Kopion to train up to Breeders' Cup

Kopion, the winner of three graded stakes for female sprinters since December but second in her last two starts, will not race again until the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Del Mar on Nov. 1, trainer Richard Mandella said on Friday.

Mandella had considered starting Kopion in the Grade 3 Chillingworth Stakes for fillies and mares at Santa Anita on Oct. 4. Instead, Mandella will run only Tamara, the winner of the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante in 2023 who has not raced since she finished second by a nose in an allowance race at Del Mar last November.

Tamara missed a scheduled start because of illness in the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes at Santa Anita last December, a race won by Kopion, and was sidelined earlier this year with an injury. Kopion followed her win in the La Brea with victories in the Grade 2 Santa Monica Stakes at Santa Anita in February and the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff at Churchill Downs on May 3, both at seven furlongs.

Kopion was second to Sweet Azteca in the Grade 2 Great Lady M. Stakes at Los Alamitos in July. In her last start, Kopion finished second to Seismic Beauty in the Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Del Mar on Aug. 2. Seismic Beauty is among the highly rated contenders for the BC Distaff at 1 1/8 miles on Nov. 1.

:: Playing Santa Anita? Get the most trusted data and information in horse racing! DRF Past Performances, Picks, and Clocker Reports available now.