Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint: Taris, Judy the Beauty down but not out

The last two major preps for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint resulted in surprises, with one of the would-be favorites for the race, Taris, incurring the biggest blow to her reputation with her defeat in the L.A. Woman Stakes at Santa Anita.

Ben’s Duchess rallied off a hot pace Sunday to win the L.A. Woman at 8-1, and trainer John Sadler said afterward he will contemplate a run in the BC Filly and Mare Sprint. The runner-up, Uzzili, is not a BC nominee and will not run, said trainer Keith Desormeaux, while Taris, third as the odds-on favorite, will forge ahead to the Breeders’ Cup, said trainer Simon Callaghan.

Meanwhile, last year’s Filly and Mare Sprint winner, Judy the Beauty, ran third at even-money in her final prep, the six-furlong Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes on Saturday at Keeneland. But despite the defeat, the 6-year-old mare figures to be among the first few wagering choices for the seven-furlong Filly and Mare Sprint on Oct. 31 at Keeneland. Judy the Beauty lacked room to run until it was too late, closing steadily to finish 1 1/4 lengths behind Fioretti, the perfect-trip winner at 17-1.

“Obviously, we didn’t get a very good trip,” said Wesley Ward, the owner and trainer of Judy the Beauty. “The race should do her a lot of good, and the stretch-out from six to seven furlongs should help, too. We’ll be ready.”

Fioretti will be the first BC starter for trainer Anthony Hamilton and jockey Sophia Doyle. TCA runner-up Heykittykittykitty is not a BC nominee and most likely will not be supplemented, said trainer Ron Moquett. Other BC possibilities exiting the TCA are Sweet Whiskey, fifth at 7-1, and Leigh Court, eighth at 2-1.

Another major Filly and Mare Sprint hopeful, Stonetastic, was entered to run last Saturday in the Roamin Rachel at Parx, but the equine herpesvirus quarantine at the Philadelphia-area track precluded her from making the short trip from her Monmouth Park base. Only two horses were left in a decimated race contested over a wet track.

“That’s fine,” said trainer Kelly Breen. “We were thinking about training right into the race anyway. It’s probably a blessing, considering how much rain was on that track.”

Stonetastic, a 4-year-old gray filly, will enter the Filly and Mare Sprint with the highest last-out Beyer Speed Figure (109).

:: Breeders’ Cup Challenge: Results, replays, charts, and more

:: BREEDERS’ CUP 2015: See DRF’s top contenders

All the fallout from the weekend appears to leave a pair of New York-based horses, La Verdad and the 3-year-old Cavorting, as the top two favorites for the Filly and Mare Sprint. La Verdad, unbeaten in five starts this year for trainer Linda Rice, will have to be supplemented for $100,000. Cavorting, the winner of the Test and Prioress stakes, is scheduled to have her first of three straight Friday breezes this week for Kiaran McLaughlin at Belmont Park.

Several other 3-year-olds, including Super Majesty, Bar of Gold, and No Fault of Mine, are being pointed to the Oct. 17 Raven Run at Keeneland, but none is likely to wheel back in two weeks in the Filly and Mare Sprint, according to their connections.

At Churchill Downs, trainer Dallas Stewart said Unbridled Forever, the winner of the Grade 1 Ballerina, has been withdrawn from consideration because of a minor injury diagnosed last month.