Breeders' Cup Mile: Tepin has work cut out for her in repeat bid

ARCADIA, Calif. – You hear a lot about the multiple Breeders’ Cup Mile winners: Miesque in 1988, Lure in ’93, Da Hoss in ’98 after his win in ’96, Goldikova in 2009 and 2010, Wise Dan in 2013.

Less frequently mentioned are the seven failed repeat bids. Goldikova was third while trying to win her fourth straight in 2011, and Lure was ninth while attempting to three-peat in 1994. Steinlen, fourth in 1990; Six Perfections, third in 2004; Singletary, eighth in 2005; Kip Deville, second in 2008; and Karakontie, 11th last year, remind us that staying on top is at least as difficult as getting there.

Into which category Tepin, the 2015 Mile winner, will fall is one of the most interesting questions on Breeders’ Cup Saturday.

Tepin beat a solid group a year ago at Keeneland, but this year’s Mile – race 11, post time 4:40 p.m. Pacific, a full gate of 14 entered – is loaded, and Tepin faces nine foes who have won a Group 1 or Grade 1 race at one mile or thereabouts on turf.

Tepin roared into the 2015 Breeders’ Cup following a phenomenal course and distance win in the First Lady Stakes and treated her Mile rivals with similar disdain. But she has done a lot since then. Tepin already had won four times this year before she traveled to England for an historic win in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes, racing down a straight, soggy course at Royal Ascot.

It was a glorious moment, but glory extracts a cost, and Tepin took time to find herself again. There were August doldrums at Saratoga, and when she beat males in the Woodbine Mile, her first post-England start, Tepin might have lacked that little extra zing. And now, Tepin comes into the Mile after her first loss in 14 months, a second-place finish at odds-on in the First Lady. Even her staunchest supporter, trainer Mark Casse, can’t be certain that the Tepin of now is the Tepin of a year ago.

“I’ve got mixed emotions. I understand why she got beat last time, but of course I have concerns,” Casse said. “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t.”

Tepin has a fine draw, post 8, and with a decent break will take up a stalking position under Julien Leparoux. There’s little chance of a First Lady redux, where Photo Call slipped loose on the lead, had five lengths at the stretch call, and held Tepin at bay to win by almost three.

“We wanted to win the race, but at the eighth pole, when Julien knew he couldn’t get that filly, he didn’t ask her for much. I think she’ll improve off that race,” said Casse.

Photo Call is back for the Mile, and in total there are five females entered. Spectre, a French 3-year-old filly, is an outsider, but Alice Springs and Miss Temple City have a strong chance.

Miss Temple City’s connections swerved from confrontations with Tepin by running her against males in the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland last month and in the Grade 1 Maker’s 46 Mile there in April. Miss Temple City won both races. Those two races on the same course are the best of Miss Temple City’s career, but trainer Graham Motion believes Miss Temple City can carry her form to California.

“That’s just how good she is,” Motion said. “She’s the best filly I’ve ever trained.”

Miss Temple City traveled with Tepin to England but fell too far behind on soft ground that she didn’t love and finished fifth in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes. Her two losses at Saratoga came with difficult trips.

“Her whole summer was just a mess,” said Motion. “I think the past performances belie her a little bit.”

Alice Springs, second in the Juvenile Fillies Turf last fall at Keeneland, was not quite up to winning a Guineas race in the spring but has steadily progressed this season. She’s won three Group 1 miles in her last four starts, including a tour de force Sept. 10 in the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown.

“Fast ground and a good pace is what she likes,” trainer Aidan O’Brien said. “We think she’s a filly that’s progressing.”

Limato looks best among the other Europeans, and while he’s sufficiently talented to win the Mile, his best races have come over six and seven furlongs.

“I’d like to think he won’t be too far off the pace turning for home,” said jockey Harry Bentley. “I think a seven-furlong horse in England will get the mile here.”

Ironicus is among the four Mile starters without a Grade 1 win, but he closed furiously into the slow Shadwell pace, has strong back form, and could be poised for a career-best effort.

“He didn’t break that good in the Shadwell, and I’d be surprised if he didn’t break better,” said trainer Shug McGaughey. “All systems are go.”

Two more Grade 1 winners – What a View, who breaks from the rail, and Midnight Storm, who has post 13 – look like the pacesetters. What a View returned from an eight-month layoff to finish eighth in the Shadwell, but the free-running gelding surprisingly was held off the slow pace and probably needed the start.

“I’m a big fan of second race off the layoff, especially with route horses,” said trainer Kenny Black.

Midnight Storm comes into the Mile after a designed 10-week break, and he beat Tourist, another Mile contender, while earning a 110 Beyer Speed Figure in his most recent Santa Anita mile.

“My horse has won three in a row, and he loves a fight,” said trainer Phil D’Amato. “He’ll love this turf course; the faster the better. In my eyes, he’s one of the top contenders.”

Top contenders range wide in the 2016 BC Mile. It may take a great race from Tepin to win again.