Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies: New York fillies a powerful 1-2 punch

New York’s top juvenile fillies already accomplished more than merely winning Grade 1 races. Don’t believe it? Before wagering on the Breeders’ Cup, the Frizette at Belmont Park and the Spinaway at Saratoga merit review.

Neither race unfolded according to plan for Jaywalk and Sippican Harbor. One filly was going too fast, the other too slow.

Jaywalk entered the one-mile Frizette following an off-the-pace victory in a minor stakes at Delaware Park. In a phone interview this week, trainer John Servis said he expected similar tactics under new rider Joel Rosario.

“I told Joel, look, sit where you’re comfortable. She’s fine getting dirt in her face and she’s got speed if you need it for position. Ride your race how it plays out,” Servis said.

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Jaywalk popped the gate and raced to the lead in 22.63 seconds, the fastest opening quarter of the Frizette in 10 years. She smoked the opening half-mile in 45.65, the fastest in 11 years.

Servis thought it might be too quick.

“When I saw the fractions, I’m like . . . oh, this isn’t good,” he said.

But while Jaywalk was running fast, she was running comfortably. And she kept running, to win by 5 3/4 lengths and emerge as a major contender for the BC Juvenile Fillies.

Sippican Harbor was the opposite. Also ridden by Rosario, she entered the seven-furlong Spinaway after a front-running maiden victory. Her preferred style is to be determined, but trainer Gary Contessa this week acknowledged concern after her slow start in the Spinaway.

“Watching her go down the backside dead last, I wasn’t exactly thrilled with my chances,” Contessa said. “But it was obvious that Rosario was motionless on her, so I knew that she had something to give. It was just a question of if it would be good enough.”

Sippican Harbor was good enough, all right. Pinched at the break, trailing after a half-mile, she rallied wide, swept to the lead in deep stretch, and won by two lengths.

Jaywalk and Sippican Harbor give New York a powerful one-two punch for the BC Juvenile Fillies, a race with only 10 known candidates. California-based Bellafina remains favored following three graded wins, Kentucky-based Serengeti Empress and Restless Rider enter off decisive stakes victories. Vibrance, Reflect, Splashy Kisses, Cassies Dreamer, and Cookie Dough are outsiders.

Jaywalk is the latest top-class filly trained by Servis, but she is different from Kentucky Oaks winner Cathryn Sophia, Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner Round Pond, and two-time Grade 1 winner Jostle. Servis said Jaywalk “was much more precocious than any of them. She’s been forward from the get-go.”

“Even at the sale, when she walked out of the barn, she was one of those fillies that just grabbed your attention right away – very striking, very feminine, but just looked like a racehorse,” he said.

Jaywalk is a cleverly named daughter of Cross Traffic purchased for $190,000 as a yearling. She runs for Cash Is King LLC and Leonard Green. The Juvenile Fillies will be her first start around two turns.

“I’ve always thought this filly would be better going two turns,” Servis said.

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The Frizette-to-Breeders’ Cup campaign has worked well. The Frizette has produced more Juvenile Fillies winners (11) than any race. Furthermore, bettors that include jockey preference in their handicapping will note that Rosario chose to ride Jaywalk, a filly he rode for the first time in the Frizette, over Sippican Harbor, a filly he rode all three starts.

“I was a little ticked off at first,” Contessa said regarding Rosario’s decision. “I got over it quickly. Top riders have choices to make; top riders ride top horses. There’s nothing I’d like better than making him wish he stayed on [Sippican Harbor]. I’ve got a good replacement in Irad Ortiz. He’s won a lot of races for us.”

Sippican Harbor will enter the Breeders’ Cup fresh, with nine weeks between starts, after Contessa campaigned her ambitiously at Saratoga. She made three starts in six weeks.

“I was arguably unkind to her at Saratoga,” Contessa joked, “so the decision to train her into the Breeders’ Cup was easy. She’s such a good work horse.”

Previous Spinaway winners Meadow Star and Flanders followed with Juvenile Fillies wins, but Sippican Harbor would be the first to pull off the Spinaway-Breeders’ Cup double without a start between. The layoff is not a worry for Contessa.

“She’s an amazing work horse. She makes it very easy for me,” he said. “She’s very professional, very low key. She really has the mind of a 4- or 5-year-old.”

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Lee Pokoik owns Sippican Harbor, a daughter or Orb purchased for $260,000 as a yearling. She worked six furlongs Tuesday at Belmont Park and is scheduled for another work early next week at Belmont. Her final, short workout will be Breeders’ Cup week at Churchill Downs.

The owner of Florida-based Cookie Dough has had a change in heart, and plans to run her in the Juvenile Fillies. Arindel Farm racing manager Brian Cohen said Thursday via text: “I have a very confident trainer, so on second thought I’m going to take a shot with Cookie Dough in the BC.”

Stanley Gold trains Cookie Dough, who overcame a wide trip to win the $400,000 My Dear Girl Stakes by more than seven lengths Sept. 29 at Gulfstream Park. Cookie Dough, a two-time Florida-bred stakes winner, was considered for the Grade 3 Tempted Nov. 2 at Aqueduct, but after a sharp five-furlong work this week at Gulfstream Park, will aim to the Breeders’ Cup.

Arindel-owned Blonde Bomber finished third in the 2017 BC Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar. Cookie Dough, an Arindel-bred daughter of Behrens, has won two of five starts.

Cassies Dreamer, third to Jaywalk in the Frizette, and third to Sippican Harbor in the Spinaway, will aim to the Juvenile Fillies, according to Barclay Tagg’s assistant trainer Robin Smullen. Cassies Dreamer was claimed for $50,000 from her winning debut, followed by the Frizette and Spinaway. She is owned by the Turf Racing Stable of Rusty Jones, and Hayward Pressman.

– additional reporting by David Grening