Oxbow: An Old-School Preakness Victory

Orb’s old-school connections of Shug McGaughey, alongside the Phipps and Janney families, seemed to be the perfect team to end the 35-year drought that racing fans have heartbreakingly endured. Approaching the Preakness Stakes (GI), the Kentucky Derby (GI) victor created an abundance of anticipation among the racing world. Could he be the one?

Unfortunately, the answer to that question is no. Despite his old-school connections that seemed fit for the crown, it was not meant to be for Orb. But the 2013 Triple Crown, despite Orb’s loss in the Preakness, remains old-school through some of the most renowned names in the industry: Gary Stevens, D. Wayne Lukas, and Calumet Farm.

Oxbow was dismissed at 15-1 odds as nine Thoroughbreds loaded into the gate at Pimlico. All eyes were on gate one, where Orb stood beneath Joel Rosario. In the sixth gate stood a horse most had forgotten, allowing him to be sent off as the second-longest shot in the field.

A horse that caught my eye when breaking his maiden at Churchill Downs last fall for the brilliance he displayed then, Oxbow has caught many eyes along the Triple Crown trail this year, simply for the uniqueness of his coloring. He appears to be gray or roan, but gray horses must have a gray parent and both of Oxbow’s parents are bay, or dark bay/brown. Oxbow, registered a bay, is a misfit, and not just because of his coloring.

Oxbow
Photo by Brittlan Wall

His career began in rather unconventional fashion, despite the fact that he debuted at Saratoga, the land of promising juveniles. In this debut, Oxbow was pulled up and vanned off. His succeeding pair of starts resulted in lackluster performances, causing the $250,000 price he’d commanded at the 2011 Keeneland September Yearling Sale to be questioned. Was he really worth a quarter of a million dollars?

When Oxbow broke through with a victory in his fourth career start, he began to pave a path to answering that question with a yes. Dominating a maiden special weight beneath the Twin Spires, Oxbow would then enter stakes company and not look back.

After shipping west for the CashCall Futurity (GI), in which he finished fourth, Oxbow proved that he was a high-caliber racehorse with an authoritative 11 ½-length triumph in the LeComte Stakes, one of the first races on the Triple Crown trail. Racing enthusiasts lined up for a seat on the Oxbow bandwagon, only to abandon it as he accumulated a collection of three losses leading up to the Kentucky Derby.

In the Derby, Oxbow was forwardly placed and appeared ready to fight for victory at the top of the stretch. But he weakened late and finished sixth as Orb stormed home to a triumph that created large waves of excitement within the racing world.

Oxbow was forgotten as Orb prepared to continue his Triple Crown bid. Few noted his final work before the Preakness, in which Stevens – who was aboard for the breeze – gathered more confidence in his mount.

So now Oxbow stood in the starting gate, forgotten by many. But he did not know this. All he knew was that this was his job, his passion.

He emerged from the gate, only to be bumped by his stablemate, the powerfully-built Will Take Charge. But this did not prevent him from immediately pursuing the lead with Stevens aboard. Racing to the front as the field thundered past the grandstand for the first time in the two-turn event, Oxbow seized a clear, comfortable lead as he commanded the pace. Recording the initial quarter-mile in a steady 23.94, Oxbow was the lone speed as the field galloped around the clubhouse turn.

Oxbow leading the field past the stands for the first time
Photo by Brittlan Wall

Oxbow had become a dangerous competitor for his opponents. He was alone in the vanguard, galloping along easily as he posted moderate fractions. With his ears perked as the nine-horse charge raced down the backstretch, Oxbow was receiving a dream trip. His nearest rival was Goldencents, who offered very little pressure, rating two lengths behind Stevens’ mount.

Meanwhile, Orb was making an early move, growing closer to the leaders. Racing several paths away from the rail – which was the deepest part of the track –, Oxbow continued to lead in an easy manner, completing the first half-mile in 48.60. He’d slowed down, but remained the clear-cut leader. It was the perfect journey for a pacesetter.

As Orb lost ground, Oxbow continued to lead, maintaining the eager, content look upon his face as he led his rivals around the far turn. Beginning to lengthen his advantage on the field, people began to take notice. Orb was not firing, but Oxbow was digging deep, finding more left in his tank after the easy trip he’d experienced.

Oxbow was clearly enjoying what he was doing. Continuing to lead, he raced into the homestretch three lengths ahead of the others. Galloping in an authoritative manner, Oxbow charged home, prepared to repel any threats. Despite rallies from Itsmyluckyday and Mylute, Stevens called on every ounce of effort Oxbow had within and Oxbow responded with a stunning display of determination, holding firm to prevail by 1 ¾ lengths.

Spectators watched as Stevens stood in the irons, thrusting his fist in the air victoriously, shouting "Are you kidding me?!" This display of triumph was far from new. In fact it was old, something that, in November of 2005 seemed to be a thing of the past.

Stevens, a Hall of Fame jockey, had announced his retirement in late 2005, hanging up his tack after a career that saw him capture a plethora of prestigious races, including eight Triple Crown races and just as many Breeders’ Cup races. He left the saddle and became a television anchor for companies like NBC, HRTV, and TVG, covering racing. He even played roles in the film Seabiscuit and the television series Luck. But in early January of this year, Stevens announced he was returning to racing. He quickly found success again, winning his first graded stakes race since announcing his comeback just over a month after returning to the races.

Meanwhile, D. Wayne Lukas – a Hall of Famer himself – was preparing a handful of newly-turned three-year-olds for the Triple Crown. Among them was Oxbow. Lukas had had grand success in Triple Crown races, but a victory in one of the three classics had eluded him since 2000. Since then, he’d brought a multitude of three-year-olds to the Triple Crown, only to be plagued by disappointment. He could only hope that 2013 would be the year in which he would stand within the winner’s circle of a Triple Crown race yet again.

In January, as Stevens’ comeback commenced, D. Wayne Lukas – a trainer for which Stevens had garnered three of his Triple Crown race wins – contacted the soon-to-be 50-year-old jockey. He informed him of the three-year-olds he was preparing for the Triple Crown, including a colt named Oxbow.

Oxbow and Gary Stevens, in Calumet Farm's silks
Photo by Brittlan Wall

The colt was owned by Calumet Farm, one of the most illustrious names in the racing industry. Any racing fan that has ever visited the heart of the Thoroughbred world – Lexington, Kentucky – is sure to have seen the picturesque white fences, the elegant white, red, and green barns, and the gentle, rolling hills of the historic farm. Once a powerhouse, Calumet had won seventeen Triple Crown races prior to 2013, including Triple Crown sweeps with Whirlaway and Citation. But a win in one of the spring classics had evaded the farm since 1968.

Calumet fell on hard times and, in 1992, was purchased by Henryk de Kwiatkowski for more than $17 million. Last May, the farm was again sold, this time for $36 million to Brad Kelley. The famous red and blue silks were replaced by Kelley’s black and gold colors, but the farm had been revitalized. It was ready to return to the battlefield of the Triple Crown and with Oxbow in its possession, it had the chance to again rejoice within the thrill of a Triple Crown race victory.

On May 18, 2013, each of these storied histories came together in the Preakness Stakes all thanks to Oxbow, the misfit. Dreams of a Triple Crown reached a crashing halt, but the pain of Orb’s loss was alleviated by the scene of these old-school connections rejoicing in the winner’s circle, ending their own Triple Crown droughts.

Stevens’ and Lukas’ first words to each other after the victory? “I love you.”

Gary Stevens celebrating his Preakness victory aboard Oxbow
Photo by Brittlan Wall

Derby Hopeful: Oxbow

Derby Hopefuls feature the horses I view as the best contenders leading up to the Kentucky Derby. Each horse spotlighted in a Derby Hopeful will join the 2013 PTG Derby Hopeful roster, found on the right side of the blog. Horses will be listed in an order that corresponds to how highly I think of them, with the horse I think most highly of ranking at the top. A horse featured in a Derby Hopeful may be taken off the roster if its performances after its article are published are not up to par or if that horse is taken off the Triple Crown trail, though those articles will remain on my blog.

The Kentucky Derby (GI) is no new territory for the connections of Oxbow. Although the esteemed Calumet Farm now has new owners and is now represented by black and gold silks rather than the immortalized blue and red, Oxbow is owned by the farm that owned eight previous Derby victors. His trainer, D. Wayne Lukas, has saddled four winners of the Run for the Roses and Gary Stevens, the colt's jockey, has guided three horses to Derby glory – two of which were trained by Lukas.

But none of these connections have visited the Derby winner’s enclosure as of late. Calumet’s most recent Derby victory was in 1968, Lukas’ was in 1999, and Stevens’ was in 1997. However, this year, these three could team up together for the first time to win the roses with the help of a stunning bay colt named Oxbow.

Oxbow’s career got off to a slow start. Pulled up and vanned off in his debut at Saratoga, the colt then finished fourth in a maiden special weight at Keeneland behind future Lexington Stakes (GIII) victor Winning Cause prior to turning in a third-place effort in a maiden at Churchill Downs.

The colt finally broke through with a win on closing weekend at Churchill Downs. Breaking from one of the outside posts, Oxbow set a brisk pace before drawing off to win by 4 ¾ lengths and thus earning himself a spot on my watch list.

Shipping to California for the CashCall Futurity (GI), Oxbow was sent off as the second longest shot in a field of eleven. Leaving the gate from the far outside post, Oxbow raced very wide into the clubhouse turn but gained ground on the pacesetters, finding a position just off the leaders as the field entered the backstretch. Tracking the pace from the outside, the D. Wayne Lukas trainee attempted to keep up around the far turn, but weakened as the horses turned for home, finishing a distant fourth.

Oxbow returned strong as a three-year-old, making his sophomore debut in the LeComte Stakes (GIII) at the Fair Grounds. Drawing a post closer to the inside than the outside for the first time since October, Oxbow led from start to finish, coasting to a breathtaking 11 ½-length victory.

Remaining at the Fair Grounds for his following start, the Risen Star Stakes (GII), Oxbow drew an outside post yet again. Once again forced wide around the first bend, Oxbow pressed the pace down the backside prior to taking the lead near the five-sixteenths pole. He led rivals into the lane, maintaining his advantage down Fair Grounds’ long homestretch before weakening just before the sixteenth pole, finishing fourth, beaten less than a length.

Finishing his Derby trail in Arkansas with Oaklawn Park’s two most significant Derby preps, Oxbow made his penultimate start before the Derby in the Rebel Stakes (GII), his third mile and one-sixteenth race of his career and second of the season. Receiving yet another outside post, Oxbow broke well but raced widest of all around the far turn. As he had in several previous starts, the colt quickly moved into a position behind the frontrunners. Initially rating several lengths off the leaders down the backstretch, Oxbow – along with the rest of the field – gained ground on the pacesetters as the horses reached the end of the far stretch.

Remaining on the outside, Oxbow rallied around the far turn, easily taking the lead midway through the curve. Despite drifting in as he led the field into the homestretch, Oxbow maintained his lead, beginning to draw clear of his opponents. But his stablemate, Will Take Charge, closed powerfully, getting up in the final strides to defeat Oxbow by a head.

Oxbow’s run of outside posts did not culminate in his final race before the Kentucky Derby, the Arkansas Derby (GI). With Hall of Fame rider Gary Stevens – who had come out of retirement earlier in the year – aboard for the first time, Oxbow broke from the outside post and was not guided to the vanguard as he had been in his previous starts, but rather near the rear of the field. Although his usual speed was not used, he did race wide around the first turn as he had recurrently done in previous starts.

Galloping several lengths off the lead down the backstretch, Oxbow was asked for a run around the far turn by Stevens, but came up on a wall of horses and therefore had to travel wide around the far turn. Offering a subdued rally down the stretch, Oxbow did not find his best stride until it was too late, crossing the wire fifth. After the race, it was revealed that Lukas would have preferred for Oxbow to be ridden nearer the pace – as he had been in his previous races.

Oxbow's pedigree
From pedigreequery.com

Oxbow is bred very similarly to Paynter, a grade one winner at nine furlongs that was a close second in the Belmont Stakes (GI, 12F), being his three-quarters brother. Both Oxbow and Paynter are sired by Awesome Again, winner of many ten-furlong races, including the first leg of Canada's Triple Crown - the Queen's Plate Stakes - and the Breeders' Cup Classic (GI). Awesome Again has sired an abundance of distance horses, including Awesome Gem, Game on Dude, and Ginger Punch - all of which are grade one winners at ten furlongs. Oxbow should inherit stamina from Awesome Again's sire, Deputy Minister, who has appeared within the first three generations of numerous distance horses, including Curlin, Paynter, and Rags to Riches. The Canadian Hall of Famer was a tremendous broodmare sire, producing the dams of many talented distance horses, including the multiple group one-winning Kane Hekili and Sarava, winner of the 2002 Belmont.

Awesome Again is a son of 2000 Broodmare of the Year, Primal Force - a daughter of Blushing Groom. A recipient of several championship honors as both racehorse and sire, Blushing Groom excelled as a miler but produced many distance horses, including Nashwan, Rainbow Quest, and Runaway Groom - all of which were grade/group one winners at ten furlongs or more. But perhaps Blushing Groom's greatest success came as a broodmare sire, as he is the sire of the dams of a wealth of grade/group one winners, including those that have been victorious at ten furlongs or beyond: Flute, Haafhd, and Mezzo Soprano.

Like Paynter, Oxbow is out of a full sister to two-time Breeders' Cup Classic hero Tiznow. Oxbow's dam, Tizamazing, was a million-dollar yearling and has also produced Oxbow's full brother, Awesome Patriot - a stakes winner at nine furlongs. Aside from Paynter's dam - Tizso - and Tiznow, Tizamazing is also a full sister to the multiple graded stakes-winning Budroyale, who won at nine furlongs on multiple occasions and was runner-up in the 1999 Breeders' Cup Classic; Tizbud, a stakes winner and graded stakes-placed runner; and the graded stakes-winning sprinter Tizdubai. She is also a half-sister to the stakes-placed C'mon Tiger.

Cee's Song, Tizamazing's dam, is a daughter of Seattle Song, a group one winner at twelve furlongs and a son of Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew. The sire of Tizamazing is Cee's Tizzy, who was graded stakes-placed at ten furlongs. In addition to Budroyale and Tiznow, Cee's Tizzy also sired champion Gourmet Girl, who captured several nine-furlong races.

Oxbow may not bring to the table the most fashionable race record, but when he is at the top of his game, he is a fierce competitor. Should he draw a more beneficial post and be given a more fitting ride in the Derby, he could turn in a grand performance. Furthermore, although he has appeared to tire in the final stages of a handful of his races, he has had a taxing campaign and though this could be worrisome for his chances in the Derby and the Triple Crown series, the colt is bred for distance.

Stallion Feature: Americain and Bullet Train

It is often said that American breeders should try to blend more foreign blood with our horses by introducing horses from other nations to our breeding operations. With the loss of many of our top racehorses – including but not limited to I’ll Have Another, Summer Bird, Musical Romance, and Zazu – to foreign breeding programs this year alone, the blood of our own top racehorses has been ostracized from the heritage of most future American racehorses. But in the past month, things have shifted. Headed to Kentucky for the 2013 breeding season are two stallions that could have a tremendous effect on American Thoroughbred bloodlines: Americain and the great Frankel’s sibling and rabbit, Bullet Train.

Americain

Though bred in the United States, Americain only made four of his thirty-four starts in the United States. Americain began his career in France, contesting his initial ten starts there prior to his four-race expedition to America. This fourteen-race period saw Americain win four races, including two group stakes.

Americain never finished better than third upon his journey to the United States, but after a fifth-place finish in the Prix La Moskowa at Chantilly, Americain formed a five-race winning streak, which included a victory in not only two group stakes, but in one of the most prestigious races in the world, the Melbourne Cup (GI). Contested since 1861, the Melbourne Cup covers 3,200 meters – nearly 2 miles. Throughout its enriched history, the Melbourne Cup has seen many great Thoroughbreds gallop to victory, including Makybe Diva, Peter Pan, and Phar Lap.

Americain continued racing for an additional two years, winning three more starts, including two group stakes. It was announced in late November 2012 that the horse would stand stud in Kentucky and just days after this exciting announcement came the statement that Americain would stand at one of the most revered farms on American soil – Calumet Farm.

A farm that, in its heyday, won the Kentucky Derby (GI) a record eight times and produced two of the eleven horses to win the Triple Crown, Calumet was sold for approximately $36 million earlier this year. Prior to 2012, when Cactus Ridge and Ice Box stood there, a stallion had not stood at stud at Calumet for almost a decade. Americain could be just the catalyst for a revival the esteemed farm needs.

Americain is a son of the late, grand Dynaformer, who proved to be a top international sire. Perhaps most famous for siring the ill-fated Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro, Dynaformer also produced such additional grade/group one winners as Karlovy Vary, McDynamo, Perfect Drift, and Point of Entry. Dynaformer is a grandson of Hail to Reason, the sire of successful stallions like Halo, Roberto, and Stop the Music.

The dam of Americain is the Irish-bred mare America, who was a multiple group stakes winner in France. In addition to producing Americain, America has also foaled the group stakes-placed Spycrawler and the stakes-placed Amarak. America is a daughter of Arazi, the champion famous for his breathtaking Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI) victory at Churchill Downs in 1991. Though relatively successful as a sire, producing the grade/group one winners Behrajan and Congaree, Arazi has found perhaps his greatest success as a broodmare sire, producing the dams of such horses as the multiple grade/group one winners Electrocutionist and Lahudood, as well as, of course, Americain.

Americain’s third dam, Round the Rosie, produced two group stakes winners and four stakes-placed runners. This makes Americain a direct descendant of the great Chelandry, the foundation mare of Family 1-n. Other direct descendants of Chelandry include not only the grade one-winning Bodemeister, but the star-crossed champion Swale.

Though bred in the United States, Americain is a foreign asset to American breeding programs. Not only did he make the majority of his starts abroad, but his parentage presents a foreign flair. His dam is Irish-bred and though his sire may be American-bred, Dynaformer has truly proven to be an international force.

Bullet Train

A year younger than his famous brother, Frankel, Bullet Train was the first foal out of Kind. A Juddmonte hombebred, Bullet Train won his debut, the European Breeders’ Fund Maiden Stakes. Following a runner-up finish in a stakes at Newbury, Bullet Train captured the biggest victory of his life in the Derby Trial Stakes (GIII).

Bullet Train never won again, but was given many less chances to do so by serving as Frankel’s rabbit, or pacemaker. The horse lost his final eleven races, never defeating more than five horses and never finishing better than fourth. Though his brilliance is far from that of Frankel’s, it will be a grand opportunity for American breeders to get the bloodline of one of the greatest horses the world has ever seen flowing in the American Thoroughbred gene pool.

Unlike Frankel, Bullet Train is sired by the great Sadler’s Wells, who is Frankel’s grandsire through the legendary horse’s sire, Galileo. The multiple group one-winning son of Northern Dancer was the leading sire by earnings in the United Kingdom for ten years straight and for twelve years total. Among his best offspring are the champions Barathea, High Chaparral, Montjeu, Northern Spur, Old Vic, Perfect Soul, and Yeats. Sadler's Wells has also proven to be an incredible sire of sires, producing not only Galileo, but the outstanding Montjeu, as well as Barathea, El Prado, High Chaparral, In the Wings, and King’s Theatre.

Bullet Train also receives an outstanding influence from his dam, Kind. The bay mare was a successful racehorse herself, capturing two stakes races. In addition to producing Bullet Train and Frankel, Kind has also foaled the group stakes-winning Noble Mission.

Kind’s sire is a horse who was the leading sire in four different countries, the incredible Danehill, who has sired over three hundred stakes winners. He has been a highly successful broodmare sire, siring the dams of such horses as the group one winners Art Connoisseur, Cima de Triomphe, Danedream, Teofilo, and Vengeance of Rain.

The dam of Kind is the group stakes-winning Rainbow Lake, who also produced the multiple group one-winning Powerscourt and the group one-placed Last Train. Rainbow Lake is a daughter of Rainbow Quest, a son of Blushing Groom who has been a top broodmare sire. The champion is the damsire of such group one winners as Look Here, Samitar, and Spanish Moon.

Bullet Train is a descendant of the prolific female family one, the same female family responsible for many of the greatest racehorses to grace the racetracks of the world and many of the top sires the breed has seen. Such top stallions that descend from this female family include Bold Reasoning, Buckpasser, and Forty Niner.

American breeders would need to ship their mares overseas in order to breed them to the great Frankel, but with Bullet Train slated stand in Kentucky, breeders will have the opportunity to breed to a stallion with nearly identical parentage to the great champion. Bullet Train certainly wasn’t as talented as Frankel, but a horse’s performances on the track do not promise anything regarding a horse’s success in the breeding shed.

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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Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint

By the end of this year, there will be five winners of the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint: from Maryfield at Monmouth, to Ventura and Informed Decision at Santa Anita, to Dubai Majesty and a new champion at Churchill. Will one of these fillies or mares be that new champion? Here are my top four picks for the Filly & Mare Sprint:

1. Turbulent Descent: This Mike Puype trainee is an extremely talented filly. By Congrats, Turbulent Descent is undefeated at the Filly & Mare Sprint’s distance of seven furlongs. In her final prep for the Breeders’ Cup, she easily won the Test Stakes (GI) at Saratoga by nearly four lengths. The bay three-year-old, who has never finished worse than second in five starts, is coming into the race extremely well. Her last five works have all been bullet works at Hollywood Park. It would be great to see Blinkers On Racing Stable, a partnership, in the Breeders’ Cup winner’s circle and it seems like there is a very good chance for that to happen.

The field turning for home in the
2010 BC Filly & Mare Sprint
Photo: Terri Cage

2. Pomeroys Pistol: Coming off a four-length victory in the Gallant Bloom Handicap (GII), Pomeroys Pistol recently worked 1:02.40 for five furlongs at Monmouth Park. The filly, by Pomeroy, finished second in two grade ones prior to winning the Gallant Bloom. She has only been off the board once this year, when she finished sixth in Eight Belles Stakes (GIII). This is slightly worrisome in relation to her hopes for the Breeders’ Cup, as the Eight Belles was a seven-furlong race at Churchill Downs, just like the Filly & Mare Sprint. However, the half-sister to stakes-placed D’cat’s Meow has not finished worse than second since. A win in the Filly & Mare Sprint would cap off a very successful year for Pomeroys Pistol.

3. Switch: Switch has become one of John Sadler’s only Breeders’ Cup hopes, as Zazu is out for the year with shoulder inflammation and Twirling Candy has been retired. After finishing second in the Filly & Mare Sprint last year, Switch impressed us with two spectacular wins in grade one sprints for fillies and mares. She then returned to route races and though she never finished worse than third, she never made it to the winner’s circle either. She returned to sprinting in her last start, the TCA Stakes (GII) at Keeneland. Having to travel very wide, the bay filly finished a disappointing but close third. Though a win in the race would have been appreciated, the filly is training well. On October 18, she turned in a 47.40 half-mile work at Keeneland. It would be wonderful to see the esteemed Calumet Farm, which unfortunately has been considered a has-been by many, earn a Breeders’ Cup win with this filly that they bred.

4. Tamarind Hall:  Everyone loves rags to riches stories and this filly is a great example of one. Of her twenty lifetime starts, she has run for a claiming price in half of them. The Florida-bred is based at Finger Lakes, which is not highly regarded on the national scene. After dominantly winning an allowance race at Finger Lakes, she was entered in the Bed o’ Roses Handicap (GIII) at Belmont Park. Dismissed at 15-1, Tamarind Hall won the grade three race by 5 ¼ lengths. She followed up that victory with a third in the Ballerina Stakes (GI) and a second in the Gallant Bloom to Pomeroys Pistol. Her most recent work came on October 18, when she worked a half-mile in 48.60 at Finger Lakes. If you love underdogs, she’s the one to cheer for.


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