Tepin shifts sights to Woodbine Mile, putting kibosh on clash with Lady Eli

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - There will not be a matchup between Tepin and Lady Eli in the Grade 2 Ballston Spa here on Aug. 27.

Tepin, the reigning female turf champion, will not run at Saratoga this summer and instead will make her next start in the Grade 1, $1 million Woodbine Mile on Sept. 17, trainer Mark Casse said.

Casse had not been satisfied with how Tepin was training when she first arrived in Saratoga, which led him to scrap initial plans to run in Saturday’s Grade 1 Fourstardave. Though Casse has been happier with Tepin lately, he said that he and his son Norman felt that “trying to rush her back, maybe we did too much too quick.”

Tepin breezed a half-mile in 50.42 seconds at Saratoga on July 22, but has not breezed since. Casse said he anticipates working Tepin again this weekend over Saratoga’s Oklahoma turf. Casse said Tepin will remain in Saratoga until he begins to move horses back to Churchill Downs later this month.

“She will get ready at Churchill where she’s had success getting ready,” Casse said. “She’ll ship a day or two ahead just like she’s done for everything else.”

Tepin has won seven consecutive races since leaving Saratoga last summer, when she suffered narrow defeats in the Diana and Ballston Spa. Tepin started her seven-race win streak with a seven-length victory in the Grade 1 First Lady at Keeneland, which led her to victory against males in the Breeders’ Cup Mile last fall, also at Keeneland.

This year, Tepin is 5 for 5, with her most impressive feat being a ship overseas where she defeated males in the Group 1 Queen Anne at Royal Ascot.

Tepin’s goal is to make the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita on Nov. 5, and she will use the Woodbine Mile and possibly the Shadwell Turf Mile or First Lady - both Grade 1 races at Keeneland on Oct. 8 - as her route to get there.

“That would remain to be seen,” Casse said about running at Keeneland. “We’re going to have her cranked up for the Woodbine Mile.”

With Lady Eli working forwardly for her return to the races after overcoming a bout with laminitis, there had been some anticipation for a Tepin-Lady Eli meeting in the Ballston Spa.

Unfortunately, that will not happen here, if at all.