.
As for the breeder part of the BC, every one of these fillies is breeder owned. When you’ve got something special, you hold on to it.
What does all this mean? It means the gate will be filled with a very talented group of fillies. Who will win? The smart money is on Cinis or General Belle, but I wouldn’t overlook She Needs a Brazilian or Snappy Ruler. For a longshot, how about Cobra Deth.
Here’s the field:
1 She Needsa Brazilian
Owner/Breeder: Hawaiian Shirt Guy
Jockey: Moran D
Sire: Condottieri #68
Dam: Brazilian (Bad Monicker)
Switched to turf three starts back and hasn’t finished worse than second since. Last out, she finished second in the Natalma (G1) behind Cinis. That was her longest race so far and her first start in graded company. She handled both well, scoring a 93 SRF. Moran D guided her to a second place finish in the Natalma and gets the call today.
She Needsa Brazilian is by Condottieri (#68 overall in sire earnings) out of Brazilian by Bad Monicker, a top 100 broodmare sire.
2 Romantic Nebraska
Owner/Breeder: Drabfantasy
Jockey: Bejarano R
Sire: Nebraska II
Dam: Easy Fire Romantic (Easy Fire Again)
Fifth in the Natalma (G1) last out, her only graded start and the only time she stretched as far as a mile. The distance is a question.
Drabfantasy is the only owner in the field with a BC Juvenile Fillies Turf win. Ranked #20 overall and #7 this year in breeder earnings.
3 Cobra Deth
Owner: Aer Stables
Jockey: Ortiz I Jr
Sire: King Cobra
Dam: Aldieth (On Holiday)
Won the $100.000 Johnson at SAR {under Ortiz I Jr who rides again here}, just nipping Bottom Line at the wire, and followed that up with an Optional Claimer at SA which she also won. In fact, her only loss came in her first start, a sprint on dirt
Aer Stables is ranked #24 in earnings for 2016.
Cobra Deth is by King Cobra (#7 Freshman Sire).
4 Bottom Line
Owner/Breeder: Night Mare Racing
Jockey: Rosario J
Sire: Copper Bottom
Dam: Blurred Lines (Paymaster)
Third in the Ms Grillo (G3) behind General Belle and Tightness in her only graded start. Regular jockey Rosario J answers the call again.
Her sire, Copper Bottom is ranked in the top 100 sires and is by Laffin Policeman, ranked #23.
Breeder Night Mare Racing is ranked #5 in overall breeder earnings and #3 this year.
5 Cinis
Owner/Breeder M b o Racing Stable
Jockey: Saez L
Sire: Ashkalani
Dam: Fade To Black (Charley Farley)
Just three starts for this filly, but one of those was a win in the Natalma (G1), earning her a place in the starting gate and making her the points leader in her class. Saez L has ridden in all three of her starts so far, and this will make it four.
By #8 ranked Freshman Sire, Ashkalani, out of Fade To Black by the #1 broodmare sire, Charley Farley.
6 Feel The Thunder
Owner/Breeder: Mb Stables
Jockey: Smith M E
Sire: Commanding
Dam: Thunderport (Port Of Arthur)
Not yet tested in graded company, but won the $100.000 Surfer Girl Stakes over Dragonville II. Her 93 SRF is more than respectable. Smith M E rode her to that wire-to-wire victory in the Surfer Girl and he’ll try to do the same thing today.
Her sire, Commanding, is the #1 Freshman Sire. Her bloodline includes Red Rioja and Jolly Be Great.
7 Darkest Days
Owner/Breeder: Mb Stables
Jockey: Leparoux
Sire: Commanding
Dam: Southern Charmer (Jolly Be Great)
Another Commanding filly with Red Rioja and Jolly Be Great bloodlines, Darkest Days also has just three starts. She won the $75.000 La Senorita Stakes last out, but this is her first graded start.
Her dam, Southern Charmer is by Jolly Be Great, the #9 ranked broodmare sire.
Mb Stables is the #1 leading breeder for the fourth year.
8 General Belle
Owner/Breeder: Mb Stables
Jockey: Velazquez J R
Sire: General Motors
Dam: Sabres Belle (Bronze Sabre)
Another Mb Stables entrant. Won the Ms Grillo (G3) to secure her start in this company. That was her third try at graded level. But that was on dirt. She is one for one on turf. Jockey Velazquez J R, who rode her to victory in the Ms Grillo, will try to make it two for two.
General Motors by General Assembly is a top ranked freshman sire.
9 Tightness
Owner/Breeder: EasyMoney Stables
Jockey: Court J K
Sire: Winter Warrior
Dam: Tight Pockets (Eastern Precedent)
#2 Freshman Sire, Winter Warrior, is represented by his daughter, Tightness. Has a maiden and allowance win to her credit, as well as a second place finish in the Ms Grillo.
EasyMoney is ranked #29 in earnings for 2016.
10 Snappy Ruler
Owner/Breeder: D J C Racing Stables
Jockey: Albarado R J
Sire: Risen Ruler
Dam: Ydontuworkdaddy (Big Delinquent)
Won the win-and-you’re in Jessamine (G3) last out. Before that, she finished fourth in the Natalma (G1). She gets a second chance against five Natalma entrants in that race here. It remains to be seen if she is up to the task.
By Risen Ruler, a top 100 sire, out of Ydontuworkdaddy by Big Delinquent (#37 broodmare sire).
Breeder D J C Racing Stables is #18 in career earnings and #4 in 2016.
11 Dragonville II
Owner/Breeder: Drabfantasy
Jockey: Baird E T
Sire: Champsville
Dam: Keltic Dragon (Swarlos)
Another Drabfantasy entrant. No graded starts for this girl, but she has a first, a second and a third in ungraded company, including a win in the $75.000 Happy Ticket.
12 Ariadne
Owner/Breeder: Barcelona Farms
Jockey: Wilson E J
Sire: Zlaudius
Dam: Ardent Princess (Rockefella)
Coming in off back-to-back wins in ungraded company, but the $100.000 OT Juvenile Fillies was her last start and the only time she’s gone as far as a mile on turf. SRF figures aren’t as strong as others in the field.
Sire Zlaudius is the #6 Freshman Sire.
Barcelona Farms is #5 in earnings for 2016 and #3 overall.
13 K T D
Owner/Breeder: Aer Stables
Jockey: Pennington F
Sire: K T
Dam: Desdemona (Pure Steel)
Just a maiden win for this filly, but she finished second in the $100.000 Bolton Landing and third in the Natalma (G3).
By top 100 freshman sire, K T, out of Desdemona by top 100 Broodmare Sire, Pure Steel.
14 Free Loading
Owner/Breeder: Pumpkin Racing
Jockey: Bridgmohan S X
Sire: Meals On Wheels
Dam: Richmond Queen (Richmond Royalty)
Won the $100.000 Bolton Landing three starts back, but finished ninth in the Natalma (G1) at a mile next out. Her last start was in allowance company going seven furlongs. She finished second there and scored a 92 SRF. With Velasquez J R opting for the mount on General Belle, Bridgmohan S X gets the call here.
Sire Meals On Wheels is the #40 to sire by earnings.
Pumpkin Racing is #11 in earnings for 2016.
Categories: BC 2015-17
