Weaver has two in loaded Jessamine Stakes

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The depth of competition that’s so frequently in evidence at Keeneland may become absurd Wednesday when the Grade 3 Jessamine Stakes is run for the 26th time.

Fourteen 2-year-old fillies will vie for a Win and You’re In berth in the Nov. 4 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita, and more than half rate a reasonable chance at victory in the 1 1/16-mile turf race. The balance of the lineup is typified by the uncoupled George Weaver duo of Majestic Bonnie and Zero Zee, both maiden winners at Saratoga this summer.

“We’re giving them a chance to move on to the big dance,” Weaver said. “We’re like everybody else in there, trying to find out if we belong. They both have two races under their belt, and I’d like to think their form stacks up pretty well.”

First post Wednesday is 1:05 p.m. Eastern, with the feature going at 4:24 as the seventh of eight races. This will be the last of eight Win and You’re In races run at the front-loaded fall meet.

KEY CONTENDERS

Majestic Bonnie, by Majestic Warrior
Last 2 Beyers: 73-73

◗ She has already raced twice around two turns, including a decent third-place finish in the P.G. Johnson Stakes, “so hopefully that gives us a little edge,” Weaver said.

Zero Zee, by High Cotton
Last 2 Beyers: 61-72

◗ Fifth as the favorite in the ungraded Selima Stakes at Laurel last out, this filly “figures to be part of it if she can handle the extra ground,” Weaver said.

Lipstick City, by City Zip
Last Beyer: 71

◗ Huge last-to-first move in her only start makes her a logical player as one of two fillies in here (with Liberale) for red-hot trainer Chad Brown.

Liberale, by Literato
No Beyers

◗ European shipper gets Lasix for the first time and jockey Jose Ortiz in her third start and her first for Brown, who won four graded stakes on Saturday alone.

La Coronel, by Colonel John
Last 3 Beyers: 81-51-63

◗ Move to a turf route from dirt sprints was an obvious positive, as this Mark Casse-trained filly earned a field-high Beyer Speed Figure in a closing-day maiden route at Saratoga.

Lull, by War Front
Last 3 Beyers: 70-NA-71

◗ Claiborne-Dilschneider homebred was quite the professional in winning the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Fillies in her most recent start for Christophe Clement.

Sweeping Paddy, by Paddy O’Prado
Last 2 Beyers: 77-55

◗ Full sister to 2016 Preakness runner-up Cherry Wine was an eye-catching winner for Dale Romans in a one-mile maiden race last month at Kentucky Downs.

Majestic Gale, by Majestic Warrior
Last 3 Beyers: 67-55-35

◗ She’s one of just two stakes winners in here (with Lull) after accounting for the Happy Ticket on the Super Derby card last month for Joe Sharp.