Competitive Chandelier field preps for the Breeders' Cup

 

The Chandelier Stakes is carded as the tenth race at Santa Anita on Saturday. The 1 1/16 mile contest over the dirt is a “Win and You’re In” Breeders’ Cup Challenge race.  Besides a very nice trophy and plenty of congratulatory pats, the winner will receive a guaranteed spot in the starting gate for the Juvenile Fillies, which will be held on Friday, October 31. 

 

The last filly to sweep the Chandelier and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies was Stardom Bound in 2008. Since that time, four youngsters who won in the Chandelier, placed in the Breeders’ Cup. Bob Baffert has won the race nine times, including the 2012 and 2013 editions. He’ll try to capture the 2014 Chandelier with Maybellene. Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer sent Blind Luck out for the victory in 2009. He’s covered the race with three entrants, Manahatta, Majestic Presence and Lutine Belle.

 

This year, a full field of twelve juvenile fillies will vie for a chance to enter the winner’s circle.  This will be the first attempt around two turns for all except Sunday Sonnet.  Although some are stakes placed, only Sharla Rae is a stakes winner.  Let’s take a closer look at the lineup.

 

 

 

SUNDAY SONNET (Any Given Saturday - Red Piano, by Red Ransom) switches back to dirt after a second place finish in the P G Johnson over the lawn.  She finished 2 ½ lengths behind Chandelier entrant Angela Renee on the Belmont dirt in their debut and Sunday Sonnet is a winner over an off track.  Sunday Sonnet has the pedigree to handle any surface.  She’s a half sister to multiple Grade 3 turf star PIANIST (More Than Ready).  Sunday Sonnet has breezed well at Monmouth, but hasn’t taken a spin around the new Santa Anita surface.  Trainer Kelly Breen scores with 20% shippers.

 

 

CONQUEST ECLIPSE (Malibu Moon - Grand Traverse Bay, by Repriced) should love the extra distance and the switch back to dirt.   Racing from off of the pace over the Del Mar speedway in the Debutante, the Mark Casse trained filly closed within a length of the winner Sunset Glow, even after going four wide on the turn.  Conquest Eclipse’s unraced dam is a half sister to Sweet Damsel, who bore Travers Stakes winner and sire COLONEL JOHN. 

 

 

DANETTE (Curlin - Sugar Britches, by Dixieland Band) is still a maiden.  She was third behind Majestic Presence in August and two weeks later, was on the wrong end of a photo-finish to Maybellene. The extra real estate and dirt surface should benefit the slowly developing daughter of Curlin.   Danette is a full sister to the stakes placed gelding, Curl My Toes.  Their dam is a half to CHECK YOUR SOUL, winner of the Wando Stakes at Woodbine.  20% of trainer Keith Desormeaux’s charges win when switching from Poly to dirt. 

 

 

ANGELA RENEE (Bernardini - Pilfer, by Deputy Minister) didn’t enjoy getting her hooves dirty in the Spinaway last time out, despite having a good pedigree for the mud.   She’s a full sister to multiple G-1 stakes winner and sire TO HONOR AND SERVE, and a half to stakes placed Elnaawi (Street Sense). The distance should suit the filly, but she’s failed as the favorite in her last two starts, both graded stakes.  Still, she appears to be the class of the field, due to her runner-up status in two graded stakes.  Plus, Pletcher invades from the east.

 

SHARLA RAE (Afleet Alex - Jinny's Gold, by Gold Fever) is the only stakes winner in the field, having captured the Barretts Debutante, a 6 ½ furlong restricted race.  After a distant fourth place finish in the Sorrento Stakes, where she clearly didn’t relish the Polytrack,  Sharla Rae came back to fight through the stretch of the Debutante, winning the photo-finish.  She’s the first of five foals to earn blacktype.  Her dam Jinny's Gold is multiple graded stakes placed over the lawn. Jinny's Gold is a half to the multiple stakes winner DANCING WATER and that one's full brother, stakes winner DANCING DEPUTY. Sharla Rae is the stronger of the two fillies entered by Doug O’Neil.

 

 

MAYBELLENE (Lookin At Lucky - Greathearted, by Giant's Causeway) recorded her first win when stretching to a mile. The determined daughter of first crop sire Lookin At Lucky showed her sire’s tenacity as she fought hard through the stretch and prevailed by a head over Danette.  Maybellene has a royal pedigree. Her unraced dam is a half sister to graded stakes winners and well-knowns sire ELUSIVE QUALITY, ROSSINI, plus the stakes winning mare GHAZAL and stakes placed Seeking Greatness. Additionally, Breeders' Cup Juvenile hero ANEES and two-time Sword Dancer (G-1) hero GRAND COUTURIER are part of this distaff line.  Maybellene’s fourth dam NATASHKA and fifth dam Natasha are blue hens.  As mentioned previously, Bob Baffert conditions Maybellene.

 

 

MORNING COFFEE (Quiet American - Missbelle O's Tale, by Tale of the Cat) also won when adding distance in an eventful one mile maiden race. After playing bumper cars at the start, the O’Neil filly made a strong move in the stretch and percolated home by 4 ½ lengths. Both she and stablemate Sharla Rae have a quick two-week turn around into graded stakes competition.

 

 

MANAHATTA (Old Fashioned - Ermelinda, by Sea Hero) after beating beating Windy Forecast and Dad’s Princess by a length, in her debut, the three fillies came bac just two weeks later to contest the Del Mar Debutante. The Hollendorfer filly had no response and finished a zip code away in sixth place.  Manahatta is a half to stakes placed Game for More and Terrys Tom Cat.  

 

 

CRUISINGTHEHARBOR (Rockport Harbor - Seeingtizbelieving, by Tiznow) sailed by maiden claimers to win her debut by 2 ½ lengths.  She moves up in class and like others in here, should like two turns. There isn’t much blacktype in the family.  Her unraced dam is a half to a few minor stakes runners and that’s about it for the immediate family. Trainer Peter Miller is good with two year olds, but is 5 – 123 in stakes races.

 

 

 

 

MAJESTIC PRESENCE (Majestic Warrior - Shining Victory, by Victory Gallop) wired the field, including Danette, in a mile maiden contest at Del Mar. Her dam is a half to stakes winner BOSS EGO and stakes placed Sunshine in Paris. The second dam PHOENIX SUNSHINE is a multiple stakes winner. Hollendorfer hits with 25% of maidens jumping into stakes.Majestic Presence has strong speed figures and has posted stamina works at Santa Anita.

 

 

LUTINE BELLE (Bellamy Road - Timeless Trick, by Mazel Trick) won at first asking, then checked in a bothered second against optional claimers at Golden Gate.  The game filly had to check at the ½ mile pole and then go five wide on the turn.  Despite this, she was second beaten only 2 ½ lengths. Lutine Belle’s unraced dam is a half to the Japanese multiple stakes winner LE MARS GIRL. That’s it for blacktype in the first two generations of this distaff family, although multiple G-1 heroine TWIST AFLEET is part of this family.

 

 

 

In the last ten years, pace pressers (within two lengths of the lead) have won the Chandelier four times. Pace setters, mid-pack runners and closers each won twice.

 

 

Most of these fillies are pace setter/presser types.  Sunday Sonnet appears to have the most speed from the rail.  With the right fractions, she could wire the field. Conquest Eclipse also has speed class and could be the top threat. She draws the inside and has the speed to capture the lead should she break sharply.  Never discount a Baffert horse with speed.  Maybellene draws outside of the top two and could sit a perfect pressing trip.  Hollendorfer also should be respected. His Majestic Presence (the filly, not Hollendorfer) could have a say in the race. If the pace up front becomes too hot to handle, look for Dad’s Princess to flounce by them. Angela Renee is a nice filly and has kept good company in the East. This isn’t the strongest field and she’s posted some of the best speed figures. Would Pletcher ship her to California if she didn’t have a shot?