Leigh Court now a major contender

An eventful weekend gave further definition to the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, with Leigh Court emerging as a major contender and Judy the Beauty and Sweet Reason being committed to the seven-furlong race by their connections.

Leigh Court, ridden by the 46-year-old Gary Boulanger, was a convincing three-length winner of the Grade 2 Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes on Saturday at Keeneland for owner-breeder Eugene Melnyk and trainer Josie Carroll. A 4-year-old filly by Grand Slam, Leigh Court won for the seventh time in 11 career starts and in just her third race on dirt.

“She’s just a super-nice filly,” said Boulanger.

Southern Honey was second in the TCA and is possible for the BC Filly and Mare Sprint, trainer Rusty Arnold said Monday.

“I’m going to watch her train this week and meet with the owner” – Bo Bromagen of Ashbrook Farm – “on Thursday,” said Arnold.

Stonetastic, a romping winner of the Prioress at Saratoga in her prior start, will run back in the Filly and Mare Sprint after finishing third as the 11-10 favorite in the TCA, said trainer Kelly Breen.

Meanwhile, owner-trainer Wesley Ward said Sunday at Keeneland that he is no longer considering a run against male rivals in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint for Judy the Beauty, the 2013 Filly and Mare Sprint runner-up, mostly because he now has No Nay Never for the Sprint.

Also at Keeneland, Better Lucky remained under consideration for the Nov. 1 Filly and Mare Sprint after closing stoutly to finish second Saturday to Dayatthespa in the Grade 1 First Lady, a one-mile turf race. “Maybe,” trainer Tom Albertrani said via text Sunday about the Filly-Mare Sprint. “We’re still talking about what we want to do.”

From New York, trainer Leah Gyarmati said the 3-year-old standout Sweet Reason is being pointed to the Filly and Mare Sprint and not the Distaff, although the filly is recovering from an eye ulcer and had not been to the track since finishing second to Untapable in the Grade 1 Cotillion on Sept. 27 at Parx. Gyarmati said the filly has healed to the point that a return to training Tuesday at Belmont Park had been tentatively scheduled.

Before the 1 1/16-mile Cotillion, Sweet Reason won back-to-back Grade 1 events, the one-mile Acorn and seven-furlong Test.

Also from New York, trainer Linda Rice said La Verdad remains possible for the Filly and Mare Sprint, although the speedy New York-bred filly would have to be supplemented for $100,000.

“We’re still on the fence,” said Rice. “We plan to see how she trains up to pre-entry day.”

In California, Top Kisser, a Tommy Town Thoroughbreds homebred, stamped her ticket to the Filly and Mare Sprint with a 3 3/4-length score in the Grade 3 L.A. Woman on Saturday at Santa Anita.

“She won in hand and has been doing really well lately,” said trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. “We’d like to run back in the Filly and Mare Sprint.”

Thank You Marylou, a flashy winner of the Dogwood Stakes last month at Churchill Downs, will be among the favorites when she stays with 3-year-olds in the Oct. 18 Raven Run at Keeneland and would go to the Filly and Mare Sprint with another big effort, said owner Ken Ramsey.

As for recent workouts for Filly and Mare Sprint hopefuls:

◗ Midnight Lucky: Drilled six furlongs in 1:11.60, handily, Sunday at Santa Anita in her sixth work since returning from a layoff.

◗ Judy the Beauty: Had a third straight breeze on the Keeneland turf when she went five furlongs last Thursday in 1:01.60.

◗ La Verdad: Breezed five furlongs Friday in 1:00.40 over the Belmont training track in her first move since being nailed on the wire by Artemis Agrotera in the Sept. 20 Gallant Bloom.

◗ Living the Life: Went five furlongs in 1:00.20, handily, Saturday at Santa Anita in her second work since winning the Sept. 8 Presque Isle Masters on synthetic.

◗ Little Alexis: Breezed four furlongs Saturday in 51.20 seconds at Gulfstream Park.