Breeders' Cup: Stacelita will merely gallop up to Filly and Mare Turf

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Stacelita, the likely favorite in $2 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf, had an easy first morning at Churchill on Sunday after shipping in Saturday from New York, going through moderate exercise on the main track. And that will be Stacelita’s routine through her start here Friday. Trainer Chad Brown said Stacelita won’t visit the Churchill grass course until she races on it, and that she will only gallop into the race. Stacelita’s last work came Thursday at Belmont, when she went five furlongs in 1:02.96.

Stacelita continues to be fitted with a protective cup over her left eye, which developed an infection after being injured, most probably when she was hit by a turf clod during her win in the Oct. 1 Flower Bowl Invitational. An eye specialist from Lexington examined Stacelita’s eye Sunday morning, but Brown said the visit was merely precautionary, and that the infection was both “stable and improving.” Stacelita will continue to wear the eye protection during training this week, but Brown said he hasn’t decided yet whether she will race in the equipment Friday.

* At Fair Hill training center in Maryland, defending Filly and Mare Turf champ Shared Account had her final work for Friday’s race, going five furlongs in a snappy 1:00.60. Shared Account is scheduled to ship here on Tuesday for trainer Graham Motion.