Tepin goes after her ninth consecutive win in Keeneland's First Lady

Robert Masterson’s Tepin, winner of eight consecutive races and one of the top grass milers in the world, will take on nine other fillies and mares Saturday as she aims to become the first horse to win the $400,000 First Lady (G1) in consecutive years.

The 19th running of the one-mile turf test for fillies and mares will go as the seventh race Saturday with a 4:35 p.m. post time.

Trained by Mark Casse, Tepin began her win streak with a seven-length victory in last year’s First Lady and followed that with the first of her three victories over males in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) at Keeneland.

Her past two victories have come against the boys with an overseas triumph at England’s Royal Ascot in the Queen Anne (G1) and at Woodbine in the Woodbine Mile (G1) last month.

Regular rider Julien Leparoux has the call Saturday and will break from post position two.

No 3-year-old filly has won the First Lady, but two will try Saturday.

Joseph Allen and Peter Brant’s Nemoralia, who was third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) here last fall, is trained by Jeremy Noseda and will be ridden by Joe Bravo. She will break from post position five.

Qatar Racing’s Now Or Never (IRE) is a Group 3 winner this year at Leopardstown in Ireland and is trained by Michael O’Callaghan. Luis Saez has the mount on Now Or Never, who will break from post position four.

The field for the First Lady with riders and weights from the rail out is: She’s Not Here (Jose Lezcano, 124 pounds), Tepin (Leparoux, 124), Cash Control (Shaun Bridgmohan, 124), Now Or Never (IRE) (Saez, 121), Nemoralia (Bravo, 121), Mississippi Delta (Corey Lanerie, 124), Secret Someone (Robby Albarado, 124), Celestine (Junior Alvarado, 124), Onus (Jose Ortiz, 124) and Photo Call (IRE) (Kent Desormeaux, 124).

Source: Keeneland Association