How to bet the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint

An excellent field of nine fillies and mares will contest Saturday’s $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) at Santa Anita. The seven-furlong dash is the first of the ‘Cup races on Saturday, and it kicks off an early Pick 4 which could be a lucrative sequence.

Filly & Mare Sprint Analysis

There is a plethora of speed in the field and the start will be vital for many signed on. #1 Covfefe (2-1) is brilliant and might have to be sent from the break. #2 Danuska’s My Girl (20-1) has plenty of early foot directly to her outside, as does #7 Selcourt (10-1) for John Sadler.

The latter, who led this race to the top of the lane before stopping at Churchill Downs in 2018, is winless in 2019 but her form is going in the right direction. I expect her to duel for the lead, or potentially clear her foes, on her favorite surface.

Grade 1 queen #4 Come Dancing (5-2) will be in the next flight with two-time Grade 1 heroine #9 Spiced Perfection (4-1). #5 Lady Ninja (10-1) and #8 Dawn The Destroyer (12-1) will trail.

Filly & Mare Sprint Wagers:

• $20 Win #4 Come Dancing = $20
• $10 Exacta Box 4-7 = $20
• $2 Trifecta Key 4 with 5,7,8,9 = $24

Here is the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint field and morning line odds:

#1 COVFFE (2-1) -- Sensational sophomore has run some of the better races in this division for Brad Cox. Into Mischief filly is two-for-two at the seven-furlong distance, but she draws inside and faces a real test in with her elders today. Kentucky-bred could be the one to catch and beat is she catches a flyer out of the gate under Rosario.

#2 DANUSKA’S MY GIRL (20-1) -- Fleet five-year-old comes off a subpar showing at Keeneland, but she is a three-time winner on the oval and brings pace to the field. Dan Ward charge is a question mark getting seven panels with pressure and will need a lifetime best to topple a fine field.

#3 HEAVENHASMYNIKKI (20-1) -- Grade 3 heroine has been in fine form since coming to the barn of Bob Hess and enters on a three-race win streak. Majestic Warrior filly is another with a huge amount of early foot, though she did rate early last time and might have to do the same on Saturday to be around late.

#4 COME DANCING (5-2) -- Classy Carlos Martin trainee dons a 5-4-1-0 mark in 2019 headlined by an easy score in the Ballerina (G1) at Saratoga. The peaking five-year-old is the current leader in the division and a win on Saturday could earn her an Eclipse Award. Daughter of Malibu Moon will sit in behind dueling leaders and run at them in the stretch with Castellano in the silks.

#5 LADY NINJA (10-1) -- Baltas pupil earned her sixth local win in advance of the Filly and Mare Sprint with a game score in the L. A. Woman (G3) last time out. Former claimer drilled a bullet leading up to this affair and could get a share with improvement beneath Drayden Van Dyke.

#6 BELLAFINA (6-1) -- Three-time Grade 1 vixen gets back on her home surface where she dons a four-for-four lifetime mark. Simon Callaghan trainee has failed to hit the board in three races in succession, however, and she will need a big turnaround to challenge late against this group.

#7 SELCOURT (10-1) -- Dangerous speedster ran a trio of monstrous races on this oval in 2018 but has yet to regain that form this season. Tiz Wonderful mare has shown improvement most recently, and she comes in with a swift five-furlong bullet on the oval last week. Luis Saez picks up the amount on the potential value play.

#8 DAWN THE DESTROYER (12-1) -- One-run closer from the McLaughlin barn has hit the board in three graded stakes races in succession in preparation of her toughest test. Speightstown five-year-old is winless since January, but she continues to move forward and will be dangerous if the pace falls apart late. Kentucky-bred will arrive on the scene in the final furlong under Tyler Gaffalione.

#9 SPICED PERFECTION (4-1) -- Cal-bred filly is a dual Grade 1 heroine who was impressive in taking the La Brea (G1) on this surface in December. Four-year-old has gotten better since arriving in the Peter Miller barn, and she comes in relatively fresh today. Daughter of Smiling Tiger will be in the running late with a top performance. John Velazquez inherits the ride.

Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Entries