Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf: Watsdachances a serious contender

Watsdachances established herself as a serious contender for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf with a professional score in Monday’s Grade 3 Miss Grillo Stakes, a Win and You’re In race at Belmont.

Watsdachances raced well off the early pace before closing strongly between rivals in the stretch to prevail by 2 1/4 lengths over yielding ground. She was awarded an 81 Beyer Speed Figure.

Javier Castellano rode Watsdachances for trainer Chad Brown, who won the inaugural BC Juvenile Fillies Turf in 2008 with Maram.

“Javier gave her a terrific ride,” Brown said. “To be that patient and wait for a seam on the inside, Javier made a big difference. He rode her with a lot of confidence and made good decisions out there.”

Watsdachances was sold to the partnership of Michael Kisber and Bradley Thoroughbreds after winning her maiden second time out in her native Ireland in April. She captured the Aug. 29 P.G. Johnson Stakes at Saratoga over Broken Spell, who subsequently ran second in the Grade 1 Alcibiades.

“Peter Bradley found this filly in Europe and was adamant about buying her,” Brown said.

◗ Spring Venture extended her unbeaten record to three races at Woodbine last Saturday when she notched the Grade 3 Mazarine Stakes comfortably on the Polytrack under Patrick Husbands.

“Everybody is looking towards the Breeders’ Cup, and I tried to give her an easy race,” Husbands said. “She was so relaxed in the race, and by the half-mile, I squeezed her a little bit. At the top of the lane, she started to wait on them, but at the eighth pole, she got rolling again.”

Spring Venture had previously won the Grade 2 Natalma, a Win and You’re In turf stakes at Woodbine, and trainer Mark Casse has confirmed her for the Juvenile Fillies Turf. The Casse-trained Spring in the Air, the Natalma runner-up, is headed for the BC Juvenile Fillies off a victory in the Alcibiades.

◗ Flashy Ways took Santa Anita’s prep for the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf last Monday, the $100,000 Surfer Girl Stakes. She is not BC-nominated, however, and will have to be supplemented to the race.

The final Win and You’re In, the Grade 3 Jessamine Stakes, was to be run Thursday at Keeneland.