Callaghan making familiar trip to BC Juvenile Fillies

ARCADIA, Calif. - For the second consecutive year, trainer Simon Callaghan is bound for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies with the expected favorite.

Last year, Moonshine Memories won consecutive Grade 1 races in the Del Mar Debutante at seven furlongs and the Chandelier Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita, but was seventh in the BC Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar.

Bellafina won the same two races in September. Her victory in Saturday’s $300,000 Chandelier Stakes by 6 1/2 lengths has left Callaghan confident the filly can accomplish a fourth consecutive win in the BC Juvenile Fillies at Churchill Downs on Nov. 2.

“The timing is good,” Callaghan said on Sunday. “The filly is getting better. Physically, we’ve seen a bit of change. I do believe she’s a very good filly.”

Callaghan insists Bellafina is better suited to the distance of 1 1/16 miles than Moonshine Memories, even though Moonshine Memories did win at the distance. This year, Moonshine Memories has raced primarily in sprints.

“I believe the distance would be no problem,” Callaghan said. “Moonshine won the prep race (in the Chandelier), but the distance was too much for her.”

Earlier on Saturday, Game Winner recorded an equally impressive win as Bellafina in the Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes at 1 1/16 miles. He may be favored in the BC Juvenile on Nov. 2.

Trained by Bob Baffert for Gary and Mary West, Game Winner is unbeaten in three starts. At Del Mar, Game Winner won a maiden special weight race on Aug. 18 and the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity at seven furlongs on Sept. 3. The American Pharoah Stakes at 1 1/16 miles was his first start around two turns. The colt pulled clear in the stretch to win by 4 1/2 lengths.

“He is a very good horse,” Baffert said Sunday.

Bellafina easily beat Vibrance, who had her stakes debut in the Chandelier and is also a candidate for the BC Juvenile Fillies, trainer Michael McCarthy said Sunday. Vibrance beat maidens at Del Mar in a one-mile race in late August. In the Chandelier, she set a quick pace – including an opening quarter-mile in 22.88 seconds – but was a clear second.

“When I saw the fractions, I thought, this isn’t going to end well,” McCarthy said. “She kept fighting and kept digging in.”

McCarthy may have three runners for the Breeders’ Cup races. Paved, second to Vasilika in the Grade 1 Rodeo Drive Stakes for fillies and mares on turf, is possible for the BC Filly and Mare Turf.

City of Light, who won the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap in April, is a candidate for the BC Dirt Mile or BC Classic, both on Nov. 3. On Sunday, City of Light worked five furlongs in 1:00 at Santa Anita.

“He worked unbelievably,” McCarthy said. “I thought he was in hand and the final quarter was good.”

McCarthy said City of Light galloped out six furlongs in 1:12.40.

Catalina Cruiser, the unbeaten winner of two graded stakes at Del Mar, worked five furlongs in 59.80 seconds. Trained by John Sadler, Catalina Cruiser’s next start will be the BC Dirt Mile.

“He floated around there,” Sadler said. “He’s training at a beautiful level.”