Zipse: The Female Turf division looks like America's best

One of the hallmarks of quality is consistency. That's exactly why the 2019 group of female grass runners sits atop American racing. As we look at the best divisions of racing this year, there is no group nearly as consistent as the female turf division. Exhibit No. 1 is Sistercharlie.

She was an impressive champion in 2018, when she won four Grade 1 races out of five tries, including a stirring late run to win the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf. The scary thing for her opposition is that she looks even better this year.

Trained by Chad Brown and owned by Peter Brant, the Irish-bred mare has only run twice this year, and both performances were massive. Overpowering stretch runs were on display in each as she rolled late in both the Diana (G1) and the Beverly D. (G1).

Never worse than second since coming to America from France in the summer of 2017, Sistercharlie looks to be a good bet to repeat in the Breeders' Cup.

Then there's Vasilika. An electric late rush to get up and win the John C. Mabee (G2) at Del Mar was only more of the same for the daughter of Skipshot. One of the greatest claims in racing history, Saturday's winner registered her 13th victory in the last 15 races. She's also seldom one to sit on the sidelines, as those 15 starts have all come within the last 17 months.

This year, the 5-year-old Jerry Hollendorfer-trainee has already won 5-of-6, all coming in graded stakes. Clearly the best out west, only a narrow defeat to the consistent stakes winner, Beau Recall, stands in her way of a perfect 2019.

Although she will miss the rest of the year, how about the 3-year-old star, Concrete Rose? A model of consistency, her only career loss came last year in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. This year she exerted her superiority over her class with four consecutive stakes victories at four different courses, including powerful wins in the first two legs of NYRA's Turf Tiara. 

Her excellence was recently emphasized by the result of the Del Mar Oaks (G1), as Cambier Parc, twice easily handled by Concrete Rose, travelled west to roll late in the big race in Southern California. 

Speaking of consistency, Rushing Fall has done little wrong in her career, let alone 2019. Since breaking her maiden in her debut two years ago, the daughter of More Than Ready has run in nothing but graded stakes.

A winner of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf back in 2017, she holds a sparkling record of eight wins and two seconds in ten career races. This year, only the irresistible late run of Sistercharlie in the Diana (G1) has kept her from winning three Grade 1 races in as many tries.

Meanwhile, Got Stormy might not enjoy the overall record of those listed ahead of her, but the 4-year-old daughter of Get Stormy has turned an important corner of late. Knocking on the door of big things for quite some time, the Mark Casse-trainee broke through at Saratoga.

A ridiculously easy win in the De La Rose Stakes foreshadowed a record setting performance over the males in the Fourstardave (G1). One of the males which she defeated in the Fourstardave wasn't a male at all. In fact, Uni, another classy and female turf runner, was barely nipped for second in the key "Win and You're In" event for the Breeders' Cup Mile. A race in which Got Stormy now looks like a top contender.

Sure winning is the ultimate, but you don't always have to win, to run a big race -- case in point, Magic Wand. The globetrotting, Irish filly is winless in 2019, but don't let the string of losses fool you. She has class.

The 4-year-old daughter of Galileo has thrice traveled to America in 2019, and she has competed well against the males each time. A third place finish in the Man O' War (G1) was sandwiched by a pair of big runner-up finishes to America's best male, Bricks and Mortar, in both the Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1) and the recent Arlington Million (G1).

Of course, while this list is an impressive one, the best of all is still to come given some Europeans exhibiting talent -- plus potentially the great Enable -- will make the trip for the Breeders' Cup.

The top division in racing? It has to be this consistent and excellent group of Female Turf runners.