Breeders' Cup Preview: Filly & Mare Sprint and Turf Sprint - October 31, 2013
Up next on our Breeders' Cup Preview are the Filly & Mare Sprint and the Turf Sprint, the final two legs of the pick-4 that starts with the Juvenile Fillies. Up first, the Filly and Mare Sprint, which features last year's race winner, Groupie Doll
Groupie Doll comes into this year's race off a similar schedule to last year, but with different results. In 2011 the Bowman's Band mare on the Masters and TCA Stakes en route to a dominant four and one-half length victory in the Filly & Mare Sprint. This year; however, has been a different story. She started her year off with a dull third in the Gardenia at Ellis Park then won the Masters before finishing third in the TCA. She will need to improve off of that race as there are some top fillies and mares entered for Saturday's race.
After the favorite there are six horses between 5-1 and 8-1 on the morning line with Dance to Bristol checking in at 5-1. Dance to Bristol has had a great 2013 with seven win and two seconds in nine starts. She won a Grade 3 at Belmont Park and pair of graded stakes at Belmont including the Grade 1 Ballerina. She then finished second to a top sprinter in the Gallant Bloom at Belmont in September and should get a great trip from post eight. She may be the biggest danger to Groupie Doll.
Others in single digits are Book Review, second in the Ballerina, Dance Card, third in the Gallant Bloom, Teddy's Promise, winner of the LA Woman over the track this month, Judy the Beauty, winner of the TCA Stakes this year, and Sweet Lulu, second to Distaff contender Close Hatches in the Cotillion at Parx. Sweet Lulu won the Grade 1 Test at seven furlongs at Saratoga in August and if good enough, will contend. The trend she has to buck; however, is that the last five winners prepped on a synthetic surface with only Judy the Beauty, Groupie Doll and live long shot Summer Applause coming out of races at Keeneland.
Next up may be one of the best races on the day, not because there is a horse of the year in the field, but because it's on the downhill turf course. Last year's Turf Sprint winner, Mizdirection, is back to defend her title.
Mizdirection has not run since finishing fifth in the Just A Game on Belmont Stakes day in June, but she won the race last year off a similar layoff and has been working very fast in the mornings. She drew well in post 12 and is the one to beat against the boys.
A key handicapping angle for this race is previous experience over the course and there are five horses that come out of the Grade 3 Eddie D. Stakes down the hill in September. The first seven place finishers were only separated by two and one-half lengths. Coming out of that race are Chips All In, first, Boat Trip, second, Unbridled's Note, third, Caracortado, fourth, and Rock Me Baby, seventh. A case can be made for all of them and are worth including on pick-3 and pick-4 tickets.
The other contenders in the field are Reneesgotzip, another filly facing the boys and will be out winging on or near the lead, Capo Bastone, making his first start on turf and reportedly loving it in the mornings, and Havelock, winner of the Grade 3 Woodford at Keeneland in his last start.
It's not an easy way to end the pick-4, but with some prices through the four races, it should pay very well.
Post time for the Filly and Mare Sprint is 4:21 pm ET with the Turf Sprint off at 5:05. Tomorrow we look at the Juvenile in our blog and the four races that make up the final pick-4 ending with the Classic in the Player's Edge.
Groupie Doll comes into this year's race off a similar schedule to last year, but with different results. In 2011 the Bowman's Band mare on the Masters and TCA Stakes en route to a dominant four and one-half length victory in the Filly & Mare Sprint. This year; however, has been a different story. She started her year off with a dull third in the Gardenia at Ellis Park then won the Masters before finishing third in the TCA. She will need to improve off of that race as there are some top fillies and mares entered for Saturday's race.
After the favorite there are six horses between 5-1 and 8-1 on the morning line with Dance to Bristol checking in at 5-1. Dance to Bristol has had a great 2013 with seven win and two seconds in nine starts. She won a Grade 3 at Belmont Park and pair of graded stakes at Belmont including the Grade 1 Ballerina. She then finished second to a top sprinter in the Gallant Bloom at Belmont in September and should get a great trip from post eight. She may be the biggest danger to Groupie Doll.
Others in single digits are Book Review, second in the Ballerina, Dance Card, third in the Gallant Bloom, Teddy's Promise, winner of the LA Woman over the track this month, Judy the Beauty, winner of the TCA Stakes this year, and Sweet Lulu, second to Distaff contender Close Hatches in the Cotillion at Parx. Sweet Lulu won the Grade 1 Test at seven furlongs at Saratoga in August and if good enough, will contend. The trend she has to buck; however, is that the last five winners prepped on a synthetic surface with only Judy the Beauty, Groupie Doll and live long shot Summer Applause coming out of races at Keeneland.
Next up may be one of the best races on the day, not because there is a horse of the year in the field, but because it's on the downhill turf course. Last year's Turf Sprint winner, Mizdirection, is back to defend her title.
Mizdirection has not run since finishing fifth in the Just A Game on Belmont Stakes day in June, but she won the race last year off a similar layoff and has been working very fast in the mornings. She drew well in post 12 and is the one to beat against the boys.
A key handicapping angle for this race is previous experience over the course and there are five horses that come out of the Grade 3 Eddie D. Stakes down the hill in September. The first seven place finishers were only separated by two and one-half lengths. Coming out of that race are Chips All In, first, Boat Trip, second, Unbridled's Note, third, Caracortado, fourth, and Rock Me Baby, seventh. A case can be made for all of them and are worth including on pick-3 and pick-4 tickets.
The other contenders in the field are Reneesgotzip, another filly facing the boys and will be out winging on or near the lead, Capo Bastone, making his first start on turf and reportedly loving it in the mornings, and Havelock, winner of the Grade 3 Woodford at Keeneland in his last start.
It's not an easy way to end the pick-4, but with some prices through the four races, it should pay very well.
Post time for the Filly and Mare Sprint is 4:21 pm ET with the Turf Sprint off at 5:05. Tomorrow we look at the Juvenile in our blog and the four races that make up the final pick-4 ending with the Classic in the Player's Edge.