Proctor takes two shots in Mrs. Revere
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Five of the 11 fillies in the Mrs. Revere Stakes won their last races, including three in stakes, while three more starters exit a rugged edition of the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup.
In sum, it’s another tough top-to-bottom group in the $175,000 Mrs. Revere, a 1 1/16-mile turf race to be run for the 20th time Saturday at Churchill Downs.
“This race comes up tough every year,” said trainer Tom Proctor, who will send out the uncoupled duo of Wild Mia and Snow Top Mountain. “It’s the last chance for 3-year-old fillies to run against their own kind. It looks like five or six could easily win in there Saturday, and I’ve got two of them.”
Wild Mia, a speedy filly, and Snow Top Mountain, a stretch runner, “have running styles that complement each other,” said Proctor. “They shouldn’t get in each other’s way.”
But will either get to the line first? The most glaring issue to this race is that a wicked pace scenario appears likely to develop, given the presence of Ice Mist and Dade Babe, both headstrong fillies with a habit of going as fast as they can as far as they can. Proctor said he believes Wild Mia can resist them before making a timely move, but a more realistic outcome would have Snow Top Mountain, Gitchee Goomie, Fugitive Angel, or Aruna making the winning run.
Fugitive Angel, the lukewarm program favorite at 3-1, has won all four of her 2010 starts, most recently the Grade 3 Valley View at Keeneland. Anna Rose Napravnik has the mount back for Hall of Fame trainer Jonathan Sheppard.
Aruna, with Ramon Dominguez in to ride, is 2 for 2 since being shipped overseas from France and now is trained by Graham Motion, who already has enjoyed a fabulous Churchill fall meet by upsetting the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf with Shared Account.
“They were really high on her when we got her,” said Motion assistant Heather Craig.
The Mrs. Revere, named for a standout filly of the mid-1980s owned by Hiram Polk and David Richardson, is carded as the ninth of 10 races. A solid undercard includes three allowances (races 4, 7, 8). First post is 12:40 p.m. Eastern.