Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint: Groupie Doll no longer intimidating

As if there wasn’t already a supposition that the $1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint will be more competitive this year at Santa Anita than last year – when Groupie Doll won easily as an odds-on favorite – that sentiment was confirmed over the weekend, when Groupie Doll was a no-excuse third as the 1-2 choice in the Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes at Keeneland.

A core of would-be challengers all look a little better through the prism of that defeat, and with every prep race now in the books, the outlook for the seven-furlong race on Nov. 2 can definitely be pronounced “wide open.”

The Groupie Doll camp remains optimistic despite the performance by the 5-year-old mare in the Grade 2 TCA, a six-furlong Polytrack race.

“We’re looking forward to getting back to the dirt at seven furlongs,” said trainer Buff Bradley, referring to the race conditions of the Filly and Mare Sprint.

Judy the Beauty, owned and trained by Wesley Ward, earned a Win and You’re In berth into the Breeders’ Cup by winning the TCA and definitely will come, said Ward. Gypsy Robin, the runner-up, most likely will not run at Santa Anita, according to trainer Mike Puype.

Meanwhile, in California, Teddy’s Promise stamped her ticket into the Filly and Mare Sprint by winning the ungraded L.A. Woman as the 8-5 favorite on Saturday at Santa Anita. Teddy’s Promise set the pace last year in the F-M Sprint before fading to eighth, but as a winner of four stakes since then, trainer Ron Ellis feels she stands a much better chance this time around.

Executiveprivelege, who was making just her second start of the year when fourth as the second choice in the 6 1/2-furlong L.A. Woman, was confirmed Monday for the Filly and Mare Sprint by trainer Bob Baffert, who already has one of the likely favorites for the race in Book Review.

Baffert had considered Book Review for the L.A. Woman before deciding just to train her into the race. The 4-year-old filly, narrowly beaten in the Aug. 23 Ballerina at Saratoga in her most recent start, drilled six furlongs in 1:12.80 on Monday at Santa Anita.

From New York, the undefeated Cluster of Stars is still under consideration for the Filly and Mare Sprint by way of supplementary entry, according to Toby Sheets, assistant to trainer Steve Asmussen. Cluster of Stars, a New York-bred 4-year-old filly, was an impressive winner of the Grade 2 Gallant Bloom on Sept. 21 at Belmont Park to remain unbeaten in six starts