Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies: Hennig looks for first BC victory with Rum Twist

LEXINGTON, Ky. – In 1993, Mark Hennig made his first Breeders’ Cup appearance with Demaloot Demashoot, who went on to finish fifth in that year’s Sprint. More than three decades later, the trainer is far from done in the championship ranks, having entered Rum Twist in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies on Friday.

The improving 2-year-old will be Hennig’s second Breeders’ Cup entrant in as many years, as the trainer also ran Gun Song, the sixth-place finisher in the 2025 Breeders’ Cup Distaff. With multiple starters at the event in each decade since his 1992 debut, the former assistant to D. Wayne Lukas has weathered several lean stretches to return with strong contenders. He is still looking for his first Breeders’ Cup victory.

“We’ve been fortunate with [co-owner R. Lee Lewis] to be here two years in a row,” Hennig said. “We don’t buy a ton of horses and we don’t get a bunch of 2-year-olds, but to be back here with another young prospect for him is very encouraging.”

Rum Twist, a 15-1 outsider on the morning line in the field of 12, has come a long way in four career starts. Following a 5 1/4-length maiden victory in her third attempt at Saratoga in September, she stretched out to a mile at Belmont Park and finished second in the Grade 1 Frizette.

“I think she got a lot out of it,” Hennig said. “Sometimes, getting beat isn’t the worst thing in the world if you see how they come out of it. She came out of it almost pissed off. It’s good to see when a horse does that.”

Rum Twist is joined by Revenge of the Sis, the third-place finisher in the Frizette for trainer George Weaver. Dotsy, the 2 3/4-length winner of the race, was pre-entered by trainer John Grabowski but later withdrew.

The two last-out Belmont runners will have their hands full with undefeated Grade 1 winners Emphatic and Miss Monica, along with last-out graded stakes winners Domain Expansion and Voyager.

Pletcher, Casse send longshots

It is far from unusual for Todd Pletcher and Brad Cox to each have two horses entered in this year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. It is downright strange, however, for both of them to be punching up with longshots.

From the four 2-year-olds trained by two of the most decorated horsemen in American racing, the Cox-trained filly Foxiest is the shortest price of the quartet on the morning line at 15-1. Both of Pletcher’s runners are 30-1.

There are several factors pushing the two trainers to take their respective chances. Cox, for one, had heaps of praise for Foxiest looking back on her second career start last month, a 3 3/4-length maiden victory in a 7 1/2-furlong race at Churchill Downs.

“She’s good,” Cox said. “I like her a lot. First time two turns. I do think she’ll handle it, being by Gun Runner. She’s really classy, easy to deal with.”

Cox’s other filly, Scarlett Begonia, has a significant edge in stakes experience over her stablemate, having finished in the money in the Grade 3 Adirondack at Saratoga and Grade 3 Pocahontas at Churchill Downs. She improved to earn a 75 Beyer at a mile last month.

Pletcher’s reasons for running struggling stakes runner Life Changing and the maiden Badittude are strongly tied to Mike Repole of Repole Stable, who owns both fillies. The trainer has a green light to take the Grade 1 test.

“When you have an owner like Mike Repole, he’s game and he wants to take a shot,” Pletcher said.

Badittude may be winless in three starts, but the longshot stretched out to a mile at Belmont earlier this month and delivered a game, front-running effort, finishing a neck back in second with an 82 Beyer.

“She’s a curious type, always looking around,” Pletcher said. “She made the lead in there, and I think she’s better off with a target.”

Life Changing, a seven-length debut winner at Saratoga in August, disappointed in her next two attempts in stakes company. Pletcher said he is hoping the 1 1/16-mile distance will get her back to her best.