2015 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint: Fierce Five
Five weeks until Breeders’ Cup weekend! That means it is time to start getting serious. No question about it, this is a talented group of ladies on the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint trail this year, but I have got my eyes on a select group of five. Let me just say, it was tough to pick just five! The division is loaded this year thanks to an influx of speedy fillies and the return of some dominant mares.
She is 14 of 20 lifetime and undefeated so far in 2015. In fact, she has yet to trail at any pole this year. This mare is a speedster that never takes her hoof off the gas. It is hard to believe that she has never run in a Breeders’ Cup event, but this appears to be her year. She has truly been unstoppable, but now she steps up to face more talented runners. This Linda Rice-trainee is the solid favorite in this weekend’s grade II Gallant Bloom at Belmont. She gets a real challenge from Dame Dorothy, who has racked up a pair of her own graded stakes wins this year. I am expecting an exciting dash home from these two.
Speaking of her, this filly has also been impressive in 2015. She simply did not fire at Saratoga her last time out, which I can overlook. We all know the Saratoga effect! Trainer Todd Pletcher made the right move earlier this year, when he cut her back to seven furlongs. She has shown the ability to pace the field or sit back and wait. Oh, and did I mention she has already defeated last year’s Breeders’ Cup champion in this division? That is not a bad thing to have on your resume heading into October at Keeneland.
This three-year-old filly out of Bernardini is really, really good! Her Prioress Stakes victory was her best performance to date. She showed the ability to relax and let the race come to her. She is not the flashiest of runners, but may be one the most strategic and grittiest. This mental toughness makes her a solid contender in this division. She seems to get better with each race and appears ready to take on older company.
Sign up for TVG and GET $100 FREE!
I was hoping for an impressive effort in last week’s Dogwood Stakes at Churchill and I was not disappointed. She is undefeated in sprinting events and has a real need for speed. This Super Saver filly won her first two races by a combined 21.5 lengths. She has now proven that she can win a graded stakes, so the only question remaining is can she beat the older ladies? I certainly believe in her abilities and look forward to watching her continue to blossom.
Her win in the Ballerina Stakes really sold me on this filly. She finished fifth in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Distaff, but seems to have come into her own at the seven furlong distance. It does not look like she will run again before the BC Filly & Mare Sprint, so she will be well rested heading into the race. The fact that she can sit off the pace and close late should aid her nicely considering the amount of speed I expect to see in the race this year.