BC Juvenile Fillies Turf – Grade I
DMR Race #10 1m Turf Graded Stake
Purse $1,000.000 For Fillies Two Years Old.
This race has been on the BC card since 2008, and that first running was won by Faithful Pet from Diablo Diablo. Since then, three trainers have managed more than one win, Diablo Diablo managed another 11 years later, and Ken Allen and Mb Stables have managed two apiece as well.
Compared to the male version the female winners have generally been more successful with last year’s winner Let Me Explain being a prime example. The race record is held by Childe Of Nature from Night Rider Stable with a 1.33.15 at the KEE track but the two runs from this track were pretty fast too and it will take a filly with speed and stamina to win this race. The two winners from this track have been drawn low and both were within a couple of lengths of the leaders at the first call which further supports the theory that they need early speed as well at stamina for the end.
The oldest surviving winner of the race is Princess Elektra who won this race for Kopites in 2011. She was bought for $700.000 after the win but only raced once more before being retired to the paddocks, her last foal was born in 2021 but she remains at the Barcelona Farm after a none too successful time at stud.
Here is how they line up:
1 The Viper Crew Fractious Centeno D E 122 —
15.2hh by The Godfather out of Acapulco World
Owned by Fractious bred by Arkansas Elite
Form: 0311
WR 102
Went to the last chance saloon and came away with the money in the Surfer Girl making her a late entry into this race. After doing no better than third for Arkansas Elite she was sold to Fractious for $150.000 and hasn’t looked back taking her maiden on her first run over ground and on this surface and then running the perfect race to take the Surfer Girl by a half-length. I like her running style for a race like this as it will be important to cover bases, and she seems a naturally happy stalking type, so the ace gate is perfect. Her works are solid enough and if anyone is going to win BC races this year it will be Fractious
2 Anybodys Authority Nakamura Stables Gallardo A A 122 —
15.3hh by Anybody Home out of Babes Authority
Owned and bred by Nakamura Stables
Form: 14010
WR 101
Took the OT Juvenile Turf on this track with an improved effort as she went up in trip and changed surfaces. She earned a crack at the Jessamine with that good win but got back from the rail draw and found some traffic in making her late run. In the end she was fifth but running on well and only two lengths behind so like a few here she wouldn’t have to improve much to be right in this. Her works are nice and with the perfect gate she should be able to lay up in a good spot and would be a great chance for the stable to kick off their BC weekend.
3 Katy Bo Mb Stables Prat F 122 —
15.2hh by Bo Judge out of Katy McLintock
Owned by Mb Stables bred by Bayou Star Farm
Form: 22412
WR 101
Another that has had her running style tweaked she is proven on pace or as a closer and I think that is a real plus in a race like this where they have to adapt quickly. On speed to break her maiden in her first start over a longer trip she then went way back in the Jessamine only to fly home late to be second beaten less than a length. Whether that change in tactics was down to the race engine, the trainers click of the gaming buttons or the fact that the Buick AI only knows one way to ride we won’t know but what it did display is the fact that she can run from anywhere and trust me that is important in a 14-runner field where anything can happen. I like the fact she is having her sixth start as it does seem that experience means a lot this year with our two-year-olds and this may be the stables best chance to win.
4 Ruths House TwinTowersRacing Geroux F 122 —
15.2hh by Bronx Bomber out of Therapy
Owned and bred by TwinTowersRacing
Form: 00141
WR N/A
Got into this field very late by making all to win The Flower and now has just two weeks rest to this huge race. Whilst her late entry may seem to make her a bit of an outsider, she had come off of an excellent run in the Natalma where she tried to make all before finishing a close fourth so she certainly isn’t the worst here and may just be upset material. The question here is not her ability, she has a great draw and a trainer that knows the ropes, the question is the two weeks rest.
5 Klassy Kat Riggins Racing Hernandez R M 122 —
15.2hh by Declassified out of Sheza Kat
Owned by Riggins Racing, bred by Wood Duck Stables
Form 421103
WR 101
She won a little maiden at FE but looked a much better horse than that when upped in trip to take an ELP allowance prompting her trainer to look to bigger and better things. She went to the Natalma and stalked the pace but just whacked away for fifth but only a length off the winner, that was a fairly good effort in her first black type run so she was given a chance again in the Jessamine last time where she was ridden with more restraint and finished with a bit more gusto into third. Both times in those form races for this she has been a length off the winner so has just a little to find but it really wouldn’t take much to see her in the finish.
6 Ava Royalty Stables Buick W T 122 —
16hh by Valvano out of Commanding attention
Owned and bred by Royalty Stables
Form 011
WR 104
Looked fair on debut when running fifth but then went up to the mile and onto the turf track to show what she was really made of sauntering home a mile clear in a maiden on this track. The ease of that win should have made her a much better chance in the Miss Grillo than a 13/1 shot and whilst it was certainly not as easy, she still won with a bit in hand coming home just under a length in front. I think we can safely say she won’t be overlooked again and looks a real chance here to get the trainers season back on track. She is one of the few I have seen that has been ridden by Buick that went up on the pace early and she runs from a similar draw today and there is no reason she can’t do it again.
7 Puzzlement Maxmillion Farm Jimenez A 122 —
16 hh by I Want More out of Super Act
Owned by Maxmillion Farm and bred by Team 7 Illusions
Form: 21202
WR 102
Went from dirt sprinting to the Natalma with a terrible draw and a big starting price but between her failure in the Sorrento Stakes and her run in the Natalma the trainer introduced bute and a shadow roll and she ran a career best race keeping on really gamely to be beaten just a half-length by Creepy Runner Party. She had to work hard to get her position in that race and still had enough to run on really strongly suggesting that her future may well lay in turf routes. This isn’t the first horse that the Turf King has taken from zero to hero by changing from dirt to turf and there is part of me that wonders why I would go for anything else. Bought from the Fractious fire sale for $31.010 she would be a great buy if she won today.
8 Blakeney Royalty Stables Davis D 122 —
15.3hh, by Hide And Seek out of Meimadeline
Owned and bred by Royalty Stables
Form: 40142
WR 101
Took a maiden claimer at SAR with a good display of front running over a shorter trip but then got a little lost in the Johnson ending up fourth but not really in contention for the win. Ridden closer to the speed she went well in the Surfer Girl last time going down by a half-length, but it has to be said that the mile seemed to stretch her stamina a little. Having said that the winner of the Surfer Girl will be well fancied in this and she was pretty close to her in the run for the line so you would have to say she has her chances with a jockey that knows her well.
9 Not Yet Mb Stables Gutierrez Mario 122 —
15.1hh, by Vitamin Sea out of Notorious Fashion
Owned by Mb Stables and bred by Spinetingling
Form: 3120
WR 101
Won her maiden very nicely at ELP over a mile and sixteenth and then had to contend with a horrible car park draw in the KD Juvenile. She used the wide gate speed push very nicely that day and pushed out to a good lead at one point before tiring up in the last furlong and just getting beaten. That was a huge effort, and it made her favorite to win the Surfer Girl last time, but she was a little disappointing without the wide gate to help her lead and in the end just kept on at the one pace under the whip. On her KD Juvenile run she would definitely be in this, but I was a little disappointed with her next effort and she may find her stable mates a little stronger in this.
10 My Sharona Riggins Racing Lopez P 122 —
15.3hh by Orage Eclipse out of Afraid To Say
Owned and bred by Riggins Racing
Form 022
WR 102
Still a maiden and I can’t remember if a maiden has ever won a BC race but considering her last two starts, she won’t be found wanting at this level. Second in the Catch A Glimpse Stakes she then went up to the mile and ran a cracker to be second in the Miss Grillo running on really well at the end of that race so has every right not to only be in this field but stand a real chance of winning.
11 Lucille D J C Racing Stables Velazquez J R 122 —
15.3hh by Liberty Valance out of Wow
Owned and bred by D J C Racing Stables
Form 022111
WR 105
Another that didn’t come out firing it took her four attempts to break her maiden, but she did it so impressively that we knew she had turned a corner. The key for her was stepping up in trip and not only did she do that, but she changed surfaces too and her last two wins put her firmly on top of the pile for this race. She took the KD Juvenile fillies with a strong late run and then followed that up less than a month later with an even more impressive win in the Jessamine. She has a great attitude, and I like them when they build their form like this one has as she looks to make it four wins in a row.
12 Zion Believer La Canada Racehorses Bridgmohan S X 122 —
16hh by Zionist out of Best You Believe
Owned and bred by La Canada Racehorses
Form: 01013
WR 102
Her form looks a bit hit or miss on paper but looking at her two runs over ground and on this surface, I think it would be unfair to call her inconsistent. A nice winner of The Johnson she then ran up with them in the Miss Grillo keeping on pretty gamely to get third just a length off the winner. I like the fact that she looks pretty pliable when it comes to position in transit and feel that will be an advantage in a race where front runners will be going fast, and closers will be going a long way back.
13 Creepy Runner Party Mb Stables Franco M 122 —
15.2hh by Creepy Palace out of Wave Runner
Owned by Mb Stables and bred by Martyparty
Form: 43111
WR 106
Took a bit to get going but hasn’t looked back since winning her maiden at the third attempt. That was her first try on the turf and she confirmed her liking for the surface by following that win in a sprint maiden with a win in the Bolton Landing. Outpaced early in the Bolton Landing she ran on strongly at the end suggesting she was looking for more ground and that certainly looked the case when she won the Natalma last time out. Able to find a nice mid-pack position she ran on really nicely to win by a half-length and put herself firmly among the favorites for this race. The draw will make it tough for her to follow a similar path but if anyone can find a run for her it is Mb Stables.
14 Houseofidentity Noblepark Baird E T 122 —
15.1hh by Houseoffun out of Rename 1493
Owned and bred by Noblepark
Form: 11230
WR 102
Won her first two races on the main track and then ran a cracker in the Sorrento Stakes to run second coming form well off the pace. It was clear then that she was going to improve over ground, but she not only went up in trip but changed to turf in her next start in the Natalama Stakes. Again, going too far back she flew home to be third beaten under a length and went into a few black books as the fastest finisher that day. She again went too far back in the Jessamine last time and once again flew home but this time couldn’t make the frame and ended up sixth. On visual form she looks like a horse that needs every yard of today’s trip and maybe a bit more, but I have often found that sprinters go too far back when upped in trip and run home like Pegasus the further they go. The fact that she could stay closer in sprints but seems outpaced in routes adds fire to my theory and whilst she could still run the second half of the race and win, I would need to see her running the whole trip before I put my Disney Dollars on her.
15 Classy Belle Allinthegate – Also Eligible – 122 —
15.3 hh by Conquest out of Spin Class
Owned and bred by Allinthegate
Form: 00013
WR 100
Unlucky not to make the field she was a very good third in the Surfer Girl and if something did come out, she would have to be considered a chance.
16 Bilas Royalty Stables – Also Eligible – 122 —
16hh by Hide And Seek out of Forbidden Blush
Owned and bred by Royalty Stables
Form: 102
WR 101
A fair sort who probably won’t get a slot but if she does, she ran well enough in the OT Juvenile to give her a shot.
17 Vie Sure Our Athletes – Also Eligible – 122 —
15.3hh by Safecracker out of Sweets
Owned and bred by Our Athletes
Form: 1210
WR 100
Decent in overnights a little disappointing when upped in grade, doubtful she will run but if she does, she will be up against it
SUMMARY
As tough as all the others it is hard to settle on one, but I am drawn to Katy Bo as an improver that has a nice draw and could be at good odds. The Viper Crew has a great draw and could well be in the top four along with Ava and Lucille who would be my favorite with a slightly better draw. Good Luck to everyone!
Categories: BC 2024, Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES, THE BREEDERS CUP
