BC Juv. Fillies Turf: Sunset Glow made 7-2 favorite

ARCADIA, Calif. – Trainer Wesley Ward is winless with 16 Breeders’ Cup starters, but he will send out the favorite, Sunset Glow, in Friday’s $1 million Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita.

Sunset Glow, the winner of the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante in August, drew post 3 and was installed as the 7-2 morning-line favorite in a race that drew 16 entrants. Only 14 will be permitted to run in the one-mile race. Flying Tipat and War Alert were assigned to the also-eligible list and will need a scratch by 8 a.m. Pacific on Friday in order to run.

European-based runners Osalia and Qualify were made the co-second choices at 5-1, but Qualify drew post 14, while Osalia will break from post 2. Lady Eli, the winner of the Miss Grillo Stakes, was made the 6-1 fourth choice and is the only other runner under 10-1.

The Juvenile Fillies Turf will be the third of four Breeders’ Cup races run Friday.

Sunset Glow has had, in Ward’s terms, a “convoluted” campaign, squeezing her first three races in 39 days – including a trip to Royal Ascot, where she finished second in the Group 3 Albany Stakes.

After seven weeks off, Sunset Glow crammed two races into 25 days, winning the Grade 2 Sorrento and Del Mar Debutante over Del Mar’s synthetic surface.

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“I always felt like she was the most talented of my 2-year-olds to go to England and win,” Ward said. “She ran a valiant second in the race. Had I been able to prepare her better, she could have won it.”

Sunset Glow had shin issues in the spring, which forced Ward to start her later than he would have hoped.

Given the schedule he had her on, Ward decided to give Sunset Glow two months between races.

Ward said Sunset Glow had a couple of “monster works” over Keeneland’s turf course. He had planned to work Sunset Glow on Monday at Santa Anita but said the filly didn’t eat up when she arrived here Saturday, so he just jogged her Sunday and galloped her Monday.

Ward said he planned to have Sunset Glow “open gallop” on turf Tuesday.

For the second straight year, trainer Chad Brown entered four in the Juvenile Fillies Turf. His horses were the last four called, and they drew, for the most part, fairly well. Lady Eli (6-1), the best of the four, drew post 4, while Partisan Politics (15-1), arguably his second-best chance, drew the rail.

French import Sivoliere (12-1), whom Brown will be running for the first time, will break from post 6, while Tammy the Torpedo (12-1) drew post 12.