By the time G Laurie had a clear path in the Grade 1 Natalma Stakes on Sept. 17 at Woodbine, the race was nearly over. She raced in traffic approaching the stretch and quickened noticeably when running room developed in the final furlong, eventually finishing third.

As frustrating as the result was, the outcome showed Graham Motion that G Laurie fits in the North American 2-year-old filly division, a point the filly can prove when she starts in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf on Nov. 4 at Keeneland.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Unlike some of the other Breeders’ Cup lineups already mostly settled, the prospective field for the $2 million BC Juvenile Fillies surely will take some tweaks after a couple of major preps are run Saturday.

The Grade 1 Alcibiades at Keeneland and the Grade 1 Chandelier at Santa Anita both figure to have a major impact on the Nov. 4 BC Juvenile Fillies, the 1 1/16-mile fixture that determines the divisional championship far more often than not.

The champions Ce Ce and Echo Zulu are on course to meet for the first time Nov. 5 in the Grade 1, $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Keeneland.

Ce Ce won the seven-furlong race a year ago at Del Mar en route to being crowned champion female sprinter of 2021. Echo Zulu took down the Eclipse Award for outstanding 2-year-old filly of 2021 for her victory in last year’s BC Juvenile Fillies.

They ran out of sausage patties at Clockers Corner last Saturday.

That’s what one of the workers at the famed Santa Anita Park trackside concession stand told John Sadler, the trainer of Flightline, whose presence on the track that morning brought out throngs of interested parties.

“She also said she served more cups of coffee than she ever served,” Sadler said. “I said, ‘You better have more for next weekend.’ ”

Prep season for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff ends Sunday when Nest and Malathaat – one-two favorites on the Daily Racing Form preliminary line – run in their final prep races.

Nest goes in the Grade 2 Beldame at Aqueduct; Malathaat in the Spinster at Keeneland. Todd Pletcher trains the Grade 1 winners listed at 5-2 and 3-1, respectively, by DRF.

Meanwhile, although prep season has ended for Distaff contenders Clairiere and Society, uncertainty lingers. Clairiere comes off the worst finish of her career, and lightly raced 3-year-old Society has never faced older.

Kentucky-based trainer Brendan Walsh had a successful California raid in the spring when Ocean Drive won the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes for fillies and mares on turf at Santa Anita in late May.

The undefeated and untested Tyler’s Tribe emerged from his easy win in the $100,000 Iowa Cradle on Saturday night at Prairie Meadows in good order and will likely make his next start in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, trainer Tim Martin said Monday.

Tyler’s Tribe also has been under consideration for the $2 million BC Juvenile at 1 1/16 miles on the same Nov. 4 card at Keeneland. Martin on Monday did not rule out the possibility of pre-entering the horse in both spots on Oct. 24.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – You can always tell when it’s a Breeders’ Cup year at Keeneland with just a quick look around. Most of the temporary facilities that will accommodate the larger crowds for the Nov. 4-5 championships are already in place, a visual novelty of sorts for those attending the fall meet.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Howbeit and Whatmakesammyrun gave veteran California trainer Mark Glatt a career milestone afternoon at Santa Anita on Saturday, the first time he has won two graded stakes on the same day.

The two may not run again on the same day in the near future.

On Sunday, Glatt was reluctant to plan Breeders’ Cup starts at Keeneland on Nov. 5 for the pair, both surprise winners of Grade 2 stakes.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Life Is Good did not win Saturday’s Grade 1 Woodward Stakes with the brilliance many expected or to which they have become accustomed, but the performance was good enough for his connections to continue on to the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 5 at Keeneland and a meeting with the undefeated Flightline.