Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf: Key preps this week in England, France

The group stakes winner Nyaleti, the unbeaten Gavota, and the stakes-placed Butterscotch are three leading contenders for Friday’s Group 2 Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket Racecourse in England, a race with implications for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf on Nov. 3 at Del Mar.

The winner of the $146,000 Rockfel Stakes at a straightaway seven furlongs receives a fees-paid berth in the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf at a mile.

The Rockfel has several contenders but lacks a heavy favorite.

Nyaleti, an Irish-bred Arch filly trained by Mark Johnston, won the Group 3 Princess Margaret Stakes at six furlongs at Ascot in July and was a game third by a half-length in the Group 2 May Hill Stakes at a mile Sept. 14 at Doncaster.

Gavota, a Bated Breath filly trained by Roger Charlton, won two conditioned races for 2-year-olds in August at six and seven furlongs. Butterscotch, a Galileo filly trained by Aidan O’Brien, was second to stablemate Clemmie in the Group 3 Grangecon Stud Stakes at six furlongs at The Curragh on July 2.

Clemmie is the future-book favorite for the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes at six furlongs Saturday at Newmarket.

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Sunday’s Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac at Chantilly is France’s leading race for 2-year-old fillies. The winner receives a fees-paid berth in the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf.

O’Brien has three leading nominees – Happily, Magical, and September, the first three finishers of the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes at The Curragh on Sept. 10. Happily earned a fees-paid berth in the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf with that victory.

O’Brien is not the only trainer loaded with BC Juvenile Fillies Turf prospects.

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Mark Casse won the race in 2015 with Catch a Glimpse and consistently has had starters in recent years. This season, Casse has three prospects – Heavenly Love, Miss Mo Mentum, and Wonder Gadot.

Heavenly Love won her turf debut in a maiden race at six furlongs Sept. 7 at Kentucky Downs in her second start.

Miss Mo Mentum won a maiden race at a mile on turf last Saturday at Churchill Downs and is a candidate for the Grade 3 Jessamine Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on turf Oct. 11 at Keeneland. The winner of the $150,000 Jessamine receives a fees-paid berth in the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Wonder Gadot, who finished third by three-quarters of a length in the Grade 1 Natalma Stakes at a mile on turf Sept. 17 at Woodbine, is likely to start in the $125,000 Mazarine Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on Woodbine’s synthetic surface Oct. 7.