Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf: Lucky Folie makes grass debut

The $100,000 Surfer Girl at Santa Anita on Saturday is the last major North American prep for the Grade 1, $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and should help identify at least one serious contender for the one-mile race at Keeneland on Oct. 30.

It is unlikely that a horse coming out of the Surfer Girl will win the Juvenile Fillies Turf, however. Since the Juvenile Fillies Turf was established in 2008, a California-based horse hasn’t won the race. Despite the fact that five of the seven editions of the race were held at Santa Anita, none of the previous winners had ever raced in California.

Trainer Richard Mandella is hoping Lucky Folie is good enough to break the string, and he will know more about her after she tries turf for the first time in the Surfer Girl.

Lucky Folie, a Kentucky-bred daughter of Distorted Humor, has only started once and was impressive in winning her debut over next-out winner Bellamentary going 5 1/2 furlongs in a maiden special weight race on the main track at Del Mar on Sept. 6.

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“One race doesn’t make it, and we’ll see how she does Saturday before making any plans for the Breeders’ Cup,” said Mandella.

Mandella was happy with her six-furlong work in company with Forest Chatter last Saturday. Forest Chatter, a 4-year-old gelding, reeled off four straight wins on the downhill turf course this year.

“It was a good work for her, but she’s always worked well,” said Mandella. “Come to think of it, she ran pretty well, too. I have a feeling she’ll like the turf.”

Lucky Folie certainly has the pedigree to take to the turf. Her dam, Lucky Copy, won four races on turf and lost by a half-length in the Grade 3 Pucker Up at Arlington Park.

Jakaby Jade, who won the $100,000 Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf in her first start in North America for trainer Doug O’Neill, is the horse Lucky Folie will have to beat in the Surfer Girl.

◗ Trainer Aidan O’Brien won the last Win and You’re In race for the Juvenile Fillies Turf in Europe with Ballydoyle in the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac at Longchamp last Sunday. From comments in the Sporting Life, it doesn’t appear that Ballydoyle, an Irish-bred daughter of Galileo, will take advantage of the fees-paid berth she earned, however.

“She’s a beautiful mover and loves fast ground. You’d think she’s a filly you’d really look forward to for next year,” O’Brien said following the race.

European-based horses have won the Juvenile Fillies Turf twice. Flotilla finished fourth in the Marcel Boussac prior to her win in the 2012 Juvenile Fillies Turf. The following year, Chriselliam went into the race off a win in the Group 1 Newmarket Mile, a Win and You’re In Race.