Jessamine Stakes: Last of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Races
The final Breeders’ Cup Challenge race, better known as the “Win And You’re In” series takes place on Wednesday at Keeneland. It’s the JP Morgan Chase Jessamine, a G3 event contested on the turf at 1 1/16 miles for two-year-old fillies. The winner gets an automatic berth and entry fee paid to run in the 2015 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, to be run on Friday, October 30th on this same Keeneland turf course, but at one mile.
There’s no shortage of willing participants in the Jessamine as sixteen (16) have been entered but only fourteen (14) can start. Priority is given based on lifetime earnings. The two (2) Also-Eligibles #15 – La Piba ($17,630) and #16 – Felt in Pocket ($12,960) need a defection via scratch to draw into the field.
The 5-2 Morning Line Favorite is #4 – Harmonize. The Bill Mott trained daughter of Scat Daddy boasts the top 2 Beyer Speed Figures (BSF) in this field. She posted an 82 BSF in winning the $100k PG Johnson stakes by 4 lengths over Thrilled, who beat her by a nose in her debut. Both races were run at 1 1/16 miles on the turf at Saratoga with Junior Alvarado aboard, who retains the mount.
Trainer Ken McPeek will saddle 6-1 Morning Line co-second choice #7 – Lilly’s Dream. After winning her debut on the Ellis Park lawn going one mile, next out she got the SHOW purse in the $300k Kentucky Downs Juvenile Fillies Breeders, finishing just ¾ of a length behind runner-up #12 – Moms Choice, listed at 8-1. Lily’s Dream will get Lasix for the first time in her young racing career. Corey Lanerie takes over for Robby Albarado, who picks up the mount on #13 – Come to Mischief (20-1) for Looch Racing Stables.
Surprisingly, Master of the Turf, trainer Chad Brown has just one runner in this event. It’s co-second choice #8 – Theory of Change, who was game in her lone start, a victory by a head traveling 1 1/16 miles on the grass at Saratoga. Interestingly, Javier Castellano elected to stay at Belmont Park where he has seven (7) mounts on Wednesday, giving up this mount to super sub Joe Bravo.
If Harmonize flashes early speed as she did in her previous races, she’ll have to contend with a pair to her inside, #1 – Carleigh Belle (50-1) and #2 – Tia Flor (50-1) as well as Moms Choice, Come to Mischief and #14 – Outsider Art (8-1) to her outside. Quick early fractions would enhance the chances of late runners like #3 – Precious Love (15-1) 4th in the KD Juvenile Fillies Breeders and #5 – Clare View (10-1) having two turf, one mile races under her belt, a nose loss at Arlington Park and a maiden breaking win by a head at KD.
Runners from high-profile owners always surface for these graded stakes, and the Jassamine has its fair share. Ken and Sarah Ramsey bred and own #6 – Sapphire_Kitten (10-1), impressive debut winner going 6 furlong at Kentucky Downs and love stretching out to two-turns. Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, LLC gave Todd Pletcher the green light to enter #10 – Delicate Lady (10-1) who earned black-type finishing behind Just Wicked and Tonasah in the G2 Adirondack on the dirt at Saratoga. This will be her initial try on the turf as she broke her maiden sprinting 4½ furlongs on the Arlington Park synthetic oval. Gary and Mary West paid $225k for #11 – Family Tree (20-1) as a yearling. She paid immediate dividends winning her debut going 6 furlong at Kentucky Downs. This daughter of Smart Strike out of a Giant’s Causeway mare will also relish travelling more ground.
On paper, it appears Harmonize will be tough to beat. But even if she does prevail, there may be a few others in here that give a good enough account of themselves, that their connections will be willing to take another shot 23 days later in the 2015 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.