Playing it safe, Biancone will give Sense of Style two-turn prep

Patrick Biancone doesn't want any excuses. So, he isn't taking any chances.

Biancone said Sense of Style, the top contender for the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, would make her next start in the $400,000 Alcibiades at Keeneland on Oct. 8. Biancone said he chose the Grade 2 Alcibiades over the Frizette at Belmont Park on Oct. 9 because he wants Sense of Style to have a two-turn race before she starts in the Juvenile Fillies on Oct. 30 at Lone Star Park.

The Frizette, a Grade 1 worth $500,000, is run at 1 1/16 miles, but around one turn.

"I don't want to after the Breeders' Cup say, 'Oh [shoot] we should have run two turns,' " Biancone said Wednesday. "I think she's very smart and she can handle everything first time. Between what I think and what happens is different."

Sense of Style maintained her status as the leader of the juvenile filly division with a one-length victory in the Grade 1 Matron at Belmont. She is now 3 for 3, including a win in the Grade 2 Spinaway at Saratoga.

Biancone is shipping his stable out of Saratoga by the end of next week. Sense of Style will be among 10 horses he will ship to Keeneland on Oct. 3. Biancone said he has not yet decided when to ship his Breeders' Cup horses to Lone Star.

Among the horses Sense of Style is likely to face in the Alcibiades are Miss Matched and Punch Appeal. Miss Matched finished second, 6 3/4 lengths behind Sense of Style in the Spinaway, her first start for trainer John Ward.

Punch Appeal, fifth in the Spinaway, came back to win Saturday's Kentucky Cup Juvenile Fillies, in what trainer Steve Asmussen called "an encouraging effort."

Trainer Michael Stidham will keep his options open for Culinary, winner of the Arlington-Washington Lassie. Stidham said he would either run Culinary in the Alcibiades or train her up to the Juvenile Fillies.

Balletto and Play With Fire, who finished second and third in the Matron, are both being pointed to the Frizette.

Sweet Catomine became the leader of the West Coast division with her narrow victory in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante on Aug. 28. She worked seven furlongs in 1:25.80 on Tuesday at Santa Anita in preparation for the Grade 2, $250,000 Oak Leaf Stakes there on Oct. 2. Trainer Julio Canani said Corey Nakatani would ride Sweet Catomine, replacing Victor Espinoza, who has another commitment.

Trainer Christopher Paasch said Hello Lucky, who finished third in the Del Mar Debutante, is probable to run in the Oak Leaf and would have to "win or run a very good second" to be supplemented to the Juvenile Fillies at a cost of $90,000.

Souvenir Gift, winner of the Grade 3 Landaluce, is out for the rest of the year with an injured shoulder, trainer Sam Semkin said.

Juvenile Fillies Contenders
2-year-old fillies, 1 1/16 miles. Purse: $1 million.