Local flavor to be lacking in Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf

The home team may not have representation in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf on Nov. 3 at Del Mar.

Monday at Santa Anita, the French import Fatale Bere edged Moon Dash by a nose to win the $102,345 Surfer Girl Stakes at a mile on turf for 2-year-old fillies. The Surfer Girl was the leading prep for the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf in Southern California.

After the race, winning trainer Leonard Powell said Fatale Bere was doubtful for the Juvenile Fillies Turf because he would need to pay a six-figure nomination fee to make her eligible. He said Fatale Bere is more likely to start in the Grade 3 Jimmy Durante Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at a mile on turf Nov. 25 at Del Mar.

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Owner Peter Fluor said Moon Dash was likely to be sent back to trainer Mike Stidham in Kentucky.

“She would have stayed if she had won,” Fluor said.

The BC Juvenile Fillies Turf is almost certain to have an oversubscribed field. The race will have a maximum of 14 starters, and the runners who finished third or worse in the Surfer Girl are unlikely to be selected.

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The race is expected to have ample participation from European-based runners.

Two stakes at Newmarket, England, on Friday – the Group 1 Fillies Mile and the Group 3 Oh So Sharp Stakes at seven furlongs – may better clarify who will be the overseas runners.

Happily, who has already won the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes for fillies in Ireland on Sept. 10 and the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere against males at Chantilly, France, on Oct. 1, was among a strong team of candidates for the Fillies Mile for trainer Aidan O’Brien.

O’Brien said recently that Happily is a contender for the Juveniles Fillies Turf, along with Clemmie, who won the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stud Stakes at six furlongs Sept. 30 at Newmarket.

Dark Rose Angel will start in the Oh So Sharp Stakes as a potential prep for the Juvenile Fillies Turf, trainer Simon Crisford said by email Monday. Dark Rose Angel was second by a head in her stakes debut in the Group 2 May Hill Stakes at a mile at Doncaster, England, on Sept. 14.

Breeders’ Cup plans for Wonder Gadot are uncertain following her six-length win against three rivals in the Grade 3 Mazarine Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on the all-weather surface at Woodbine last Saturday. Trainer Mark Casse said the Juvenile Fillies Turf and the Juvenile Fillies on dirt Nov. 4 are under consideration.

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