Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf

The Juvenile Fillies Turf is a chance for two-year-old fillies to flaunt their talent on the turf course. Last year, we saw More Than Real defeat Winter Memories, the latter of which has become one of the top turf females in the nation. Who will win this year? Here are my top four picks for the Juvenile Fillies Turf:

1. Elusive Kate: She could be described as a Kentucky-bred European. By Elusive Quality and out of a Lemon Drop Kid mare, Elusive Kate has won four of her five starts, all of which have come in Europe. The filly won the Total Prix Marcel Boussac (Fr-GI) on October 2 by three lengths on the front end. Trained by John Gosden, the American-bred European looks to win the Juvenile Fillies Turf in the state in which she was bred and born.

2. Somali Lemonade: Union Rags isn’t the only Michael Matz-trained two-year-old that will have the attention of many. A bay filly by Lemon Drop Kid, Somali Lemonade won her debut in a seven furlong turf race at Belmont Park, in which she closed late and crossed the wire in front by nearly two lengths. She put on a very similar performance in the JPMorgan Chase Jessamine Stakes (GIII) at Keeneland on October 13. Michael Matz just might have a big, successful Breeders’ Cup weekend.

3. Northern Passion: This daughter of First Samurai has two wins in three starts. Her only loss came in the Ontario Debutante Stakes, in which she just missed by a half-length in a game effort. She’s only raced on the turf once, which was in her last start: a victory over highly-touted Dayatthespa in the Natalma Stakes (GIII). This filly has a lot of heart, which is a very important quality.

4. Pure Gossip: She may be outclassed in this race, but then again, she may not be. She broke her maiden at 34-1 on the dirt at Saratoga before finishing a decent fourth in the Anne M. Clare Stakes, also on the dirt at Saratoga. Her third start came on the soft turf course at Belmont Park, in which she was victorious by 6 ½ lengths at 23-1. It could have been the soggy going that caused her to have such a dominate victory, but her sire Pure Prize has sired talented turf horses such as Pure Clan and Birdbirdistheword, as has her grandsire, Dixieland Band. Considering I’ve been following her since her maiden win, I will be rooting for her. Check out the Juvenile Spotlight I wrote about her at:  http://pastthegrandstand.blogspot.com/2011/10/juvenile-spotlight-pure-gossip.html

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