Proviso Relaxed and Ready

Juddmonte Farms' homebred Proviso is a bit of a late bloomer, but she seems to be reaching her peak heading into the $2 million TVG Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT) at Churchill Downs Nov. 6.

She’ll need every bit of her talent and experience because she’ll be facing such horses as Eclipse Award winner and European champion Goldikova, who is trying to score an unprecedented third straight victory in the race, and Gio Ponti, 2009’s champion older male and champion male on grass.

The Mile is widely regarded as one of the toughest  -- if not the toughest – races during the Breeders’ Cup’s  two-day program.

Proviso, who was foaled in Europe and raced there before coming to America, has faced Goldikova only once previously in her career. The Juddmonte runner finished third, beaten 4 ½ lengths, when Goldikova captured the 2009 Prix Rothschild (Fr-I).