Hatheer's fate rests on performance in Jessamine

The prep party's moving west.

A handful of fillies who were scratched from last weekend's Miss Grillo at Belmont Park when the race was moved from turf to dirt because of inclement weather are being rerouted to Keeneland. They are pointing for next Thursday's $150,000 Jessamine, a Win and You're In race for the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita on Nov. 6.

Hatheer, among those scratched from the Miss Grillo, was scheduled to fly from her New York base to Kentucky on Thursday, according to her trainer, Kiaran McLaughlin. He wants to keep Hatheer, a daughter of Storm Cat and 2002 Beverly D. winner Golden Apples, on turf, where she won her maiden at Saratoga on Sept. 7. In that race, Hatheer defeated Dad's Crazy, who came back in her next start to win the Miss Grillo.

"We're going to Keeneland and then we'll decide from there what we do, if we go on to California," said McLaughlin.

"She's better on the turf," he said. "We were able to work her on turf at Saratoga this summer and she seemed to prefer the turf. She's a lovely filly. She's a full sister to Habaya."

Habaya was second in last year's Jessamine, then won the Grade 3 Miesque at Hollywood.

Alan Garcia will ride Hatheer in the Jessamine, a 1 1/16-mile turf race that last year was won by future Juvenile Fillies Turf favorite and third-place finisher Laragh.

Zodiac Girl is another being redirected to the Jessamine after scratching from the Miss Grillo, a race her trainer, Chad Brown, took last year with eventual Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Maram.

"I just want to keep her on the turf," Brown said of Zodiac Girl. "I know she likes it. I have to readjust my plans a little bit."

Brown said Jose Lezcano has the mount in the Jessamine.