Starlet (Grade 1) (KYO)- $300.000 Purse
LA- For Fillies Two Years Old
One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Dirt
December 7, 2019
This Saturday, we get to see the undefeated Relax look to extend her winning streak to seven in the 17th running of the Grade 1 Starlet. KYO points are also on the line here, in addition to the $300.000 Purse. This has been a good race for Relax’s trainer, Mb Stables, who has won three of the last four races. However, he did not win last year’s race, as it was taken by Southern Two Step, from The Sidley Stud. At the time, it was her fifth win out of six starts. She has not won since. Relax sees three others here that she also in the BC Juvenile Fillies, and two of them also took part of the purse. In the races I have covered since the BC this year where a BC runner ran, the followup race has been a major disappointment for that runner. Will that hold true, or will Relax stay perfect? Let’s meet her and those looking to bring her down!
#1- Relax (Mb Stables, ridden by P Lopez)- We are able to get right to our headliner, as Relax draws the rail for the race. Right now, she has had a perfect career, going six for six and winning the BC Juvenile Fillies in the process. Her last three wins have been Grade 1’s, and based on form, it would be foolish to bet against her here. Will she suffer the post-BC blues for her follow up race? While she is the best in the field on paper, just the slightest bit of struggle could open up the door for The Belle Tolls, a horse I really like, and Mad Mistress. Though, they too ran in the BC.
#2- Mad Mistress (Jokerjoes, ridden by R Santana Jr)- Late in the BC Juvenile Fillies, Mad Mistress came from off the pace, passing all but two en route to finishing third in that race. She won’t have to pass as many this time, and has shown improvement since winning the Grade 3 Mazarine BC Stakes at WO. It took a little while before she started facing the best, so she is not as well known of a commodity yet, but a win here certainly changes that. Overall, she has won three of five.
#3- Chance Of A Lifetime (Fractious, ridden by J Talamo)- While the two starting to her inside ran in the BC Juvenile Fillies, Chance Of A Lifetime ran that same day on the undercard in the Golden State Juvenile Fillies. I’d love to say that she won the race, or at least cashed a check, but she could only finish seventh in that race. She will have to show some improvement from that to have a chance here, but it looks like that might be happening based on her works!
#4- Sunlite (Rampage Stable, ridden by J Rosario)- If you want to say forget you to all of those who ran in the BC, thinking that they will have a hard time following up that race, then Sunlite is your horse. She’s won two of her last three, and it seems like she has been waiting for these races to get longer. Her last race was not a win, running third at AQU on what was also BC day, in the Grade 3 Tempted. This is still a step up, but I think she’s ready to run a big one.
#5- Rebel Genie (Tiratzo, ridden by J J Hernandez)- This one is just getting her career rolling, with only two starts to her credit. Her last race was where she broke her maiden, coming at FL six weeks ago. This is quite a step forward, but she did work very well at PRX recently, with a time no different then what the should-be favorites are working. Based on that, she should have a bright future, but this might be a learning curve race for this level, first.
#6- The Belle Tolls (Allinthegate, ridden by Mar Garcia)- I continue to love this horse and think she is going to do some great things as a three year old. She was successful in her first four races, winning all of them, and that included winning both the Schuylerville and the Spinaway at SAR over the summer. She went into the BC Juvenile Fillies off of the Spinaway win and saw Relax for the first time. Unfortunately for the trainer, she didn’t see her at the finish line, as she was fourth, and two lengths out. This rematch will be exciting, and if you think Relax is due to at least finish second, then go with The Belle Tolls.
#7- Lil Baby Bomber (Aer Stables, ridden by E J Wilson)- She set the pace in the BC Juvenile Fillies, and held her own for a while, before fading to the middle of the field in a seventh place finish, though was only half a length from fourth. In her previous race, she can from well off the pace to get up for third in the Grade 1 Frizette. So, who knows which tactic the trainer will choose here, but regardless of that Lil Baby Bomber figures to be in the mix here.
Prediction: 1-6-2-7
— NS
Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES
