Quartet of fillies step up in Alabama
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Photo:
Jack Coady/Coady Photography
This year’s G1 Alabama Stakes has become a case of the haves
and the have-nots. In one corner, dual grade 1 winner Princess of Sylmar and
multiple graded stakes winner Fiftyshadesofhay loom large. In the opposite
corner, maiden winner Galloping Giraffe and Royal Delta’s sister Carnival Court
seek credentials. And somewhere in the middle, Tell a Great Story and Montana
Native lurk, ready to turn their overnight stakes wins into stepping stones for
a graded stakes win.
Montana Native presents an interesting conundrum. The bay
filly gets absolutely no help in the stamina department from sire Yes It’s
True, and thus far she is the only of dam Special American’s progeny to succeed
in route races. Her immediate pedigree screams sprinter, as does her Dosage
index, but she does hold one very important card. Her dam Special American is
by Quiet American, who as a broodmare sire is responsible for classic winners
Bernardini and Saint Liam.
As for race day experience, only Fiftyshadesofhay has as
many career starts (10 for both). Unlike Fifty, however, Montana Native has
only recently started putting things together. It took her 5 attempts to break
her maiden, and she didn’t again find the winner’s circle until her 9th
career start. She won that start by 2 ½ lengths going 8.5 furlongs and then
translated that score into a romping victory in the 9 furlong Broom Dance
Stakes over this same course last month. I have a feeling that the best is yet
to come with this filly, and if she gets an uncontested lead, she may prove
difficult to run down.
Carnival Court, more famous for being Royal Delta’s sister
than anything she has accomplished on the track, is the exact opposite of
Montana Native. Though both fillies exhibit similar run styles, Carnival Court
has stamina influences all over her pedigree, and on paper, it looks as though
she could run all day long. Breeding isn’t everything, however, and none of
Delta Princess’ other progeny have come close to filling Royal Delta’s big
shoes. Carnival Court faces a tall task in trying to become a Grade 1 winner in
only her 4th lifetime start against proven stakes winners. She adds
Lasix for the first time and should be perfectly poised to strike sitting right
off Montana Native if she proves good enough.
Tell A Great Story also boasts a stake win via a nose
victory in the Go For Wand Stakes at Delaware Park back in June. In her last
start, the G2 Delaware Oaks, she ran a very even race but lacked a closing kick
and finished 3rd behind weaker competition than what she’ll face on
Saturday. She posted a sharp 1.11 4/5 six furlong work at Laurel, but I don’t
think that sharp work will counteract the negatives here. Her previous races
were all at Delaware Park, Laurel, and Pimlico; she faces a huge step up in
class, like a few of the other fillies; and this is her first race beyond 8.5 furlongs.
Rounding out the quartet is the uniquely named Galloping Giraffe. The Repole Stable filly has been installed as the morning line long
shot at 20-1 and is certainly the outsider in this group. She only has one win
in three career starts, a romping 8 length victory in a 1 mile maiden claiming
race. Last out, she closed from last in a field of 7 to miss the win by
three-quarters of a length going 9 furlongs over this course. Galloping Giraffe’s
dam Fountain Square has also produced 2007 Pennsylvania Derby winner Timber Reserve. A brisk pace on the front end could give this filly a shot and justify
Mike Repole’s decision to roll the dice.
Princess of Sylmar and Fiftyshadesofhay are the deserving
top 2 choices based on their accomplishments, but since the 10 furlong distance
is a question for all six fillies, it would be foolish to hand The Princess the
win, as many are already doing. There is a reason why Saratoga is called the
Graveyard of Champions, and should Princess lose, she would not be the first
odds on favorite to do so. Montana Native and Galloping Giraffe, like Princess of Sylmar, have already shown an affinity for the track, and should the pace be
uncontested, Princess will have her work cut out for her in trying to gun down
the speed from her customary stalking position.
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