Cy Fair faces full field, familiar foes in Limestone

Cy Fair defeated males in the 2025 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint and was an Eclipse Award finalist for outstanding 2-year-old filly, garnering several dozen first-place votes. But she has scared no one away as she makes her 3-year-old debut in Friday’s Grade 3, $350,000 Limestone Stakes.

The 5 1/2-furlong Limestone drew an overflow field, with 12 3-year-old fillies permitted to start, plus two also-eligibles. The field includes multiple stakes winner Lennilu, who was beaten by Cy Fair, albeit with an excuse, at the Breeders’ Cup – and five other stakes winners.

One of those stakes winners is Snow Face Princess, the only filly to defeat Cy Fair. She did so last August, by a neck in the Bolton Landing at Saratoga, in Cy Fair’s second start. Cy Fair subsequently went on to defeat males in the Algonquin at Woodbine. She then chased a wicked pace in the Juvenile Turf Sprint at Del Mar and did not wilt, prevailing by a length. The Limestone will be her first start in more than five months.

“We’re happy with her,” trainer George Weaver said of Cy Fair’s winter training. “I think she’s kind of filled out some, and we have somewhat of a stronger filly. You would kind of expect that, for them to mature from 2 to 3, but I think she’s done well.”

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The very consistent Lennilu also bested males as a juvenile, winning the Hollywood Beach at Gulfstream Park. She won 4 of 6 starts last year, her only defeats a creditable third in the Group 2 Queen Mary at Royal Ascot and a seventh in the BC Juvenile Turf Sprint. Trainer Patrick Biancone said Lennilu was in heat during the Juvenile Turf Sprint.

Lennilu has a recency edge on Cy Fair. She started her season by edging clear for a three-quarter-length score in the Melody of Colors on March 22 at Gulfstream. That effort landed her in the Limestone, rather than the Grade 3 Mamzelle later this month at Churchill Downs.

“Having gotten her started already this year, from after the Breeders’ Cup, this was the plan, to run the race at Gulfstream and then decide after that if we turn back quick or if we wait for the next race at Churchill,” Biancone said. “She took the race really well, and she didn’t have a hard race at all. We decided to go this time.”

Lennilu has drawn post 8 under Luis Saez. Cy Fair will be next door in post 9 under Irad Ortiz Jr. Both race forwardly, and although either would be capable of controlling the terms, both have done their best work drafting just off the pace.

“Irad knows her,” Weaver said of Cy Fair. “I think it’s all dependent on the break and who breaks and all that. She has some tactical speed. I’m not gonna complicate it for Irad.”

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There are other speed types in the race, Sapphire Beach from the rail and Pure Eloquence in post 2. Two pace candidates marooned outside are Slay the Day in post 11 and Should’ve in post 12.

Should’ve, winner of the Grade 3 Matron last year, will be blinkers off. Midnight Martini, the first also-eligible, would add speed from the outside if she draws in.

Snow Face Princess, from post 10 under Flavien Prat, will likely be just behind the two favorites. After winning a key maiden race and then the Bolton Landing for Todd Pletcher, the filly was sold for $775,000 in a digital auction. She made her first start for Steve Asmussen in the 6 1/2-furlong Untapable at Kentucky Downs, finishing a good second to Quiet Street. She also removes blinkers for her season debut.

Quiet Street, cutting back after finishing third in the Grade 2, 1 1/16-mile Miss Grillo last fall, would appreciate a strong pace setup, as would Map of the Moon, a multiple stakes winner who also is cutting back after finishing fifth in the one-mile Cincinnati Trophy.

Light Won Up comes off a win in the Sweet Life at Santa Anita.

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