Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf: Laughing eating light but still good to go

ARCADIA, Calif. – Laughing does not have quite the appetite in California as she does at home in New Jersey, but as of Friday morning the 5-year-old mare remained on target to set the pace Saturday in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf.

“I can’t say she’s banging the feed tub,” trainer Alan Goldberg said early Friday at Santa Anita. “At home she’d probably have 14 quarts (of feed). We’re getting nine or 10 into her here.”

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Laughing has won all four of her starts this year, including two Grade 1's – the Flower Bowl in her most recent start at Belmont Park on Sept. 28, and the Diana in July at Saratoga. The 5-year-old mare arrived in California on Tuesday night, trained Thursday on the main track, and was scheduled to jog again on Friday.

As for her diminished appetite, Goldberg attributes it to the cross-country ship. “I would imagine you get a lot of (shippers) like that,” he said. “You wish it wasn’t so. Some horses will eat rocks.”

Laughing, with jockey Jose Lezcano, is expected to be the lone speed in the 1 1/4-mile F&M Turf. Her main rivals include two top-class European shippers: Dank, who won the Beverly D. at Arlington on Aug. 17, and Group 1 winner Romantica, who will try to emulate her dam Banks Hill, who won the 2001 F&M Turf.

Ten fillies and mares were entered in the race. The top California hopefuls are Tiz Flirtatious and Marketing Mix, runner-up in the F&M Turf one year ago.