BC Countdown - Juvenile Fillies: Storm Flag Flying can join elite group

Storm Flag Flying became the sixth filly in the last 14 years to sweep Belmont Park's Matron and Frizette stakes. Only two of the previous five have come back to win the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies.

But, on Oct. 26 at Arlington Park, Storm Flag Flying will be heavily favored to join Meadow Star and Flanders on that list when she figures to go off the shortest-priced favorite of the eight Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championship races.

As of Wednesday, there were only seven confirmed runners for the Juvenile Fillies, with five more under consideration.

Storm Flag Flying, a daughter of Storm Cat out of the 1995 Juvenile Fillies winner My Flag, put in the most professional performance of her three-race career in the Frizette, winning by two lengths over Santa Catarina.

"I was pretty impressed with her the other day myself," trainer Shug McGaughey said. "She was able to stalk that horse [Santa Catarina]. I thought it was an easy race for her, easier than the [Matron] because he didn't have to ride her as hard."

McGaughey said Storm Flag Flying came out of the race in great shape and will most likely remain in New York until Oct. 24.

Trainer Bob Baffert came out of last weekend's preps with three contenders for the Juvenile Fillies. Santa Catarina finished a solid second to Storm Flag Flying in the Frizette while Composure ran to Baffert's expectations winning the Oak Leaf by three lengths over Buffythecenterfold. Though Atlantic Ocean had a three-race winning streak snapped when fourth in the Alcibiades, Baffert said she came out of the race with a lung infection.

Westerly Breeze and Ruby's Reception, the first two finishers of the Alcibiades will run in the Juvenile Fillies. A daughter of Gone West, Westerly Breeze has seemed to improve the longer she has run and trainer Carl Nafzger is confident his filly will get the nine furlongs.

"Yes, because she's got a great mind," Nafzger said. "If she'll keep improving she'll be right where we want her."

Westerly Breeze has the benefit of having run twice at Arlington Park, winning her maiden there by five lengths.

After winning the Ellis Park Debutante, Ruby's Reception ran second in both the Kentucky Cup Juvenile Fillies and Alcibiades. Trainer Larry Jones said Ruby's Reception didn't handle the wet Keeneland track that well in the Alcibiades.

Stellar, who finished fourth in the Spinaway, was the first of the Juvenile Fillies contenders to arrive in Chicago. Trainer Patrick Biancone plans two works over the track before the Juvenile Fillies.

As of Wednesday, Appleby Gardens, Moonlight Sonata, and Buffythecenterfold were all under consideration for the Juvenile Fillies.

Ivanavinalot is running in Saturday's $400,000 My Dear Girl Stakes at Calder, and depending how she runs and comes out of the race will determine if she goes on to the Breeders' Cup.

The only European expected to pre-enter is Reach for the Moon, a half-sister to Japan's multiple Group 1 winner Agnes Digital.