Filly-Mare Sprint: La Verdad among several defections

As of Monday morning, as all Breeders’ Cup pre-entries were being taken, at least 10 horses were known candidates for the $1 million Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint on Nov. 1.

In alphabetical order, those pre-entries for the seven-furlong Filly and Mare Sprint are Artemis Agrotera, Judy the Beauty, Leigh Court, Little Alexis, Living the Life, Midnight Lucky, Southern Honey, Stonetastic, Sweet Reason, and Top Kisser.

Several others had been under consideration as recently as a few days ago, but the connections of La Verdad chose instead to run in (and win) the restricted Iroquois on Saturday at Belmont Park; Godolphin Racing is opting for the Breeders’ Cup Mile with the versatile mare Better Lucky in the absence of Wise Dan; the connections of Taris said they will not run in the Breeders’ Cup even after the 3-year-old filly earned a 110 Beyer Speed Figure in a nine-length win Saturday in the Raven Run Stakes at Keeneland; and trainer Mike Maker said Monday that Thank You Marylou, runner-up in the Raven Run, also will not be coming to the Breeders’ Cup.

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In recent workouts toward the Filly and Mare Sprint:

* Judy the Beauty: The 2013 Fillyand Mare Sprint runner-up went a swift five furlongs in 57.80 seconds Monday morning at Keeneland. It was the mare’s first dirt work since four in a row over the Keeneland turf.

* Leigh Court: Had her first work since winning the Oct. 4 Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes when breezing five furlongs Thursday (Oct. 16) in 1:00.20 over the Polytrack surface at Woodbine.

* Living the Life: A possibility for the BC Turf Sprint, she went six furlongs in 1:12.40, handily, Saturday at Santa Anita in her fourth work since winning the Sept. 8 Presque Isle Masters on synthetic.

* Little Alexis: An early Santa Anita arrival from south Florida, the 3-year-old filly went five furlongs in 1:00.80, handily, on Sunday in her third work since running fourth in the Sept. 20 Cotillion.

* Midnight Lucky: Posted yet another bullet when she went six furlongs in 1:12 Friday (Oct. 17) at Santa Anita in her seventh work since returning from a lengthy layoff for Bob Baffert.

* Southern Honey: A half-mile work Saturday at Keeneland in 46.80 seconds, her first since a runner-up finish in the TCA Stakes, was a determining factor in trainer Rusty Arnold confirming her for the race.

* Stonetastic: Breezed three furlongs in 36.20 seconds at her home Monmouth Park base Saturday for trainer Kelly Breen in her first work since finishing third as the favorite in the TCA.

* Sweet Reason: Was confirmed as a starter by Leah Gyarmati after breezing three furlongs in 34.60 seconds Sunday at Belmont Park in her first work since recovering from an ulcerated eye suffered in the Cotillion.