Calling all 3-year-old turf fillies

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - This city in mid-November is not exactly a popular destination for travelers - unless, of course, you are a 3-year-old Thoroughbred filly specializing in grass racing.

The event that proves so popular within that narrowly defined sector of racehorses is the $150,000 Mrs. Revere Stakes, a Churchill Downs fixture that represents a last-gasp opportunity within the division, since most races by this time of year already have been opened to 3-year-olds and upward.

Moreover, with the allure of a Grade 2 ranking, the Mrs. Revere tends to draw from far and near, and the 12th running Saturday is no exception. Among those entered Saturday in the 1 1/16-mile race are fillies trained by Churchill non-regulars Bobby Frankel, Christophe Clement, Michael Dickinson, and Donnie Von Hemel.

In all, 12 fillies, not counting five who were excluded, are scheduled to run. Two of the top contenders are Bedanken and Mariensky, who were noses apart as the one-two finishers last month in the Grade 3 Valley View at Keeneland, but there is a wealth of opposition that will make them higher prices than the 2-1 that both were sent off last time.

That consortium of viable contenders includes Glia, the Frankel filly whose lone appearance in the U.S. resulted in a lopsided win in the off-the-turf Pebbles Handicap at Belmont Park; Lush Soldier, a solid third in a Grade 1 race at Keeneland last month; First Quarter, an untested Canadian filly entered off three straight wins; and three fillies entered by Bill Mott: Showlady, Styleistick, and High Maintenance.

Also entered are Heyahohowdy, Caught in the Rain, Sweetwater Promise, and Ntombi.

Mariensky, with Rene Douglas riding for Clement, is the pick here to turn the tables on Bedanken, the Von Hemel-trained filly who has won 6 of 8 career starts.

The Mrs. Revere, which goes as the ninth of 10 races, is named for the Mott-trained filly who in 1984 swept three stakes at the spring meet: the Dogwood, Edgewood, and Regret. Mott has never won the Mrs. Revere.

- The Sunday feature also is a $150,000 turf race: the Grade 3 River City, a 1 1/8-mile race for older horses. Defending champion Dr. Kashnikow is among the expected starters.

- Churchill is presenting a camera giveaway and opportunities for jockey photographs Saturday.

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