BC Countdown - Juvenile Fillies: Storm Flag Flying bears family banner

Since winning the Juvenile Fillies with My Flag and running one-two in the Distaff with Inside Information and Heavenly Prize in 1995, the Phipps family has had only five starters in the Breeders' Cup.

But the Phipps family is back this year and will be well represented in the Juvenile Fillies with Storm Flag Flying, whose family has accounted for two Breeders' Cup victories. Storm Flag Flying is out of My Flag, whose mother, Personal Ensign, won the 1988 Distaff.

Storm Flag Flying, by Storm Cat, is undefeated in two starts following her 12 3/4-length romp in the Grade 1 Matron. She is expected to make her next start in the Grade 1 Frizette on Oct. 5.

At 7-5, Storm Flag Flying was made the strongest favorite among the eight races in which future wagers were taken.

Injuries to three top juvenile fillies served only to strengthen the advantage Storm Flag Flying seems to hold in this division. Awesome Humor, the undefeated winner of the Grade 1 Spinaway, and Handpainted, who lost her first race Saturday in the Mazarine Stakes at Woodbine, suffered season-ending injuries over the weekend.

Wednesday, it was revealed that Miss Houdini, the undefeated winner of the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante, would most likely be retired after tearing a tendon in her left front leg, according to her trainer, Warren Stute.

Though she still displays signs of immaturity, Storm Flag Flying has already surpassed what her mother did at this point in her career. My Flag's second win came in the Breeders' Cup.

Trainer Bob Baffert, who ran one-two in the 1998 Juvenile Fillies with Silverbulletday and Excellent Meeting, has a bevy of juvenile fillies this year with Atlantic Ocean, Santa Catarina, and Composure. Atlantic Ocean, winner of the Kentucky Cup Juvenile Fillies, and Santa Catarina, runner-up in the Del Mar Debutante, are being pointed to the Oak Leaf Stakes at Santa Anita on Oct. 5. Though Composure has won only her maiden, Baffert said she has an abundance of talent. Baffert has not decided where Composure will make her next start.

Last year, Godolphin finished one-two in the Juvenile Fillies with Tempera and Imperial Gesture. This year, illnesses in New York and California have slowed the development of many of Godolphin's top babies. Still, Godolphin has potential Breeders' Cup starters in Ashraaf, who runs in Saturday's Arlington-Washington Lassie, and Danuta, who won her maiden last week at Belmont and will run in the Frizette.

Trainer Ken McPeek has a pair of potential Juvenile Fillies runners in Midnight Cry, the third-place finisher from the Spinaway, and Fabulous Brush, the Bassinet winner. Midnight Cry will run in the Alcibiades on Oct. 6, while Fabulous Brush will test Storm Flag Flying in the Frizette.

With convincing victories in the first legs of the Florida Stallion Series, Ivanavinalot has established herself as the top juvenile filly in south Florida. She is being pointed, however, to the $400,000 My Dear Girl Stakes - the last leg of the stallion series - on Oct. 12 at Calder, and trainer Kathleen O'Connell fears that may be too close to run back in the Breeders' Cup.