Lahudood dangerous in Breeders' Cup

LAS VEGAS - If the turf is firm for the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf, you better have Lahudood on all your tickets.

Lahudood was at a disadvantage in the Beverly D. over a soft turf at Arlington Park in her second-last start, and she turned the tables on the winner of that race, Royal Highness, while scoring an impressive victory in last weekend's Flower Bowl Handicap at Belmont Park and paying $44.40. Wait a While, who has been a major disappointment this year after narrowly defeating Pine Island as last year's champion 3-year-old filly, seemed to return to form in the Ballston Spa Handicap at Saratoga, but she had no excuse in the Flower Bowl, tiring late to finish third.

Lahudood certainly has a pedigree that takes a backseat to nobody. She is by international star Singspiel, who won such Grade 1 races as the Canadian International, Juddmonte International Stakes, Coronation Cup Stakes, Japan Cup, and Dubai World Cup. Singspiel also finished second in the 1996 Breeders' Cup Turf to Pilsudski. Singspiel's sire, In the Wings, won the 1990 Breeders' Cup Turf.

Lahudood comes from a female family that has been just as successful.

Her dam, Rahayeb, is by Arazi, who was so overpowering at 2 that he was a champion in this country and Europe. His talent was compromised by surgery after his juvenile campaign and he was never the same animal at 3. Her second dam, Bashayer, is by Mr. Prospector out of the remarkable blue hen Height of Fashion.

In the annals of European racing, Height of Fashion ranks among the best broodmares of all time. One of the ways a broodmare proves her greatness is when she produces high-quality stakes winners no matter who is the covering stallion. A multiple stakes winner and out of the top-class Group 1 winner Highclere, Height of Fashion produced six stakes winners when bred to the top stallions of day. She was bred twice to Northern Dancer, and the results were Alwasmi and multiple group winner Unfuwain. Bred to Blushing Groom, she produced her best foal, Nashwan, who won the 2000 English Guineas, Epsom Derby, Eclipse Stakes, and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes. Nashwan became a prominent international stallion, siring champions Swain, Bago, Wandesta, One So Wonderful, Myself, Najah, and Nashatara.

Bred to Gulch, Height of Fashion produced Nayef, winner of many Group 1 races, including the Champion Stakes, Dubai Sheema Classic, Juddmonte International Stakes, and Prince of Wales's Stakes.

Height of Fashion's daughters have also been productive. Bred to Lyphard, she produced Manwah, the dam of Mustanfar, and two matings to Mr. Prospector resulted in Wijdan, the dam of Makderah, and Bashayer, the second dam of Lahudood. Makderah was very impressive winning the New York Stakes and was also on this year's Breeders' Cup trail until she was injured when running third in the Diana Handicap.

Izarra, Mims Eppi eye Juvenile Fillies

Izarra and Mims Eppi are serious threats for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies if they handle the traditional dirt surface at Monmouth Park. Izarra finished second last weekend in the Oak Leaf Stakes over Santa Anita's Cushion Track, and Mims Eppi was second in the Kentucky Cup Juvenile Fillies Stakes over Turfway Park's Polytrack.

Izarra was beaten a nose by Cry and Catch Me in the Oak Leaf at 5-1 and is the kind of filly that could be ready to explode in the Juvenile Fillies. After winning her maiden debut, Izarra was third in the Del Mar Debutante, and her continued improvement puts her squarely in the Breeders' Cup picture. By Distorted Humor, she is out of a Broad Brush mare and her second dam is champion Bayakoa.

Mims Eppi is from the first crop of Cactus Ridge (by Hennessy), who was undefeated in four starts at 2, including victories in three stakes (the Arlington-Washington Futurity, James C. Ellis Juvenile, and Canterbury Park Juvenile stakes). It was the only year he raced. Mims Eppi is from the famed Calumet Farm female family that produced Alydar. Mims Eppi is out of a Spectacular Bid mare who is a half-sister to successful stallion Slewvescent, and her second dam is champion Our Mims (Herbager), a half-sister to Alydar and Sugar and Spice. Sugar and Spice won the Mother Goose, Ashland, and Cotillion stakes. Mims Eppi's third dam is Sweet Tooth, the 1977 Broodmare of the Year. Her fourth dam, Plum Cake, also produced stakes winners in Sugar Plum Time and her full sister Yule Log, the dam of champion Christmas Past.

Another full brother, Plum Bold, was a multiple stakes winner at 2 who became a leading stallion in South Africa. Mims Eppi's fifth dam is Real Delight, one of Calumet Farm's great champions. Real Delight was a dual champion in 1952, when she won 10 stakes, including the Kentucky Oaks, Black-Eyed Susan Stakes, Coaching Club American Oaks, and Beldame Handicap, in which she defeated older mares.