Spinster – Grade I (P4) [BC]
KEE   Race #3   1 1/8m   Dirt   Graded Stake
Purse $500.000  For Fillies And Mares Three Years Old And Upward.

1  Whispering Nurse   D J C Racing Stables   Velazquez J R

This filly has carried on where she left off last season when she won the grade one cotillion , CCA Oaks and La Brea as well as only being beaten a whisker in the BC Distaff. This season she has added the grade one La Troienne and as well the Phipps Stakes to make 5 grade one victories in a career that is studded with great wins. The only warning shot came in her ast race when she took on three year olds for the first time this year and was soundly beaten into second by Jinxed Queen in the Personal Ensign. Sadly that is the tale with the younger versus the older generations at HRP  since faster development was introduced and she not only faces jinxed Queen again here but a host of other three year olds.
She is a hugely consistent filly with a hat full of class and could well win this but she isnt the certainty she might be if this race was run in real life.

2  Jinxed Queen    Gdp Inc                 Centeno D E

With eight wins from eleven starts this is a very good filly despite being advantaged with the three year old weight allowance. Her win from a  wide draw in the Personal Ensign from Whispering Nurse was a career high and probably one of the best female performances of the year so she deserves and will probably start favourite to repeat that win today. She started off the year with a  couple of low level wins in overnight company but since then has gone from strength to strength winning the Gazelle, Black Eyed Susan and the CCA Oaks on the way to her Personal Ensign win. She is a filly on the rise but is a little worse off at the weights with Whispering Nurse so may find things a little tougher than she did last time out.

3  Diminuendo    Blushing Meadows   Albarado R J

Bought in the Smokey Stover fire sale she has run great seconds in the grade one Alabama and Cotillion in her two starts for the new stable and is a top class filly. She was a length behind Jinxed Queen in the Gazelle and hasnt managed to win in 8 starts this year so whilst we know she has a great motor she may be a sufferer of Bridesmaid syndrome and may have to settle for minor honours again today.

4  Couldnt Tell    Mb Stables    Saez L

It seems even very average horses in the Mb Stable can run stakes winning work times and this on form atleast looks a very average filly. You would think a 1.36 and 3 working filly could do better than one win from six in pretty standard overnight races but she hasnt and that tends to worry me when looking for a reason she can win. Its true she hasnt had conditions to suit for some time so there may be something in that but despite being from a stable that churns out grade one winners i can’t see her beating the top three here.

5  Chase                 Smokey Stover    Bejarano R

There is some discrepancy between selling Dimenuendo for ten dollars and buying this filly for a thousand but Smokey Stover must’ve had a good reason. I have a feeling she is running out the season with a view to the breeding shed but after last weeks results you really cannot write off anything from this stable in form. Just above average as a three year old she wasn’t doing much this year until she exploded on the scene with a nose win in the grade one Beholder. Since being bought she has run fifth in the Hirsch and scraped home in allowance company so whilst she is clearly pretty good i do wonder whether she has the ability to match the top two in this race.

6  Attitude Issue    Mb Stables    Lopez P

Another fairly average filly from Mb Stables she too is working well enough to be in the mix but hasnt got the form on the board to bother these.

7  Night School    Maxmillion Farm    Gutierrez Mario

This filly is having a very good season running well in top three year old company and eventually breaking through at graded level last time out in the Groupie Doll. That was a very easy win in a fast time and she could be improving right at the best time of the year. I would certainly be keeping an eye on her but the wide gate may prove too tough for her to bother the better drawn favourites.

SUMMARY

This looks on paper to be between Whispering Nurse and Jinxed Queen and with both drawn well and a few pounds difference in their last run it could be a very close race. Diminuendo, Chase and Night School look destined to be battling for third.

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