Eskimo Kisses eyes Spinster as final Breeders' Cup prep race

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Eskimo Kisses, the dominant winner of Saturday’s Grade 1 Alabama Stakes, likely will step out of the 3-year-old filly division and point to the Grade 1, $500,000 Spinster Stakes at Keeneland on Oct. 7 for next race as her connections plot out a path to the Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Nov. 3 at Churchill Downs.

While trainer Ken McPeek said Sunday morning that he had no immediate plans for Eskimo Kisses, he seemed against running in the Grade 1, $1 million Cotillion at Parx as it would mean facing Monomoy Girl – the 3-year-old filly division leader who has already defeated Eskimo Kisses three times – at 1 1/16 miles, a bit shorter that would favor Monomoy Girl.

The Spinster, a Win and You’re In qualifier for the Distaff, does mean facing older fillies and mares, but it is run at Keeneland, where Eskimo Kisses did run second to Monomoy Girl in the Grade 1 Ashland earlier this year and finished second in her debut last year. It is also run at 1 1/8 miles.

“It’s a great race,” said McPeek, who won the Spinster with Take Charge Lady in 2002 and 2003.

Eskimo Kisses ran her best race in the Alabama, rallying from last, 12 lengths back at one point, to win by 6 1/2 lengths.

McPeek said Eskimo Kisses benefitted from having a break of five to six weeks following her fourth-place finish in the Kentucky Oaks.

“We turned her out in our backyard at our farm, had her out in the round pen, let her eat and relax,” McPeek said. “That’s what she really needed after the Kentucky Oaks. She was pretty drawn up and what I’d call over the top.”

Eskimo Kisses, earned a career-best 100 Beyer Speed Figure for her Alabama victory.

Meanwhile, stablemates She’s a Julie and Midnight Bisou, separated by a neck when second and third in the Alabama, will be considered for the Cotillion, trainer Steve Asmussen said Sunday morning.

“Julie ran unbelievably tough, and I don’t think Midnight Bisou stays a mile and a quarter,” Asmussen said. “The mile and a quarter, the racetrack wasn’t drying out, quite a bit of wind. I don’t think it was extremely conducive to a lot of fillies in the race.”

While Midnight Bisou came to Asmussen in May already a Grade 1 winner, She’s a Julie has vastly improved since the beginning of the year, as she has now won the Grade 3 Iowa Oaks and run well in the Alabama in consecutive starts.

“Where she started out the year and where she’s at now is pretty damn impressive,” Asmussen said.