Dank can make history with repeat Filly and Mare Turf win
ARCADIA, Calif. – To view Dank up close this week at Santa Anita, one would have to believe the European star is the same top mare who won the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf one year ago. Physically, she looks that good.
To view her 2014 past performances, one might wonder why Dank bothered to return to Santa Anita for the same race. She has two starts this year, both losses, and was not close in either.
“You’re looking at it completely wrong,” jockey Ryan Moore cautioned.
Perhaps he is right, or maybe Dank is vulnerable Saturday in race 5, in which she will try to become the first back-to-back winner of the $2 million, 1 1/4-mile Filly and Mare Turf.
The field includes two Grade 1 winners trained by Chad Brown – Stephanie’s Kitten and the likely pacesetter, Dayatthespa. Others are Grade 1 winners Emollient and Just The Judge, the Grade 1-placed Abaco, and graded stakes winners Parranda, Rusty Slipper, and Irish Mission.
:: BREEDERS’ CUP 2014: Post positions and odds
The European contingent includes Secret Gesture and Fiesolana. But the class of the field is Dank – or is it “former” class of the field?
Trained by Michael Stoute, Dank has not raced in 4 1/2 months. The longest layoff by a previous Filly and Mare Turf winner was Dank a year ago. She had been off 2 1/2 months when she won as the 3-2 favorite.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 3 Dank. Trainer Michael Stoute is 7-4-1-0 with a $3.09 ROI over the past five years in Grade 1 turf routes in North America. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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All returning winners have hit the board. Banks Hill (2001 winner) finished second the following year. Ouija Board (2004) finished second in 2005 and won again in 2006. Forever Together (2008) finished third in 2009. Midday (2009) finished second in 2010.
Key contenders
Dank (Last 2 Beyers: 104-107)
* In 2013, Dank won 4 of 5. This year, her campaign includes a third in Dubai and a fifth at Ascot, both Grade 1 races in which she was ridden by Moore. The jockey has not lost faith.
“She ran a good race in Dubai,” Moore said. “Then she ran at Ascot behind The Fugue, Magician, Treve, and Mukhadram – four Group 1 winners. Then she had an issue, so we just had to wait until now.”
* A foot issue curtailed the 2014 campaign of Dank. She has won seven races and $2,308,979 from 14 starts.
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Stephanie’s Kitten (Last 3 Beyers: 98-94-96)
* Stephanie’s Kitten could be riding a three-race winning streak if not for trouble in the Diana and Beverly D.
“She caught a lot of traffic in both races and just missed,” Brown said.
* Reunited with John Velazquez for the Grade 1 Flower Bowl, Stephanie’s Kitten got a clear run and won by 1 1/4 lengths. It was her eighth win from 18 starts. She has earned $2,274,104.
* Stephanie’s Kitten runs well with cut in the ground. Barring rain, the Santa Anita turf course will be fast and firm.
“She just needs to get a good trip ... if she saves ground and not be too far back,” Brown said.
Dayatthespa (Last 3 Beyers: 102-101-97)
* The expected pacesetter, Dayatthespa has a reputation as a miler and never has raced beyond 1 1/8 miles. She won both races at that distance, and if allowed an easy-enough lead, she could be gone at 1 1/4 miles.
“Certainly, [distance] is a challenge,” Brown said. “We’d expect her to be in control of the race. She has a lot of class to go with her speed.”
* Dayatthespa has 10 wins, four seconds, and earnings of $1,188,892 from 17 starts.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 4 Dayatthespa and No. 10 Stephanie’s Kitten. Trainer Chad Brown is 25-7-4-4 with a $3.44 ROI over the past two years in Grade 1 turf routes of 10 furlongs and longer. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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::Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf analysis
Fiesolana (No previous Beyer)
* A shipper from Europe, Fiesolana is another potentially challenged by the distance. She was a sprinter-miler overseas.
“That [distance] would be the only worry,” trainer Willie McCreery said. “It will be good, fast ground, and she’ll enjoy it.”
* Fiesolana won a Group 1 at one mile two starts back in Ireland and has nine wins and earnings of $669,800 from 22 starts.
* McCreery acknowledged the horse to beat on paper: “Dank is a standout. She looks fantastic. She’s the one to worry about.”
Emollient (Last 3 Beyers: 94-78-85)
* A win last out in the Grade 1 Rodeo Drive at Santa Anita was the sixth for the New York-based Emollient, trained by Bill Mott. She has won six races and $1,350,400 from 17 starts.
* Aside from Dank, Emollient is the only returnee from the 2013 Filly and Mare Turf, having finished fourth by a length last year.
Parranda (Last 3 Beyers: 93-94-88)
* The runner-up in the Rodeo Drive won by Emollient, Parranda is trained by Jerry Hollendorfer. She was considered for the BC Distaff after a series of sharp main-track works but ultimately kept on turf. She should get a good trip positioned second behind Dayatthespa.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 9 Parranda. Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer is 19-1-2-2 with a $0.19 ROI over the past five years in Grade 1 turf routes. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 1 Abaco. Trainer Shug McGaughey is 24-7-5-3 with a $3.41 ROI over the past five years in Grade 1 turf routes of 10 furlongs and longer. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 8 Irish Mission. Trainer Christophe Clement is 43-2-9-9 with a $0.26 ROI over the past five years in turf graded stakes outside of New York at a distance of 10 furlongs and longer. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 11 Rusty Slipper. Trainer Graham Motion is 17-5-0-3 with a $7.60 ROI over the past five years in Grade 1 turf routes of 10 furlongs and longer. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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