Grand Adventure eyeing BC Turf Sprint

Fillies made most of the news last week.

The connections of all Turf Sprint hopefuls breathed a collective sigh of relief after watching Serious Attitude ($48.80) explode through the stretch to win last Saturday’s Grade 1 Nearctic and then learning she’s not in.

Serious Attitude was a Group 1 winner in Europe as a 2-year-old, but had not won since taking the Group 3 Summer Stakes in July 2009. The 4-year-old filly parlayed first-time Lasix and a patient ride from Garrett Gomez to draw away late with a 109 Beyer Speed Figure in the $508,800 Nearctic, which was the sixth and final Win And You’re In race in the division. Afterward, trainer Rae Guest reported that Serious Attitude will be in Kentucky the first weekend in November, but it will be for the Fasig-Tipton sale at Keeneland on Nov. 7.

Grand Adventure rallied from off the pace to take a short lead in midstretch and finished a clear second in the Nearctic for Sam-Son Farm, earning a 103 Beyer that was just below his career bests for winning the Connaught Cup (104) and King Edward (105) earlier this year. Trainer Mark Frostad was encouraged by Grand Adventure’s performance and said he is inclined to run him back in the Turf Sprint.

At Keeneland the previous afternoon, Mimi’s Bling ($68.20) lit up the toteboard after running down pacesetter Canadian Ballet to win the $100,000 Franklin County Stakes for trainer Eddie Kenneally and record a new top Beyer of 91. She improved to 3-2-0 from 5 turf starts and was subsequently a late addition to the Fasig-Tipton Keeneland sale.

The Todd Pletcher-trained West Ocean was odds-on in the Franklin County after running second in the Turf Amazon behind stablemate Rose Catherine, and she rallied belatedly to finish third after a slow start.

Meanwhile, Rose Catherine, who is a perfect 6 for 6 in turf sprints, had her first workout since the Turf Amazon. The 3-year-old filly breezed a half-mile in 48.27 seconds over the Belmont training track on Sunday, ninth fastest of 55 at the distance.

On Oct. 14, Unzip Me had her first breeze since winning the Sen. Ken Maddy at Hollywood on Sept. 30, going an easy half-mile in 53.40 on the Hollywood turf course for Marty Jones.