Happy Mesa might draw into Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf

ARCADIA, Calif. – A Group 1 race at Saint-Cloud Racecourse in France on Sunday is expected to influence the list of runners for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita on Nov. 4.

Trainer Aidan O’Brien has three fillies pre-entered in the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf – Hydrangea, Promise to Be True, and Roly Poly – and has entered Promise to Be True in Sunday’s $273,750 Criterium International at seven furlongs on turf at Saint-Cloud

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If Promise to be True is not sent to California, a berth in the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf will be available to Happy Mesa, who finished second in the Surfer Girl Stakes at Santa Anita on Oct. 10.

There were 21 2-year-old fillies pre-entered in the Juvenile Fillies Turf, which will have a maximum of 14 runners. Promise to Be True was among the 14 selected runners.

Happy Mesa is rated as the second alternate. Madam Dancealot, the first alternate, is expected to gain a berth in the Juvenile Fillies Turf if With Honors, an invited runner, is entered in the Juvenile Fillies on Nov. 5, as expected.

Happy Mesa is trained by Graham Motion, who is based in Maryland. Motion has a few horses in California this fall and is hopeful that Happy Mesa can run in the Juvenile Fillies Turf.

“I never moved her,” Motion said on Thursday. “I hope we can get an opportunity.”

Owned by a partnership that includes Great Point stables, Highclere America, and Zoom and Fish Stable, Happy Mesa has won 2 of 3 starts and earned $83,810. She won a $40,000 claiming race for maidens at Laurel on Aug. 14 and was the 37-1 surprise winner of the Selima Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf at Laurel on Sept. 10.

In the Surfer Girl Stakes at a mile on turf, Happy Mesa closed from sixth in a field of 11 to finish second, 2 1/2 lengths behind Miss Southern Miss, another invited runner for the Juvenile Fillies Turf.