Division leadership up for grabs in wide-open Chandelier Stakes
ARCADIA, Calif. – An uninspiring group of California 2-year-old fillies gets a welcome boost Saturday at Santa Anita in the form of flashy debut winner Justique. She just might save the division from its current state of mediocrity.
Seven entered the Grade 2 Chandelier Stakes, a 1 1/16-mile race that offers the winner a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. Usually at this time of year, divisional leadership is secure and the question is whether the winner of the seven-furlong Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante can stay two turns in the Chandelier.
But this year in California, juvenile fillies present a different feel. It is the slowest group since speed figures went mainstream. The highest Beyer by a juvenile filly this summer at Del Mar was a mere 77. That is the lowest top figure by a summer-meet filly since Beyers were published in 1990.
Perhaps this season’s fillies are merely late to develop. If so, there is hope for the one-two Debutante finishers. And Tell Me Nolies and Home Cooking finished a head apart, seven furlongs in 1:23.29 with a 71 Beyer, lowest figure ever by a Debutante winner.
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And Tell Me Nolies and Home Cooking meet again Saturday in the Chandelier, race 6. They are joined by Naughty Lottie, Ice Dancing, Huntingcoco, and Uncontrollable. But the race goes through Justique. Even though her debut figure was a modest 72, she delivered one of the most impressive maiden wins of summer.
John Shirreffs trains the Justify filly for Lee and Susan Searing; Victor Espinoza rode her first out and was not concerned by her lack of speed. Espinoza stayed cool even when Justique trailed by nearly 10 lengths in the 5 1/2-furlong race.
“I’m not worried about coming out of the gate quick, as long as she comes out straight,” he said. “By the three-eighths, she started getting that long stride and I was getting close to the front horses, really quick. I didn’t know if they were stopping or I was catching up, but it was pretty quick.”
Justique split rivals, angled outside, took aim, and ran away late. She won under a hold.
“Crossing the wire, she galloped out so nice, that’s a good sign to go two turns,” Espinoza said.
The sprint was July 31, and Justique became an instant contender for the Debutante on Sept. 10. But then she got sick, and that was that. Three rivals she defeated won next out, including Home Cooking. Justique resumed workouts in late August to aim for the Chandelier. It’s a tall order going from an off-the-pace maiden sprint win to a 1 1/16-mile stakes.
“It all depends on the horse,” Shirreffs said. “Every indication is it shouldn’t be a problem [for Justique]. Mentally, she’s good. She’s not a nervous horse. She’s a high-strung horse, but she’s not a fretting-type filly.”
Like others, Shirreffs hopes Justique ends up at Keeneland next month.
“The opportunity for the Breeders’ Cup is large,” he said. “It’s sort of a special time for a 2-year-old, that’s how we’re approaching it and giving her that opportunity.”
As for Debutante winner And Tell Me Nolies, she had every reason to lose, but overcame her trip. If Justique deserves praise for her 72-Beyer debut, And Tell Me Nolies deserves likewise for her 71-Beyer Debutante. Her performance was better than the figure.
And Tell Me Nolies took dirt inside, was shuffled slightly, waited for room, angled outside, and collared Home Cooking late. Peter Miller trains the And Tell Me Nolies, an Arrogate filly whose rider is Ramon Vazquez.
Two turns?
“The distance should help her,” Miller said. “She’s bred for it, and acts like she wants it.”
And Tell Me Nolies raced ambitiously during the two-month Del Mar meet, starting three times.
“She’s really thrived with the work. Some go the other way, she’s gone the right way,” Miller said.
Peter Redekop owns And Tell Me Nolies.
Ice Dancing is a maiden who finished third in both starts, including the Debutante.
“Going seven, we had her a little too close to the pace,” trainer Richard Mandella said. “When I ran her the first time I had [Mike Smith] take her back, and she finished really good. Then I told Mike go ahead and let her run a little bit [in the Debutante]. I think it took the best out of her. Going two turns, she’s a big, leggy filly. I think it’s worth a try.”
Umberto Rispoli picks up the mount on Ice Dancing; Smith rides Home Cooking, whose trainer, Bob Baffert, has won the Chandelier 11 times. Baffert also entered Huntingcoco, whose 77-Beyer debut was the fastest of summer by a juvenile filly.
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