Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies: Chocolate Gelato leader of evenly matched group
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The last two preps for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies did give the Nov. 4 race some clarity – although not a ton. It’s still shaping up to be a very well-matched race.
Wonder Wheel narrowly held on to win a three-filly photo in the Grade 1 Alcibiades at Keeneland last Friday, a race that produced a moderate 81 Beyer Speed Figure. One day later, And Tell Me Nolies captured the Grade 1 Chandelier at Santa Anita with another relatively low Beyer. Both winners were making their first starts around two turns when going 1 1/16 miles, the same distance the $2 million BC Juvenile Fillies will be run at Keeneland.
Wonder Wheel tripped out perfectly on the lead after breaking smoothly from post 1 before edging Chop Chop and Raging Sea, the latter ultimately being disqualified from third to fourth for deep-stretch interference.
And Tell Me Nolies won her second straight graded stakes at a square mutuel for trainer Peter Miller, with the Grade 2 Chandelier following the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante at seven furlongs Sept. 10. The Arrogate filly was 9-1 when getting a 71 Beyer at Del Mar, then 8-1 with a 75 Beyer in the Chandelier. As for the low Beyers, Miller quipped after the $200,000 Chandelier: “I don’t think they’re going to pay us any less.”
Among the notables withdrawn from Juvenile Fillies consideration because of poor Chandelier efforts were Justique, third as the 6-5 favorite, and the Bob Baffert pair of Home Cooking (fifth) and Huntingcoco (seventh).
Also, Fun and Feisty, winner of the Grade 3 Pocahontas last month at Churchill Downs, is now out of the Juvenile Fillies after finishing eighth in the Alcibiades, said trainer Kenny McPeek.
Meanwhile, from New York, all three of the top finishers in the Grade 1 Frizette on Oct. 2 are now in. Frizette winner Chocolate Gelato, the Todd Pletcher trainee who might well be the favorite for the Juvenile Fillies, was always a go, but it wasn’t until last weekend that John Terranova confirmed that New York-bred You’re My Girl will be supplemented to the Breeders’ Cup and Phil Serpe said Leave No Trace, winner of the Grade 1 Spinaway, is coming, too. You’re My Girl and Leave No Trace were the respective two-three finishers in the Frizette.
Pletcher added a second prospect for the race when Florida-bred Atomically was purchased privately by Eclipse Thoroughbreds after her recent victory in the restricted My Dear Girl at Gulfstream Park and turned over to the Hall of Fame trainer.
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