Vasilika forced to prep for Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Keeneland

Vasilika will have to take the circuitous path to the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf.

A winner of 11 of 12 starts at Santa Anita, Vasilika has to go to Keeneland for Saturday’s Grade 1, $400,000 First Lady Stakes to try and get a race in before the Breeders’ Cup. Vasilika is trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, who last June was banned by The Stronach Group from stabling and racing at tracks they own, which includes Santa Anita, site of this year’s Breeders’ Cup on Nov. 1-2.

As far as the Breeders’ Cup is concerned, it’s uncertain whether Vasilika would be able to run with Hollendorfer as the listed trainer. Complicating matters is he also is part-owner of the multiple Grade 1-winning mare.

The Breeders’ Cup takes over the track for the two Breeders’ Cup cards and could allow him to run if they so choose. No decision has been made on that.

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Vasilika would have looked awful strong in last week’s Grade 1 Rodeo Drive, a 1 1/4-mile race at Santa Anita won by Mirth, who got loose on the lead in that race. Mirth might be the only runner from that race to move on to the Filly and Mare Turf.

Instead, Vasilika will meet 13 horses in the First Lady, run at one mile. Vasilika is a seven-time winner at a mile but “it’s not ideal,” Hollendorfer said when asked about prepping for a 1 1/4-mile race like the Breeders’ Cup in a one-mile race.

“I would have preferred to run at Santa Anita,” Hollendorfer said.

Many of the runners in the First Lady look as though they prefer to run shorter distances than the 1 1/4 miles of the Breeders’ Cup, so it’s uncertain what kind of impact it will have on the Filly and Mare Turf.

Trainer Chad Brown has the pair of Uni and Rushing Fall in the First Lady, but he is not planning to run either in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf.

That might be in part because Brown has Sistercharlie looking for a repeat victory in the Filly and Mare Turf. Sistercharlie, who has already scored repeat wins in the Diana and Beverly D. – both Grade 1’s – will start as a heavy favorite in Sunday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Flower Bowl at Belmont Park. Her competition is expected to include Mrs. Sippy, winner of the Grade 2 Glens Falls in her stateside debut. The Flower Bowl will be the last of nine Win and You’re In races for that division.

Sunday’ Prix de l’Opera at Longchamp also is a Win and You’re In race for the Filly and Mare Turf. A full field is expected for the Prix de l’Opera, including Mehdaayih, a 3-year-old who was second in the Group 1 Nassau on Aug. 1; Watch Me, the Group 1 Coronation winner; With You, second in the Group 1 Prix Jean Romanet; and Iridessa, who already earned a spot in the Filly and Mare Turf by virtue of her victory in the Group 1 Matron Stakes on Sept. 14.