Filly and Mare Sprint: Two major preps Saturday

The last two major preps toward the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint are set for Saturday, with the Thoroughbred Club of America at Keeneland and the L.A. Woman at Santa Anita.

Although none of the potential top favorites – Artemis Agrotera, Midnight Lucky, and Judy the Beauty – will have another race before the Breeders’ Cup, the Grade 2 TCA and Grade 3 L.A. Woman could combine to produce a handful of starters for the seven-furlong Filly and Mare Sprint.

The principals in the six-furlong TCA include Stonetastic, Leigh Court, R Free Roll, and Southern Honey, while easily the most intriguing candidate for the 6 1/2-furlong L.A. Woman is Stopshoppingdebbie, unbeaten in nine career starts, all at Emerald Downs in Washington state.

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There were no preps last weekend for this race, although it’s not inconceivable that a horse could turn back in the Filly and Mare Sprint from either the Beldame at Belmont Park or the Zenyatta at Santa Anita.

Among the recent notable workouts for the Filly and Mare Sprint was an easy five-furlong breeze Sunday at Santa Anita by Living the Life. The 4-year-old Irish-bred filly went in 1:03.20 in preparation for her first career start on dirt after 21 races on synthetics or turf.

Living the Life, trained by Gary Mandella, is 2 for 2 since being imported to the United States, with wins in an Aug. 7 allowance at Del Mar and the Sept. 8 Presque Isle Masters. She will be attempting to become the fifth horse in the last six years to win the Filly and Mare Sprint off the Masters, following Informed Decision (2009), Musical Romance (2011), and Groupie Doll (2012-13).

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