Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf: Tarnawa leads strong Euro contingent
Ireland-based trainer Dermot Weld has had his share of success in the United States, winning several Grade 1 races including a memorable performance by Go and Go in the 1990 Belmont Stakes.
However, he has yet to taste success in the Breeders’ Cup, a series in which he is winless with 16 previous starters.
“You’ve got to have the right horse for it,” Weld said Wednesday. “It’s a wonderful occasion. It’d be nice to come back with a nice runner.”
Weld appears to have a very nice runner in Tarnawa, a 4-year-old Irish-bred filly who is 3 for 3 this year including Group 1 victories in the Prix Vermeille and the Prix de l’Opera, both distance races at Longchamp.
Tarnawa is coming to the United States for either the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at 1 3/16 miles or the $4 million Turf against males at 1 1/2 miles. Tarnawa has yet to face males in her 13-race career, but she also has never been better.
“Each of her three races, she’s gotten better with each race,” Weld said. “We’ll decide closer to the day whether she runs in [Filly and Mare Turf] or the Turf.”
Tarnawa ran similar races in both the Prix Vermeille and the Prix de l’Opera. She was held in abeyance by Christophe Soumillon before coming with a strong late run. In the Prix Vermeille she handled firm ground, in the Prix de l’Opera, the ground was listed as heavy.
“She’s a very adaptable filly obviously, and a very, very high-class one as well,” Weld said.
Four weeks out and the Filly and Mare Turf field is very much in flux. In addition to Tarnawa, the European contingent is expected to include Cayenne Pepper, winner of the Group 2 Blandford Stakes after running second to Tarnawa in a Group 3; Audarya, a Group 1 winner in Deauville who was third to Tarnawa in the Prix de l’Opera, and potentially Magical from the barn of Aidan O’Brien, who could instead run in the Turf. Nazeef, who won the Group 1 Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket last Saturday, also is under consideration.
Fancy Blue, a two-time Group 1 winner was expected to travel before suffering a tendon injury in a Monday workout that prompted her retirement, according to The Racing Post. Alpine Star, second in the Prix de l’Opera, is done for the year, according to trainer Jessica Harrington.
Chad Brown, a four-time BC Filly and Mare Turf winner, is definitely pointing Rushing Fall to the race. Rushing Fall, 11 for 14 and a five-time Grade 1 winner, will be trying 1 3/16 miles for the first time. She is 3 for 4 at 1 1/8 miles, including a neck victory over Mean Mary in the Grade 1 Diana on Aug. 23 at Saratoga.
Sistercharlie gave Brown his fourth victory in this race in 2018. Brown did not enter Sistercharlie in Saturday’s Grade 1 Flower Bowl at Belmont Park as expected. Sistercharlie, twice third this year in graded stakes, is being rerouted to the Grade 1, $600,000 E.P. Taylor on Oct. 18 at Woodbine.
Mean Mary, second in the Diana after winning her previous four starts, is being pointed to the Filly and Mare Turf, as is Mucho Unusual, winner of the Grade 1 Rodeo Drive.
Trainer Kevin Attard said he has not yet decided whether Starship Jubilee will run in the Mile or the Filly and Mare Turf.