Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint: Carina Mia, Cathryn Sophia likely to shorten up
After both were soundly defeated by Songbird last weekend in the Grade 1 Cotillion at Parx, it appears that both Carina Mia and Cathryn Sophia will now be pointed to the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint on Nov. 5 at Santa Anita.
Both 3-year-olds stand to benefit not only from avoiding Songbird, a shoo-in for a divisional Eclipse Award, but also the shorter distance of the Filly and Mare Sprint. Both figure among a core of major contenders in the seven-furlong race, with a handful of remaining preps helping to determine the other favorites.
Bill Mott, the trainer of Cotillion runner-up Carina Mia, said the Nov. 4 BC Distaff or Oct. 22 Raven Run at Keeneland are alternatives but that it’s a “good possibility she’ll wind up” in the Filly and Mare Sprint. Likewise, Chuck Zacney, who manages the Cash Is King partnership that owns Cathryn Sophia, said the Filly and Mare Sprint is the most logical spot before the 2016 Kentucky Oaks winner is sold Nov. 7 at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky.
Meanwhile, a couple of Belmont Park races on Saturday figure to help shape the lineup, particularly the Grade 2 Gallant Bloom, a 6 1/2-furlong race that drew at least three Breeders’ Cup hopefuls: Paulassilverlining, Wonder Gal, and the defending Filly and Mare Sprint winner, Wavell Avenue. In addition, Paola Queen and Off the Tracks both will stretch out from their last starts in the Aug. 6 Test Stakes when using the 1 1/8-mile Beldame on Saturday for a possible turnback move into the Filly and Mare Sprint.
Three races the following weekend (Oct. 8-9) will round out the Filly and Mare Sprint preps, including Tara’s Tango shipping east from California for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer to run in the 1 1/8-mile Spinster at Keeneland, where the more traditional Filly and Mare Sprint prep is the six-furlong Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes. At Santa Anita, the Grade 3 L.A. Woman on Oct. 9 also remains.
In New York, Haveyougoneaway and By the Moon are being trained up to the Filly and Mare Sprint after finishing first and second Aug. 27 in the Ballerina, meaning they would be competing off a 10-week layoff.