Breeders' Cup Flashback: Dreaming of Anna

By Mary Cage

Racing fans love stories that tug on the heartstrings, especially when those stories are coupled with a gritty, yet dainty and appealing athlete. Make that athlete a horse that can overcome obstacles and make its connections’ dreams come true and you have a story that will leave fans captivated. But the best part is when one of these stories is true, and Dreaming of Anna’s story is.

Dreaming of Anna was destined for success and this was clear even as a foal. A fierce little chestnut, Dreaming of Anna’s bloodlines – by successful sire Rahy and out of a multiple stakes-winning mare – hinted that she would be something special. A homebred for Frank Calebrese, this precocious filly was named after Calebrese’s deceased sister, Anna Anderson.

She immediately lived up to expectations. Debuting at her connections’ home track, Arlington Park, Dreaming of Anna led from start to finish in a four and one-half furlong maiden special weight over the dirt surface, finishing four lengths clear of her competitors. Bred for turf – her dam, after all, was a half-sister to the 2004 Champion Turf Male, Kitten’s Joy – Dreaming of Anna made her stakes debut on the grass next out, romping in the Tippett Stakes at Colonial Downs.

The plan was to run Dreaming of Anna in the Washington Breeders’ Cup Lassie Stakes (GIII), but she scratched out of that race due to a sloppy track, opting for a race a week later at Woodbine instead, the Summer Stakes (GIII). Here, the surface was to her liking; she would be running over a firm turf course. However, she had to face the males, something quite rare among two-year-old fillies. In fact, she was the sole filly even nominated to the Summer Stakes.

Facing the males was not a problem for Dreaming of Anna. She easily defeated them by 3 ¼ lengths. It was on to the Breeders’ Cup at Churchill Downs below the iconic Twin Spires.

Dreaming of Anna’s trainer, Wayne Catalano, had never won a Breeders’ Cup race. In fact, prior to Dreaming of Anna, he’d only had one Breeders’ Cup starter: Tamweel, fourth-place finisher in the 2004 Breeders’ Cup Distaff (GI). As for Dreaming of Anna’s owner, Frank Calabrese, Breeders’ Cup day happened to be his seventy-eighth birthday. Needless to say, it was a big day.

The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI) was the first race on the 2006 Breeders’ Cup card. Facing the best two-year-old fillies in the nation, as well as a foreign invader, the quick, light-footed Dreaming of Anna had a tall task ahead of her, but despite the high stakes, there was a certain something about this beautiful filly: she was fierce.

Dreaming of Anna sprinted out of the starting gate as if she had been shot from a cannon, immediately going to the lead with Rene Douglas aboard. Appealing Zophie caught up to her as they passed the finish line for the first time, but Dreaming of Anna maintained her lead as the field rounded the clubhouse turn, racing several paths off the rail.

Dreaming of Anna held a half-length advantage over Appealing Zophie as the fourteen fillies entered the backstretch, setting an initial quarter-mile in 23.72. Calebrese’s homebred remained at ease as she led her rivals down the backstretch, her chestnut legs carrying her over the track effortlessly as Rene Douglas sat aboard her. Through a half-mile in 47.96, Dreaming of Anna continued to lead comfortably, keeping a length between her and the others.

The others seemed to be catching up with her as the field traveled around the far turn, but Dreaming of Anna kicked clear at the top of the stretch, holding off the charge of her opponents. Octave grew closer to her and despite every chance to gallop past her, Dreaming of Anna dug in, using everything within her to repel the challenge of Octave. With impressive acceleration, the dainty chestnut filly drew clear, galloping effortlessly to a 1 ½-length victory.

Dreaming of Anna was honored as 2006 Champion Two-Year-Old Filly and though she never won another grade one event, she went on to have a very successful career on the turf, winning four graded stakes and two ungraded stakes, as well as placing in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes (GI).

Though Dreaming of Anna’s racing career is over, we don’t have to let go of her just yet. She is now enjoying life as a broodmare and her first foal, an up-and-coming stakes-placed filly, is in training for the same connections as her dam. Her name? All Her Class – just like the call Trevor Denman made as Dreaming of Anna coasted to victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies: “Dreaming of Anna digs deep. She calls on all her class…”

We can only hope that Dreaming of Anna’s offspring are at least half as tenacious as she was.

Breeders' Cup Divisional Rankings 9/24/12

Countdown to­_­ Breeders’ Cup: 38 Days!

It’s inching closer and closer! Many divisions are shaping up to be very exciting and a few divisions have certainly been shaken up after this past week’s races. Yet again, several divisions were difficult to rank, especially the Ladies' Classic, which I believe should be run on Breeders' Cup Saturday the way it's shaping up!

Below is my second edition of my divisional rankings for all Breeders’ Cup races (as of September 24). I am now featuring five horses per division rather than four.

Photo by Terri Cage

Juvenile Sprint

1. Handsome Jack
2. Scherer Magic

3. Special Jo

4. Goldencents

5. Drum Roll

Marathon

1. Jakkalberry*

2. Eldaafer

3. Not Abroad

4. Brown Panther

5. Calidoscopio

Juvenile Fillies Turf

1. Sky Lantern

2. Spring Venture

3. Watsdachances

4. Spring in the Air

5. Funfair

Juvenile Fillies

1. Dreaming of Julia

2. So Many Ways

3. Executiveprivilege

4. Kauai Katie*

5. Beholder

Filly & Mare Turf

1. Snow Fairy*

2. The Fugue

3. Izzi Top

4. Zagora

5. Stephanie’s Kitten

Ladies’ Classic

1. Awesome Feather

2. My Miss Aurelia

3. Questing

4. Royal Delta

5. Include Me Out

Juvenile Turf

1. Dawn Approach

2. First Cornerstone

3. Balance the Books

4. Brown Almighty

5. Joha

Filly & Mare Sprint

1. Groupie Doll

2. Contested

3. Winding Way

4. Dust and Diamonds

5. Judy the Beauty

Sprint

1. Amazombie

2. Emcee*

3. Capital Account

4. Coil

5. Fort Loudon

Turf Sprint

1. Fire Lily

2. Bated Breath

3. California Flag

4. Caracortado

5. Strong Suit

Dirt Mile

1. To Honor and Serve*

2. Shackleford

3. Rail Trip*

4. Tapizar

5. Bourbon Courage

Turf

1. Nathaniel
2. St. Nicholas Abbey
3. Point of Entry

4. Dullahan*

5. Acclamation

Juvenile

1. Shanghai Bobby
2. Know More
3. Fortify
4. Micromanage
5. Noble Tune

Mile

1. Wise Dan*
2. Excelebration
3. Cityscape
4. Moonlight Cloud
5. Little Mike

Classic

1. Game On Dude
2. Mucho Macho Man
3. Ron the Greek
4. Fort Larned

5. Hymn Book

*may opt for a different division (if a horse's connections are considering multiple races, I will only rank the horse in a single division)

Breeders' Cup Divisional Rankings 9/19/12

Photo by Terri Cage

Can you believe it? In just 43 days, the Breeders’ Cup will bring to life a clash of titans of the Thoroughbred racing world at Santa Anita. It’s an understatement to say that I am very excited for this year’s Breeders’ Cup, at which I’ll be able to see some of the greatest horses in the world in person yet again!

Below is my first edition of my divisional rankings for all Breeders’ Cup races. I am certain things will change between this post and my final divisional ranking post before the Breeders’ Cup and could very well change after this weekend's races!

Juvenile Sprint

1. Bern Identity
2. Handsome Jack
3. Scherer Magic
4. Goldencents

Marathon

1. Jakkalberry*
2. Eldaafer
3. Not Abroad
4. Calidoscopio

Juvenile Fillies Turf

1. Sky Lantern
2. Spring Venture
3. Watsdachances
4. Spring in the Air

Juvenile Fillies

1. Dreaming of Julia
2. So Many Ways
3. Executiveprivelege
4. Kauai Katie*

Filly & Mare Turf

1. Snow Fairy*
2. The Fugue
3. Izzi Top
4. Zagora

Ladies’ Classic

1. Questing
2. Royal Delta
3. It’s Tricky*
4. Include Me Out

Juvenile Turf

1. Dawn Approach
2. First Cornerstone
3. Balance the Books
4. Brown Almighty

Filly & Mare Sprint

1. Groupie Doll
2. Turbulent Descent
3. Contested
4. Winding Way

Sprint

1. Amazombie
2. Emcee*
3. Capital Account
4. The Factor

Turf Sprint

1. Fire Lily
2. Bated Breath
3. California Flag
4. Caracortado

Dirt Mile

1. To Honor and Serve
2. Shackleford
3. Rail Trip
4. Tapizar

Turf

1. Nathaniel
2. St. Nicholas Abbey
3. Point of Entry
4. Dullahan*

Juvenile

1. Shanghai Bobby
2. Rolling Fog
3. Know More
4. Fortify

Mile

1. Wise Dan*
2. Excelebration
3. Cityscape
4. Moonlight Cloud

Classic

1. Game On Dude
2. Mucho Macho Man
3. Ron the Greek
4. Fort Larned

*may opt for a different division (if a horse's connections are considering multiple races, I will only rank the horse in a single division)

This year’s Breeders’ Cup is shaping up to be an incredibly exciting renewal! Each division is quite competitive and some – such as the Juvenile Fillies, Ladies’ Classic, Filly & Mare Sprint, Mile, and Classic – appear very contentious. Considering there is a multitude of horses I had to exclude (such as Stephanie's Kitten, Musical Romance, and Little Mike), it only strengthens my belief that this will be a very strong Breeders’ Cup. Its approach becomes more and more exciting each and every day!

Oaks Contender: Grace Hall

With the defections of My Miss Aurelia and Weemissfrankie, Grace Hall became the sole top finisher of the 2011 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI) to remain on the Kentucky Oaks (GI) trail. In fact, for many, she is the top contender for the race that is labeled as the Kentucky Derby (GI)’s sister.

Grace Hall was a brilliant juvenile, winning her first three starts by a total 10 ½ lengths. She, like Union Rags, debuted at Delaware Park without even going off favored before traveling to Saratoga for a graded stakes race. This graded stakes was the prestigious Spinaway Stakes (GI), in which the Tony Dutrow trainee edged away to triumph by 1 ¾ lengths. She then returned to Delaware Park for her final prep for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, effortlessly winning the ungraded Blue Hen Stakes by 5 ¾ lengths.

In the Juvenile Fillies, Grace Hall ran into the tremendously talented My Miss Aurelia and could not keep up with the eventual champion, finishing three lengths behind the Stonestreet homebred. However, she was six lengths clear of the dual grade one-winning Weemissfrankie and left behind twelve fillies.

Grace Hall made her much-anticipated sophomore debut in the Davona Dale Stakes (GII) at Gulfstream Park, but was beaten a neck by Yara, a 64-1 longshot. Grace Hall ran gamely but simply could not outduel Yara. She avenged the loss next out in the Gulfstream Oaks Stakes (GII), settling off the pace before striking to the lead under Javier Castellano to score by a dominant 6 ½ lengths. Behind her were seven other fillies, including Yara and the highly-touted Zo Impressive.

With her Gulfstream Oaks victory, Grace Hall verified that she will have no issue with the nine-furlong distance of the Kentucky Oaks, as the Gulfstream Oaks shares the same mile and one-eighth distance. Her pedigree also suggests that she will not have a problem with the distance of the Oaks, as she is by Empire Maker and out of an Ezzoud mare.

Empire Maker, winner of the 2003 Belmont Stakes (GI, 12F), is also the sire of the Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (GI, 9F) winners Acoma and Mushka, the Personal Ensign Stakes (GI, 10F)-winning Icon Project, the Santa Anita Derby (GI, 9F)-winning and Kentucky Derby (GI, 10F) runner-up Pioneerof the Nile, and the Alabama Stakes (GI, 10F)- and Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic (GI, 9F)-winning Royal Delta. The stallion, who is inbred 4 X 3 to the Man O’ War sire line descendant, In Reality, also exhibits two crosses of Aspidistra, Buckpasser, Native Dancer, and Rough’n Tumble in the first five generations of his pedigree. When bred to Grace Hall’s dam, Season’s Greetings, the two form a 4 X 3 cross of Mr. Prospector, a 4 X 5 cross of Northern Dancer, and a 4 X 5 cross of a Reine De Course mare.

Season’s Greetings, an Irish-bred by a victor of multiple prestigious group ones, was a stakes winner in France owned by Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum. This, of course, makes Grace Hall bred by Darley. The top side of Season’s Greeting’s pedigree is primarily European while the bottom side is chiefly American. Through her dam, Grace Hall is a direct descendant of a string of Reine De Course mares from Calumet Farm that begins with her seventh dam, Nellie Flag, a daughter of the 1924 Champion Three-Year-Old Filly Nellie Morse. Nellie Flag was in turn a champion, garnering the title of Champion Two-Year-Old Filly in 1934. Nellie Flag produced three black-type winners, including a champion and the Kentucky Oaks-winning Nellie L, Grace Hall’s sixth dam. Nellie L continued this strong dam line by producing Comely Nell, the dam of the champion Bold Forbes.

Grace Hall has a valid chance at repeating the feat of her sixth dam, Nellie L. Not only is she wonderfully bred for the Kentucky Oaks, but she has proved that she possesses remarkable racing talent. It would be no surprise to see Grace Hall standing before the Twin Spires with a blanket of beautiful lilies draped over her withers. 


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My Special Aurelia

Normally, this piece would be a “Juvenile Spotlight” since I discovered this filly before her maiden race and have followed her throughout her career. However, she is already plenty in the spotlight. Instead, this is a piece on how I came across this special filly, how talented she is, and what she has the potential to be.

In anticipation of an upcoming maiden special weight for two-year-old fillies at Saratoga Race Course, I researched the pedigrees of each filly in the race. I chose two fillies off of pedigree and was impressed by them in the post parade as well. One would finish fifth while the other would cross the wire victoriously. Though I knew the winner was a talented filly, I didn’t realize at the time just how special she would become. The winner’s name was My Miss Aurelia.

Obviously, her sire, Smart Strike, is very successful and has already sired a remarkable horse for her connections in Curlin. Smart Strike was the leading sire in 2007 and 2008 and is currently the second leading sire of 2011.

My Miss Aurelia
Photo: Terri Cage

To add to her impressive pedigree is My Miss Aurelia’s dam, My Miss Storm Cat. The daughter of the incredible pensioned sire Storm Cat was a stakes winner that also finished third in the Landaluce Stakes (GIII) as a two-year-old. My Miss Aurelia is the mare’s second foal. Her first foal was Albergatti, who was briefly on the Kentucky Derby trail earlier this year and finished second in the Northern Spur Stakes at Oaklawn Park.

In addition to her notable pedigree, My Miss Aurelia possesses imposing conformation. Her long, thin neck ties in correctly at the point of shoulder. Furthermore, her shoulder is strong and sloping, allowing her to be proportional and have a long, smooth stride. Her deep heart girth indicates that she has a large set of lungs, which clearly allows her to breathe well. Her quality muscling is also evident, as are her clean legs.

In her maiden race, the Steve Asmussen trainee sat in second under Julien Leparoux before taking the lead with about a furlong left. The bay filly drew clear in Stonestreet’s silks in the final yards, going on to win by a length over Delightful Magic, who recently finished fifth of ten in the Delta Downs Princess Stakes (GIII). The final time for My Miss Aurelia’s maiden victory was 1:03.59 for five and one-half furlongs.

My Miss Aurelia was made the favorite for the Adirondack Stakes (GII) next out. Millionreasonswhy, coming off a victory in the Matron Stakes (GII), appeared on My Miss Aurelia’s outside as the horses came around the far turn. The daughter of Grand Slam looked as if she would blow right past My Miss Aurelia, but the Stonestreet homebred owned by Stonestreet and George Bolton dug in and would not let Millionreasonswhy pass her. The half-sister to Albergatti, ridden by Leparoux again, prevailed by a neck and galloped out ahead of Millionreasonswhy. With her win, many ranked her as the top juvenile filly in the nation.

Along the way, I learned that My Miss Aurelia was named by Jess Jackson not long before he passed away. He had named the filly after George Bolton’s mother, who is a lucky charm at the races. The story led me to love the filly even more.

The Frizette Stakes (GI) at Belmont Park was My Miss Aurelia’s last stop along the road to the Breeders’ Cup. Despite the fact that My Miss Aurelia was highly-touted, the favorite was Stopshoppingmaria, the filly that had finished third to My Miss Aurelia when the Steve Asmussen trainee broke her maiden. Many were persuaded by Stopshoppingmaria’s recent romp in a maiden special weight. However, I was still on My Miss Aurelia’s side and was staying that way.

I was glad I stayed on her side. Just over one minute and thirty-five seconds after the two-year-old fillies broke from the starting gate and ran a mile, My Miss Aurelia flashed across the wire with Corey Nakatani aboard, five and one-half lengths ahead of Stopshoppingmaria. With her dominant win, she became the favorite for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies.

As the championship race approached, I was torn between two fillies I had followed since their maidens: My Miss Aurelia and Weemissfrankie. Since the latter resembled my horse, I was partial and felt my heart leaning slightly in her direction. However, as the fillies paraded in front of me before the race, I had a gut feeling that My Miss Aurelia would stand in the winner’s circle to my left with the blanket of flowers draped over her withers.

Corey Nakatani celebrating with
Aurelia standing next to the special
filly named after her
Photo: Terri Cage

My gut didn’t lie. In one of the most impressive Breeders’ Cup victories of 2011, My Miss Aurelia won the Juvenile Fillies stylishly, crossing the wire three lengths in front. As I stood along the rail just a few feet away from the stunning bay filly when she was awarded with the winner’s garland of flowers, I watched as jockey Corey Nakatani celebrated aboard her, throwing flowers from the blanket into the air.

As I watched in awe, my cheeks were not just flushed by the cold. Before me was the beautiful filly that I’d followed since before she even stood in a winner’s circle and to my left were her blissful connections, including her namesake, Aurelia. As my mother snapped pictures beside me, I watched with my eyes glued to the champion, struck with a feeling that My Miss Aurelia was even more special than I originally thought. And considering I’ve known she’s special all along, it is unbelievable how special I believe she will be.

Photo: Terri Cage


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In Awe of Feather

With some paragraphs drawn from “Waiting for an Awesome Return”

When Zenyatta was retired, I felt a void in my heart. I needed another “big” horse to cheer for. I had Blind Luck, but I was still searching for another horse. That’s when it occurred to me that I already had that horse. It was Awesome Feather.

I first heard of the filly in her final prep for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI), the Florida Stallion My Dear Girl Stakes. She won that race by an incredible eight and one-quarter lengths, running her record to a perfect five-for-five.

Awesome Feather battling R Heat Lightning before
drawing clear to win the 2010 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies
Photo: Terri Cage

In person, I witnessed Awesome Feather win the Juvenile Fillies beneath the Twin Spires. It was one of my favorite races of the 2010 Breeders’ Cup and she had me cheering her name all the way down the stretch. Little did I know, I had found my “big” horse.

After being sold for $2.3 million to Adena Springs (Frank Stronach), she was transferred to Chad Brown’s stable.  Just days before being named Eclipse Champion Two-Year-Old Filly, it was announced that Awesome Feather had an issue with a tendon and was sidelined for an unknown amount of time. By February, she was walking under tack and by the end of the month, she returned to jogging. She returned to the work tab on May 24, breezing three furlongs at Belmont Park in 36.78. She breezed four more times until some minor issues appeared.

After two more months off, Awesome Feather returned to the work tab yet again. Her return came in the Le Slew Stakes at Belmont Park, in which the stunning bay filly defeated four other females by two lengths under her regular rider, Jeffrey Sanchez. The final time for seven furlongs was 1:22.76.

Despite talk that the champion filly would run in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic (GI), her connections decided to bypass that race and point toward the Gazelle Stakes (GI) at Aqueduct the weekend after Thanksgiving instead. I applaud them for that decision, as racing fans were in for a treat.

Coming around the final turn, Awesome Feather loomed large to the outside of Love and Pride. Under brisk urging from Sanchez, Awesome Feather drew clear, crossing the wire an easy five and one-quarter lengths ahead of the others. With that win, she earned her second grade one victory and boosted her record to a flawless eight-for-eight. As they came down the stretch, my heart beat with joy, my eyes lit up, and I bounced up and down. I am in awe of Awesome Feather.


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Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies

It’s the classic rivalry of East vs. West. It’s the trend of girl power and underdogs. It’s the race full of stories that will tug at your heart. It’s horse racing at its best. It’s the 2011 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies and it's going to be one of the best Breeders’ Cup races of the weekend.

Here are my top four picks for the Juvenile Fillies:

1. Weemissfrankie: Maybe I’m partial because I’ve followed her since her maiden and she greatly resembles my horse’s looks and personality, but this filly has impressed me tremendously. In the post parade for her maiden race, I noticed how impeccable her conformation was. She had a beautiful neck that was long, thin and tied in perfectly at her shoulder. Her chestnut legs were strong, possessing short cannon bones and pasterns that were angled correctly. Though her back was hidden by the saddle, I have seen photographs of her without it on and have noticed that it is strong and short, just as it should be. Her hip is powerful and muscled just like the rest of her. This all adds up to her beautiful, fluent stride that covers much ground.

After her maiden win, Weemissfrankie was victorious in the Del Mar Debutante (GI), crossing the wire over a length in front of Self Preservation. In her final start before the Breeders’ Cup, the Oak Leaf Stakes (GI), she was still third at the sixteenth pole in her first try over a dirt surface. Suddenly, she hit another gear and flew past Candrea. Once she was even with the Bob Baffert trainee, Rafeal Bejarano hand-rode her to the wire. Her speed figures may be lower than other top fillies, but in her three starts, she has come home very quickly. Her final eighth of a mile in her first two starts was 12 ^1/5 seconds and her final sixteenth of her third start was 6 ^2/5 seconds. In fact, she broke the Del Mar track record for five furlongs in her debut.

On Saturday, the daughter of Sunriver turned in her latest work. Traveling five furlongs over the Santa Anita dirt track, she effortlessly worked 59.40. It was very similar to her work on October 15, in which she readily worked a half-mile in 46.60. According to an HRTV Diary, those around her are very happy with how she’s doing.

Weemissfrankie has a story that will pull on your heart strings. Her name may seem silly, but if you divide it into three words, leaving out a letter, you will see that it has a very special message: We miss Frankie. The stunning chestnut filly, owned by a partnership, is named after Frank Alesia, who had been part of the group of owners with his wife, Sharon. In addition to the touching factor of her namesake, Weemissfrankie is part of just two crops of her late sire, Sunriver, who died in August of 2009 at the tender age of six. It doesn’t end there, as she provided her trainer, Peter Eurton, with his first graded stakes win when Weemissfrankie won the Debutante and is now taking him to the Breeders’ Cup. Just imagine how many hearts it would touch if this filly won the Juvenile Fillies. I believe she has a good chance to do so.

2. My Miss Aurelia: I’ve followed this filly since her maiden as well and she has quickly become the most highly regarded two-year-old filly in the nation. A daughter of stakes-winning My Miss Storm Cat, the bay daughter of Smart Strike is a half-sister to stakes-placed Albergatti. The filly is a homebred for Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC.

Prior to her maiden, I noticed that My Miss Aurelia had the build of a racehorse. She had quality muscling that was very distinct. Her heart girth was deep, indicating that she had a large set of lungs that would allow her to breathe well. In addition, she had a perfect neck that shined like rich mahogany.

In her maiden, My Miss Aurelia gamely won by a length at Saratoga. She made her next start in the Adirondack Stakes (GII), also at Saratoga. She battled with Millonreasonswhy down the stretch, prevailing by a neck. The two finished nearly fifteen lengths ahead of the third place-finisher, Bellacourt, who won the Joseph A. Gimma Stakes at Belmont on Saturday.

In her final prep race for the Breeders’ Cup, My Miss Aurelia easily won the Frizette Stakes (GI) at Belmont Park by 5 ½ lengths in an impressive final time of 1:35.22 for a mile. She can obviously come home well, but she will also provide a good pace for Weemissfrankie to run at in the Juvenile Fillies.

My Miss Aurelia also comes with a touching story. She’s owned by Stonestreet Stables and George Bolton. We all know that Jess Jackson of Stonestreet Stables passed away in April, which automatically makes one want to see any Stonestreet horse do well. It gets even more emotional from there. Jess Jackson named the filly after George Bolton’s mother not long before his death. It would be wonderful for the filly’s connections to be triumphant at the Breeders’ Cup, in which she will likely be the top betting choice. If she can last up front, she will be dangerous to catch in the stretch.

3. Grace Hall: My top three fillies are all undefeated in three starts. Grace Hall has won all of her races by a total of 10 ½ lengths. After a three-length maiden victory at Delaware Park, Grace Hall impressively won the Spinaway Stakes (GI) at Saratoga. She then returned to Delaware Park for the Blue Hen Stakes, which she won without any effort at all, crossing the wire in front by 5 ¾ lengths.

She is training up to the Breeders’ Cup very well, having worked a half-mile in 48 seconds flat at Delaware Park on Saturday. A week earlier, she recorded a bullet half-mile in 47.20. The daughter of stakes-winning Season’s Greetings must have her connections feeling pretty confident in their filly that is built like a tank. I don't know that she quite has the class of my top two, but I don't think we've seen the best of her yet.

4. Awesome Belle: How can you forget Awesome Feather’s stirring win in the Juvenile Fillies last year? From Awesome Feather’s beginnings comes Awesome Belle. Awesome of Course is the sire of both fillies, who were both bred by Jacks or Better Farm Inc. Awesome Feather came into the Breeders’ Cup owned by Jacks or Better Farm and trained by Stanley Gold, as will Awesome Belle. Awesome Feather entered the Juvenile Fillies with a romp in the Florida Stallion My Dear Girl Stakes, as will Awesome Belle.

However, “Belle” is not coming into the Breeders’ Cup with an undefeated record like “Feather” did. Awesome Belle didn’t win her debut, but rather broke her maiden in her second start. She then finished second to stablemate Redbud Road in the J J’sdream Stakes, which Awesome Feather had won in 2010 prior to sweeping the Florida Stallion Stakes series. After her encouraging second in that race, Awesome Belle finished a disappointing fifth to Redbud Road in the Florida Stallion Desert Vixen Stakes. In her next start, she had a rough trip and finished third behind Queen Drama and Redbud Road.

Then came her defining moment. Leading the entire way, Awesome Belle dominated the My Dear Girl Stakes, winning by 7 ½ lengths. It is not expected by many that she will put in a performance like Awesome Feather did in the Juvenile Fillies, but it is quite remarkable that her connections have a chance to win back-to-back runnings of the race with a similar filly.

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