Cotillion Stakes (Grade 1)- $1,000.000 Purse
PRX- For Three Year Olds
One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Dirt
September 22, 2018

The Cotillion is always a fascinating race in our virtual world. While most would anticipate seeing a few runners from this race end up in the BC Distaff, it often happens that about half the field in the BC Distaff ran in the Cotillion. Perhaps it is the nice purse, or the final chance to run against their own age group, but this race could also receive the nickname of the BC Distaff Preview. The winner of the race last year was Whispering Nurse, for D J C Racing Stables, and she went on to finish second in the BC Distaff. At first glance of the field, you don’t see anyone in here “taking a shot”, and there are not any up and comers. All nine of the fillies in this race have already arrived and are well known. The last race for everyone, except one, in this field was a Grade 1 race at Saratoga. Whether it be the Alabama, the Test, the CCA Oaks, or the Personal Ensign, these fillies are well accomplished. Don’t worry about the one who is not coming off a Grade 1 at the Spa, because she is only the reigning BC Juvenile Fillies champion, who also ran third in the KYO. You can try to pick a winner in here, but since real betting money isn’t involved, if you don’t have a rooting interest in this field, just sit back and enjoy the race. Here’s the field!

#1- La Terrifiant (Our Athletes, ridden by J R Velazquez)- This is the one who never made it to Saratoga this year, but she has been doing plenty in her career. As mentioned, she won the BC Juvenile Fillies last fall, so we know she can step it up when the lights shine the brightest. That was proven even more with her third place run in the KYO. After a midpack finish in the Acorn, she was scaled back in class just a little, and is coming off a win in the Grade 3 MTH Oaks. She returns to Grade 1 action here, and I don’t really think she ever missed a step. Perhaps she just did not like the outside post in the Acorn. She is certainly a threat in this race.

#2- Blue Jeans (First Class Stable, ridden by A A Gallardo)- Last month, her SAR race was the Alabama, though she was solidly beaten that day, placing fifth, but losing by six lengths in the slop. Before you say that maybe she just didn’t like the off track, she won the Grade 2 Black Eyed Susan, her career highlight to this point, also on a sloppy track. Blue Jeans only has two career wins in twelve career starts, but the trainer has never backed down from running her at this level, and as she is typically competitive, you can understand why that placement would continue to be made. A little more luck at the FG Oaks, or if you want to go further back, the Alcibiades last year, and she would have more impressive wins on her resume. She’ll have to run her best, but she is very much capable.

#3- Lake Wendigo (Night Rider Stables, ridden by Ro Maragh)- Impressed many last month by winning the Grade 1 Alabama at SAR by three lengths in the slop. Weather issues are not expected here on Saturday, but Lake Wendigo has been a star on dry tracks as well. In ten races, she has never failed to hit the board, and the includes finishing third in the Acorn, and placing second in the BEL Oaks on the grass. Has been even more competitive with the addition of a shadow roll, which is a more recent addition by the trainer, coming after the purchase from Barcelona Farms. Despite the winning effort by K Carmouche in the Alabama, the trainer puts his favorite jockey in the saddle once again.

#4- Enoughs Enough (Mb Stables, ridden by R Bejarano)- Instead of attempting the Alabama like several in here did, Mb Stables took on older horses as well in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign at the Spa. Making matters better was the presence of the great F Pennington aboard that day, but she was unable to be a factor and finished off the board. Enoughs Enough is a great filly, but she does have the head scratcher race from time to time where she just not seem to fire and lingers near the back. When she’s on, she’s very capable, as we saw in her victory in the Grade 1 Hirsch in late July. Getting a lot of early support right now in Smokey Stover’s survivor competition.

#5- Goosebumps (Smokey Stover, ridden by I Ortiz Jr)- Made her debut in the Smokey Stover silks last month in the Grade 1 Alabama, and it was a race to forget. Perhaps she just did not like the slop, but it was not the type of race the trainer had in mind when spending $400.000 on her in private sales. Goosebumps may be a case of someone who needs a fast track, because heading into the race, she was on great form, and had been very consistent. It should be dry here on Saturday, so she will be looking to redeem herself!

#6- Misty Firefox (Crocker Ggs, ridden by F Pennington)- The trainer summons the services of the great F Pennington to ride on the track where he is usually found. He’s yet to win this race in his career, and with Misty Firefox, he should have a great chance. Starting in February, the Nebulizer filly went on a five race winning streak that saw her win both the KYO and the WO Oaks. Of course, the KYO is the big one there, and it was part of a great weekend for Pennington when the jockey pulled off the double. That streak was snapped in her last start, the Grade 1 CCA Oaks at SAR, but there was nothing really wrong with her effort. Misty Firefox will certainly be at the BC Distaff, but first she can get some bragging rights on some of her top rivals here by winning the Cotillion.

#7- Eponine (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by C J Lanerie)- Got off to a great start for the trainer after she acquired her after one start, as she never failed to hit the board for D J C Racing Stables until her most recent start. That was a stretch that included second place finishes in the Grade 2 Mother Goose at BEL, as well as the $150.000 Fleet Treat for NY-breds. The last start saw her head to Saratoga and try the Grade 1 Alabama, and she ran fifth in the slop that day. Capable of having her day and getting the win here, but when comparing her resume to the rest of the field, she may have a little to prove in this race.

#8- Five Million (TwinTowersRacing, ridden by P Lopez)- As picks in the survivor competition get made, we are seeing Five Million get picked as the survivor by several. In such a strong field, this is a tough race to pick a survivor horse, and the giving of Five Million the nod there is probably more because she doesn’t have the experience at this level like the others do. However, she has done quite well with the trainer ever since he picked her up in the March auction for $15.030. Ran a decent fourth in the Grade 3 Lake George, then transitioned well to the main track for the Grade 1 Test, where she was third, but in a close photo with the winner. She’ll probably be a long shot, but she may be hitting her best form of her career right now.

#9- Diminuendo (Blushing Meadows, ridden by K J Desormeaux)- Covered this horse quite a bit in the KYO, and it always seemed as though she would be content with running with the frontrunners, but lacked a little bit of stretch desire to win a big race. She is still looking for her first win since taking the Grade 3 Tempted in November of last year. Blushing Meadows picked her up in the Smokey Stover downsizing effort, and she made her debut in her new silks by finishing second in the sloppy Grade 1 Alabama. Will Blushing Meadows be able to put her over the top, because the potential has always seemed to be there.

Prediction: 6-4-3-1

— NS

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES