Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies 2019: Prospective field and odds
Recent winners of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies include superstars such as Beholder and Songbird, so will another of that caliber show up in the Nov. 1 renewal? It figures to be a compact field at Santa Anita Park, and there's not much separation among the Top 3.
Bast, 4-1 [Uncle Mo -- Bob Baffert -- 3:2-1-0 -- $372,200]: After finishing second in her debut in a maiden special weight race at Del Mar, Bast won impressively when putting blinkers on for the Del Mar Debutante (G1). She sat within two lengths off the early lead and used an explosive turn of foot to overtake and drew away.
In her subsequent start, and first at Santa Anita, John Velazquez rode Bast to victory in the Chandelier Stakes (G1), a much more narrowly decided race she won in a tight battle with Comical.
Baffert has previously won the Juvenile Fillies with Silverbulletday in 1998 and Indian Blessing in 2007.
British Idiom, 6-1 [Flashback -- Brad Cox -- 2:2-0-0 -- $281,250]: By winning the Alcibiades (G1) by 6 ½ lengths in her second career start, British Idiom has an impressive early resume heading to the Juvenile Fillies. A $40,000 yearling purchase at Fasig-Tipton October last year, she has already surpassed $280,000 in earnings.
She is another filly that sits off the early pace and uses her turn of foot to accelerate while other horses seem to be standing still. She has a win at the distance but will be running at Santa Anita for the first time.
Comical, 8-1 [Into Mischief -- Doug O’Neill -- 2:1-1-0 -- $217,851]: A graded stakes winner after capturing the Schuylerville (G3) at Saratoga in her second career start, Comical is coming into the Breeders’ Cup as an experienced freshman filly with five races under her belt.
Donna Veloce, 20-1 [Uncle Mo -- Simon Callaghan -- 1:1-0-0 -- $30,000]: Donna Veloce has only raced once, but she won by 9 ¼ lengths in a $50,000 maiden special weight race at Santa Anita for trainer Simon Callaghan and owner Kaleem Shah. While the race was contested at 6 ½ furlongs, her large margin of victory and corresponding speed figures make her compelling here.
Stretching out to a mile and a sixteenth while facing Grade 1 winners presents quite a challenge, but she took control early in her debut and never looked back. Donna Veloce won’t be able to get to the front and stay there with as much ease in this class test.
K P Dreamin, 20-1 [Union Rags -- Jeff Mullins -- 3:1-0-1 -- $76,260]: Jeff Mullins had a filly finish second in this race in 2005, as Wild Fit ran a length and a quarter behind winner Folklore when the Breeders’ Cup was held at Belmont Park.
She has been fifth at first call of all three races in her career, but she’s never been more than 2 ½ lengths behind early, so she’s more of a pace stalker than a frontrunner. Unlike others in the prospective field, she has yet to show an impressive closing kick.
Lazy Daisy, 8-1 [Paynter -- Doug O’Neill -- 3:2-0-0 -- $174,880]: In her three career races, she hasn’t displayed a preferred running style, and her graded stakes win in Pocahontas (G2) did not come back with comparable speed figures to the top contenders here.
She has shown a propensity to go wide early, so keep an eye on equipment changes, taking note if she goes with blinkers on.
Perfect Alibi, 4-1 [Sky Mesa -- Mark Casse -- 5:3-2-0 -- $460,988]: Mark Casse has never won a Juvenile Fillies, but this could be the year.
She’s a stakes winner, having won the My Dear Girl Stakes at Gulfstream Park last out in September. Going in gate-to-wire fashion, she has shown the ability to make the lead but may not be as quick as the other possible pacesetters here.
Wicked Whisper, 3-1 [Liam’s Map -- Steve Asmussen -- 2:2-0-0 -- $269,500]: Other than Donna Veloce, the filly most likely to be on the early lead in the Juvenile Fillies is Wicked Whisper. She has raced twice, been on the engine both times, and set sub-23-second quarter mile times in both.