Laragh looks like the favorite

Laragh will likely be the favorite in the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf, off her dominating victory in the Oct. 9 Jessamine Stakes at Keeneland.

Laragh was sold to Golden Goose Enterprise and IEAH Stable after she won her maiden over Woodbine's Polytrack on Aug. 9. She set a lively pace over soft ground before fading to fifth in the Grade 3 Natalma Stakes on Sept. 14, after which she changed trainers, going from Mark Casse to the Belmont-based John Terranova.

Laragh was scratched from Grade 3 Miss Grillo Stakes on Oct. 1 at Belmont in favor of the Jessamine.

"It gave her a little more time between races," Terranova said.

Laragh set sail on a clear lead in the 1 1/16-mile Jessamine and never looked back, scoring by 4 3/4 lengths under Edgar Prado. Her time of 1:43.40 translated into a very respectable 89 Beyer Speed Figure.

"She put herself right in the race and took over," Terranova said. Prado "didn't have a hard time controlling her speed. She was pretty much in hand."

Terranova said he isn't apprehensive about running Laragh back on just 14 days' rest in the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf.

"I don't have any concerns about the timing right now," he said. "Everything has gone beautifully with her."

Laragh is by hot freshman sire Tapit, who also is the sire of the favorite for the Grade 1 BC Juvenile Fillies, Stardom Bound. Terranova is excited about Laragh's potential.

"She covers a lot of ground," Terranova said. "She's a little light for her frame right now, because she's such a tall filly. She's going to fill out that frame beautifully some day. She has an outstanding mind. She's very easygoing and doesn't get upset. She exudes a lot of class. She's a very smart filly."

Among the other 20 entrants are C Karma, who won the Natalma in a gutsy display; Maram and Freedom Rings, the top two finishers in the Miss Grillo; and Consequence, who was fourth as the favorite in the Miss Grillo over a yielding course that wasn't to her liking.