Cavorting withdrawn from Juvenile Fillies

The Grade 1, $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies attracted 15 pre-entries by the Monday deadline. On Wednesday, however, Cavorting was withdrawn from the race.

There isn’t anything seriously wrong with Cavorting. Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin just isn’t completely pleased with how she is acting and thinks it best to freshen her for a 3-year-old campaign. Cavorting will be sent to the Ocala area farm of her owner, Stonestreet Stables.

“We’re not going to carry on with Cavorting, she’s not 100 percent,” McLaughlin said Wednesday afternoon. “She backed out of her feed tub and just doesn’t look that great right now. Hopefully, we’ll have a big year with her at 3.”

Cavorting turned in one of the most impressive performances this year by a 2-year-old filly winning the Adirondack Stakes at Saratoga. Sent off second choice in the Grade 1 Frizette in her next start, she set the pace to the stretch of the mile race over a sloppy track and then tired.

:: BREEDERS’ CUP 2014: See DRF’s top contenders

Cavorting’s defection means all of the other pre-entrants will be allowed to start in the 1 1/16-mile Juvenile Fillies if they choose. Lady Zuzu and She’s Complete have the Juvenile Fillies Turf as their first preference and both are in the top 14 for that race, possibly reducing the Juvenile Fillies field to 12.

Seven of the remaining 14 pre-entrants come out of the Grade 1 Chandelier, a 1 1/16-mile race at Santa Anita on Sept. 27, and the Frizette, which was run at Belmont Park on Oct. 4.

The pre-entrants from the Chandelier finished first through fourth: Angela Renee (trainer Todd Pletcher), Conquest Eclipse (Mark Casse), Danette (Keith Desormeaux), and Majestic Presence (Jerry Hollendorfer).

The remaining Frizette pre-entrants are the top three finishers: By the Moon (Michelle Nevin), Wonder Gal (Leah Gyarmati), and Feathered (Pletcher).

Angela Renee and By the Moon have guaranteed fees-paid berths in the Juvenile Fillies since the Chandelier and Frizette were Win and You’re In races as part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge series.

The third Win and You’re In pre-entrant is Cristina’s Journey, trained by Dale Romans. Cristina’s Journey won the Grade 2 Pocahontas at Churchill Downs on Sept. 6. Because she is a light filly, Romans elected to train her up to the Breeders’ Cup rather than race her during the eight-week interval. He has given her five works since, including a bullet five furlongs in 58.60 seconds last Saturday at Santa Anita.

Other pre-entered contenders are Top Decile and Puca.

Top Decile finished second, beaten a half-length, in the Grade 1 Alcibiades at Keeneland for trainer Al Stall Jr. The Alcibiades, a two-turn, 1 1/16-mile race, was contested over a sloppy wet-fast track.

The Alcibiades winner, Great Britain shipper Peace and War, earned a Win and You’re In berth but was declared from the Juvenile Fillies last weekend with an injury.

Puca was a 16-length maiden winner going a one-turn 1 1/16 miles at Belmont Park on Oct. 1. She is trained by Bill Mott.

The final two pre-entrants, Take Charge Brandi and Hennythelovepenny, figure as longshots.