Film Maker tries to add a sequel

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Five of the last seven runnings of the Mrs. Revere Stakes at Churchill Downs have been decided by a neck. That is nothing more than a statistical aberration, but it can be partly explained by the fact that the Mrs. Revere tends to draw closely matched fields that result in heated competition.

Regardless of the chances of the 13th running of the $150,000 Mrs. Revere being won again by a neck - not a nose, a head, or a half-length - there is a far more relevant storyline unfolding for Saturday. The best of the 13 3-year-old fillies entered in the 1 1/16-mile turf race will be hard for handicappers to separate, giving fans yet another contentious renewal of the Grade 2 race.

Film Maker, winner of the Oct. 11 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup in her latest start, is an obvious contender in the Mrs. Revere, but because the filly won that Grade 1 race by a desperate nose at 11-1, many fans may want to look elsewhere for their selection. They will not have to look much farther than Casual Look, the English Oaks winner, who was a late-flying third in the QEII, or Dyna Da Wyna, whose recent victory in the Valley View Stakes was her third in a row.

"It'll be a tough race, but our filly is a Group 1 winner, so that has to stand for something," said Neil Howard, who trains Casual Look for Will Farish. "She might need a little more ground, but I think we've got her ready for this."

Casual Look, a gray Red Ransom filly, might go off a slight favorite, partly because the ever-popular Pat Day has picked up the mount and partly because Film Maker drew post 12 in a race limited to 12 starters.

Other contenders in an exceptionally deep field include Ocean Drive, a close fourth in the QEII for Todd Pletcher; Hail Hillary, winner of the Maryland Million Distaff in her last start; Tiva's Little Sis, a remarkably consistent filly for Steve Asmussen; and Aud, winner of the Pucker Up Stakes at Arlington in September.

The lone also-eligible is Pattiano.

The Mrs. Revere, named for the Bill Mott-trained star of the mid-1980's, is the ninth of 10 races on a Saturday card that also includes three allowances (races 4, 7, and 8). Also, Churchill is giving away its 2004 calendar to the first 7,500 paid admissions on Saturday.