Finest City gets first road test in Humana Distaff

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Finest City defeated both Paulassilverlining and Carina Mia over her home track last fall at Santa Anita to win the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint and clinch a division title. The question Saturday is whether she can do it again on more neutral ground in the Grade 1 Humana Distaff at Churchill Downs.

Finest City will share the high weight of 123 pounds with Paulassilverlining in the seven-furlong Distaff. Carina Mia, also a Grade 1 winner, will have the home-field advantage in a lineup that includes Super Humor, Mines and Magic, Sweetgrass, and Lightstream.

Finest City clinched her Eclipse Award by registering a three-quarter-length decision over Wavell Avenue in the Filly and Mare Sprint. Paulassilverlining finished third, just two lengths behind the winner, with Carina Mia a disappointing ninth following a bit of an eventful trip as the tepid 3-1 favorite.

Finest City, who has never raced outside of California in 15 previous starts, was cross-entered here Friday to go 1 1/16 miles in the Grade 1 La Troienne. But trainer Ian Kruljac opted for the Humana Distaff, even though he felt it might be the tougher of the two races.

“My main goal is to secure the Eclipse for her again,” said Kruljac. “And we don’t want to give some of these other sprinters the upper hand on their résumés with a win in this race.”

Kruijac said the weather also played a hand in his decision, with heavy rain in the forecast for Thursday and Friday.

“The weather so far looks a little better here on Saturday, and while she’ll handle a wet track, there’s less risk on that type of surface going short rather than long,” said Kruljac. “She couldn’t be training any better coming into the race. But it’s their home court now. Hopefully, she’ll like it as much as they do.”

Carina Mia has captured her two previous starts at Churchill Downs, both Grade 2 races, the Golden Rod at 2 and the Eight Belles on Derby weekend last year. She was shuffled back near the rear of the bulky 13-horse field in the Filly and Mare Sprint and never recovered, finishing ninth. She has not started since.

Paulassilverlining was transferred to trainer Chad Brown’s barn after closing out her 2016 campaign with a victory in Aqueduct’s Garland of Roses for former trainer Michelle Nevin. She opened the current season by rallying to a neck triumph in the Grade 1 Madison last month at Keeneland.

“She put in a pretty big effort off the layoff and has come out of the race really well,” said Brown. “She looks to have been a pretty consistent horse for most of her career, and her record also gives me confidence she will be fine if we get a wet track. This is not a large field, but it’s a quality field, and Finest City will be very formidable. She’s the champion, the class, the one to beat.”

Mines and Magic, like Carina Mia, is perfect over the track, having won all three of her starts here, including the seven-furlong Dogwood at 3. She finished a wide-running fourth behind Paulassilverlining in the Madison.

Lightstream makes her first start against older horses and her first since finishing a non-threatening fifth as the even-money favorite last December in the Grade 3 La Brea at Santa Anita.