Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint: Stevens to ride Starship Truffles

Trainer Marty Wolfson has confirmed Gary Stevens as the new jockey for Starship Truffles, his Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint hopeful, while also saying he is “on the fence” as to whether to run My Pal Chrisy in the $1 million race Nov. 2 at Santa Anita.

Wolfson said he believes Stevens “will fit Starship Truffles just great,” and added that the alternative race for My Pal Chrisy would be a Florida-bred race the weekend after the Breeders’ Cup. A $120,000 fee would have to be paid to get My Pal Chrisy to the starting gate.
“They’re both going to work the next two Saturdays, and we’ll consider our options further,” said Wolfson, whose lone BC victory came in the 2006 Mile with Miesque’s Approval.

Wolfson said he believes both horses merit a shot in “a wide-open race.”

“It looks like the favorites are pretty vulnerable – you saw what happened with Groupie Doll,” Wolfson said, referring to last year’s female sprint champion, who finished third in the Oct. 5 Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes in her most recent start.

Transportation to California has been something of an issue for both Wolfson horses, along with several other Florida-based BC hopefuls, because no flights are being scheduled from there by the Tex Sutton Forwarding Co. However, a Breeders’ Cup official said the group is working on having the Florida horses flown together via Federal Express.

Meanwhile, in several developments from New York:

◗ Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin confirmed Dance Card for the Filly and Mare Sprint and said he is looking for a jockey. The Distaff also had been under consideration for Dance Card.

◗ Chad Brown said Summer Applause will be pre-entered in the Filly and Mare Sprint after finishing second to Emollient in the 1 1/8-mile Spinster Stakes on the Keeneland Polytrack.

◗ The unbeaten New York-bred Cluster of Stars has been entered on the Empire Showcase program Saturday at Belmont and will not be supplemented to the Breeders’ Cup.

A number of Filly and Mare Sprint candidates had recent workouts as they continue to prepare for the seven-furlong race. Sweet Lulu went five furlongs over the Betfair Hollywood Park synthetic surface Friday for her third work since finishing second in the Grade 1 Cotillion; Dance to Bristol went five furlongs in the mud Monday at Laurel in 1:01.60; Book Review went a half-mile Tuesday in 47.20 seconds, handily, at Santa Anita; and Teddy’s Promise breezed a half-mile Tuesday at Hollywood in 48.20.