Alpine Princess closes out year with career-best Beyer

On Beyer Speed Figures, Alpine Princess vaulted to the top of the 2-year-old filly dirt-route division winning the Untapable Stakes at Fair Grounds on Saturday.

Alpine Princess, who led under Florent Geroux, won the Untapable by two lengths, going one mile 70 yards in 1:43.02. Her 84 Beyer was a career best by 10 points and is meaningfully higher than the 79 Just F Y I earned capturing the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. Only five 2-year-old fillies this year have earned a higher number racing at least one mile. Two of them, V V’s Dream and West Sunset, ended their season with a whimper.

On the numbers, Alpine Princess heads into 2024 looking like a real Kentucky Oaks candidate. With that in mind, and because she already has made five starts, the filly is unlikely to race again until the Grade 2 Rachel Alexandra Stakes on Feb. 17 at Fair Grounds, trainer Brad Cox said.

Cox also sent out Untapable runner-up West Omaha, beaten two lengths attempting to rally into a soft pace while racing greenly through the homestretch. West Omaha is candidate for the Silverbulletday next month at Fair Grounds, though a trip to Oaklawn Park also could be considered.

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Cox won three Fair Grounds races Saturday, the Untapable and a pair of 2-year-old maiden routes, but got a somewhat disappointing performance from Nash, who was third, beaten three lengths at odds of 1-2, in the Gun Runner. Facing winners for the first time, Nash regressed from a 97 Beyer to an 84.

“Thought – hoped – he’d run a little better,” said Cox.

Had Nash impressively won Saturday he wouldn’t have raced again until February. Now, he’s likely for the Lecomte next month.

Cox’s two maiden route winners are sons of Uncle Mo. Mosaico Man got a 76 Beyer in his Saturday maiden win while, while Ethan Energy, more visually impressive, got an 86.

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