Strengths and weaknesses of the 2016 Breeders' Cup Juvenile mares (2023)

The Breeders' Cup 2016 will take place on November 4th & 5th!
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DerSuperBowlof the race is a weekaway,and the fields of action for the Breeders' Cup 2016 are forming.helast twice theBreeders’ Cup Juvenile Stutfohlenheld in Santa Anita, it was a lucrative race. Thirteen promising youngsters were pre-registered for the competition. Last year's overwhelming favorite, Songbird, didn't disappoint. Voters were unanimous in bestowing championship honors on the Superstar.

There aren't any standouts in this year's field, so let's take a look at each contender's strengths and weaknesses.

American Gal(Concord Point - American Story, von Ghostzapper)

Racing record: 2-2-0-0 ($80.700)

Lastrace: 1^stAnoakia Missions

Strengthen:American Gal has conquered her two starts by a combined 6 ¾ lengths. bobBafferttrainedAmerican Gal's father to win the 1 1/8 mile West Virginia Derby. The filly's dam, American Story, also stood in the Baffert stable and placed second in three outings between one mile and 1 1/16 miles. American Story is a half sister to Dubai Golden Shaheen hero Reynaldothewizard.

Weaknesses:American Gal has potential but falls into the "Who did she beat?" category. Her speed number improved between her first and second starts and she ran 6 panels in 1:10.45 without being asked. Plus, she's turning in just 13 days to compete in the biggest of her career.

Opportunities:Who knows how talented American Galis is? Can she evaluate if necessary? More questions than answers with this one, but she was trained by Baffert. Might be one to keep in your exotics for a lifetime.

Anoakia Missions

Champagnerraum(Broken Vow – Lucky to Be Me, von Bernstein)

Track record: 4-1-1-1 ($186,600)

Last race: 4th^thChandelier Poles (G1)

Strengthen:Champagne Room enters the JuvenileFillies with four starts under her perimeter. Since July she has been competing with the best Californian fillies. Trainer Peter Eurton saddled his only Juvenile Filliescandidate, Wemissfrankie, 2011 in third place.

Weaknesses:Champagne Room was a rank in the early stages of the Chandelier Stakes. Their jockey Mike Smith had to calm down into the first corner, keeping the eager youngster tight behind the pacemaker. In the heavy traffic he had to support her buttocks from his heels again. When Smith finally asked to run, the filly was exhausted from fighting and could only give a slight answer. Champagne Room finished fourth, beaten by 5 ½ lengths. Since the start of the race, only two fillies who made no money in their preparation have won the Breeders' Cup. One was via DQ.

Opportunities:Have champagne roomlearnfrom your past experience? She's a nice filly but after four starts, three of them in good company, Champagne Room might be ready for a break. She could hit the board with a goodTravelwhen she relaxes, but without a perfect trip I don't see her as a contender.

Colorful charades(Discreet Cat - Laila's Punch, von Two Punch)

Track Record: 2-1-0-1 ($89,800)

Last run: 3rd^rd Frizette inserts (G1)

Strengthen:Colorful Charades was best of the rest in Frizette and ended over nine lengths behind top pair. Her speed figure improved from her first start.

Weaknesses:Colorful Charades has an aprinter/miler pedigree, heavy in the sprint. In the Frizette she pushed the pace early on, but couldn't keep up with the top pair. TrainerRodríguezmakes his first foray into the Breeders Cup arena.

Opportunities:Colorful Charades appears a cut among the more accomplished fillies.Shemaypress the early pace.

Daddys Lil Darling(Scat Daddy - Miss Hot Salsa, von Houston)

Track Record: 4-2-1-0 ($224,165)

Lastrace: 2^ndAlcibiades piles (G1)

Strengthen: PapasLil Darling has two starts at 1 1/16 miles under her circumference. Your speed stats have improved with each launch. Scat Daddy's daughter conquered the PocahontasStakes (G2) by a half-length under a well-timed drive pastCorey Lanerie. PapasLil Darling was the fastest moving of all in the Alcibiades sectionCallsbut ran outBoden. Mares who placed top three at the Alcibiades have been in the money at four of the last six editions of the BC Fillies in Santa Anita. The last filly to win the Fillies after hitting the board at the Alcibiades was She Be Wild in 2009.

Weaknesses:Daddy's Lil Darling has a stalking walking style. She has tremendous foot rotation but she will use her style against a full field of fillies on a speed favored course. In 2013, RiaAntonia filed a belated chargemissthe victory by aKopfbut was awarded the win due to a DQ.

KenMcPeek has unsuccessfully sent numerous fillies to the Breeders' Cup. He has an 11-0-2-3 record in the race. The last two times McPeek was in the Juvenile Fillies, his charges placed third; Rosalind (2013) and Dothraki Queen (2015). Bothfillies prepared with second places in the Alcibiades Stakes.

Opportunities: PapasLil Darling could end up in the money in Santa Anita. She would need a perfect trip to win.

Dancing Rags(Union Rags - Home Court, von Storm Cat)

Track Record: 3-2-0-1 ($275,360)

Lastrace: 1^stAlcibiades piles (G1)

Strengthen:Dancing Rags was in the money on all three starts. Her 5 ½ furlong debut on the Laurel turf fell a little short. The second time, freshman Sire Union Rags' daughter stretched to a mile, beating Maidens by 1 ¾ lengths. Dancing Rags faced a full field at the Alcibiades. She got a splint right behind thatpacemakerfor most of the way. The bay filly picked up speed noticeably when asked to pass herJockey, angel cross. She cantered under the wire a length forward, ears flattened, showing that she could have done more. Dancing Rags speed stats have improved with each launch.

The father of DancingRags narrowly missed being crowned 2-year-old champ by a desperate head. The following year, the huge filly conquered the Belmont Stakes. His offspring later became sexually mature and should mature into Schönthree year olds. Dancing Rags is ahalf sisterto multiple Graded Stakes winner Coup De Grace. Her second mother is 1996 Breeders' Cup heroine Jewel Princess.

Weaknesses:Quickly name the last filly to win both the Alcibiades and BC Juvenile Fillies.That was Silverbulletday in 1998. Since then two fillies who finished second or third in the Alcibiades have won the Breeders' Cup - Cash Run and She Be Wild.

Trainer Graham Motion has entered the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies twice, once in 2004 and again in 2009. Neither filly was representedInthe money.

Opportunities:Dancing Rags has the running style and ability to be a serious contender for the Juvenile Fillies.

Alcibiades piles

Jamyson’n Ginger(Bernardini - Ginger Brew, by Milwaukee Brew)

Track Record: 3-1-0-1 ($55,550)

Last race: 1^stMaiden special weight

Strengthen: Jamyson'NGinger won her last race by 15 lengths, running a mile in 1:37.47 over a sloppy course.

Jamyson'NGinger has a noble pedigree and should improve with maturity and distance. Her dam is a 2008 Canadian champion mare and multiple stakes winner from 7F to 1 1/8 miles. She finished second in the 1 ¼ mile against Queens PlateFoal. GingerBrew is ahalf sisterto multiplegraded stakes veteran Bourbon Bay, who twice won the 14 furlong San JuanCapistrano Invitational Handicap.

Weaknesses: Jamyson'NGinger struggled on her second start. Yellow Agate won this race by over five lengths.Jamyson 'NGinger jumps from the top ranks to compete with the best.

Opportunities:Her speed stats have improved with each launch while stretching. The distance will not be a problem. How does she get fitclass wise? No filly in the history of Juvenile Fillies has captured the event without making a racea mission.

New money honey(Medaglia d'Oro - Weekend Whim, von Distorted Humor)

Track Record: 2-1-0-0 ($136,600)

Last race: 1^stMiss Grillo Missions (G3)

First Preference - Juvenile Fillies Turf

Strengthen:Both of New Money Honey's launches were 1 1/16 miles long. She was very wide inside herdebutbut made up ground and took second place. At the Miss Grillo, New Money Honeyrated behind a very slow pace, sweeping wide and open by 2 ¾ lengths.

New MoneyHoney is bred to go 1 1/8 miles and possibly longer. Her half sister Coconut Shrimp placed in a couple of peat stakes between 7F -8F. Her dam Weekend Whim is a full sister to Any Given Saturday, heroine of Haskell Invitational (G1) Brooklyn Handicap (G2), Dwyer(G2),etc. Weekend Whim's half sister, Bohemian Lady, is a multiple stakes winner from 7F to 1 1/8milesand placed in the 1 ¼ mile Ladies Handicap.

Weaknesses:New Money Honey will be racing on dirt for the first time in Juvenile racingmaresif she doesn't move into the Juvenile Fillies Turf. Her pedigree is diverse enough that she can handle multiple surfaces. Kickback could be a factor and keep New Money Honey from having her best race. Also, only one filly was able to catch the juvenile fillies from just two starts.

Opportunities:Easily ridden, race worthy and talented.SheIt never walks on dirt and doesn't need to build pedestrian factions of a two-turn turf competitionherrun. Trainer Chad Brown had no starter in the Juvenile Fillies. He has conquered the Juvenile Fillies Turf twice.New Money Honey might be worth a second look for a Longshot contender if she runs in the Juvenile Fillies.

Miss Grillo Stakes

Noted and quoted(The Factor - Silver Cub, by City Zip)

Racing record: 4-2-0-0 ($239.580)

Lastrace: 1^stChandelier Poles (G1)

Strengthen:The daughter of freshman sire TheFactor was a determined winner of the Chandelier Stakes in Santa Anita on her first try after two rounds.Raffael Bejaranois 2-2 on thefilly. He hadWritten downand cited pushing the pace in the Class 1 event and was awarded a half score passing the winner with honors. Noted and Quoted's best performances were delivered close to the pace. A pace setting/pressing running style and a distance/surface win by the BC Juvenile Fillies count in Notedand Quoted's favor.

Weaknesses:Noted and Quoted proved she needs to be close to the pace to deliver. The two times she sat further back than fourth resulted in losses. In both starts, the Noted and Quoted debut and the Del MarDebutante, the handsome gray filly was piloted by Mike Smith. She was guided to her double wins by Raphael Bejarano.

A fixture on the Southern California circuit, Bob Baffert always has loads of classtwo year oldsin his stable. He sent 20 young fillies to the Breeders' Cup. Only two won, but four finished second.

Opportunities:Noted and Quoted have a good chance of presenting Baffert with his third Juvenile Fillies trophy.

Chandelier Inserts

Sweet Loretta(Tapit - Bluegrass Cat)

Track Record: 3-3-0-0 ($250,520)

Lastrace: 1^stSpinaway Stakes (G1) (totes Rennen)

Strengthen:The Tapit daughter has been unbeaten for three starts. She won her Maidenat Monmouth, cantering seven lengths from the field. A month later at Schuylerville (G3) she was dying but easily defeated the field by 4 ¼ lengths. At Spinaway, sweet Lorettadead heatedwith Pretty City Dancer for victory.

SweetLoretta carries on the stakes winning traditionFamilybut can be distance challenged. Her sireget wins at all distances, but Bluegrass Cat's few blacktype runners didn't win past a mile. Sweet Loretta is the first foal by a top-class sprinter. Her dam is a half sister to Spring in the Air, Canada's Champion 2012, 2 year old filly who competed to 1 1/16 milesabovedirt and grass.

Weaknesses:Sweet Loretta has gate problems. She broke awkwardly on her last two starts. She sped green into the spinaway section, ducked, and drifted out the section until she pushed Pretty City Dancer so hard she took her buttknocked sidewaysand the filly game almost lost its footing. Sweet Loretta fought in the spinaway on the deep Saratoga track. Their final 1/8 was clocked in at 13.47, compared to Pretty City Dancer's 13.16. Was it the track or will it struggle to navigate two corners?

SweetLoretta's pedigree and conformation suggest she may be pushed beyond a mile. Her father is victorious at all distances, but Bluegrass Cat's few blacktype runners have not won beyond a mile. Sweet Loretta is the first foal by a high-level sprinter. Her dam is a half sister to the 2012 Canadian 2-year-old filly, Spring in the Air, who competed to 1 1/16 milesabovedirt and grass.

Surprisingly the giant on the east coastTod Pletchercouldn't add a win in the Juvenile Fillies to his resume. Pletcher sent a dozen foals to the post; four took second place and two took third and fourth place respectively. Last yearPletcher conditionedRachel's Valentina takes second place behind the spectacular Songbird.

Opportunities:Sweet Loretta needs to get a clean break in the full field of Juvenile Fillies and learn to walk the track straight. 1 1/16 miles seems like a suspicious distance for Tapit's play daughter after her tough performance at Spinaway. She must do all of this after a 63-day layoff.

Spinaway Bets

union strike(Union Rags - Classic Strike, von Smart Strike)

Track Record: 2-1-1-0 ($192,600)

Last race: 1^stDel Mar-Neuling (G1)

Strengthen:Union Strike has accomplished a lot in their first two launches. she brokeslowin herd debut at 5 ½stadiums,but made up ground to finish second behind American Cleopatra, the little sister of our Triple Crown winner. Union Strike ran a great race on their second start in the Del Mar Debutante. She sat all the way wide during the 7 furlong event. American Cleopatra, Noted and Quoted and Champagne Room were in the mix but couldn't stop Union Strike's powerful stretch drive. The daughter of First Crop Sire UnionRags has increased the Del Mar Debutante by 2 ¼ lengths.

Union Strike has the breeding to handle medium distances and maybe longer distances. she is ahalf sisterto multi-stake veteran Handsome Mike, a winner of between seven and nine furlongs.

Weaknesses:Union Strike declines at Breeders' Cup a63 TakeDismissal and only two launches under their scope. Will she be fit enough to endure the rigors of racing? The last filly to win the Juvenile Fillies after a long hiatus was Tempera in 2001. However, unlike Union Strike, Tempera had four startsBeforewin the Breeders' Cup. Union Strike has been moved out of the barnShelbe noiseafter her victory in thedebutante,and the filly will make her first start for Craig Dollase. She is the second representative of Dollase's Juvenile Fillies. His first load, CashIncluded, placed fifth in 20006.

Opportunities:This talented filly has beaten Notedand Quoted and Champagne Room. Her lack of experience and possible fitness is a concern, especially when she has to take the scenic route through the race on the outside. Would have liked to see this one have a prep even if it was just a grant race like Beholder did in 2012,BeforeCatching the young mares.Additionally,Dollaseis 0-12 this year in graded stakes.

Newcomer Del Mar

Valadorna(Curlin - Goldfield, von Yes It'sTrue)

Racing record:2-1-1-0 ($44.600)

Last race: 1^stMaiden special weight

Strengthen:Valadorna won a first competition over a full field in Keeneland. She won the 1 1/16 mile race in 1:44.47 from Sixlengths. There is little blackwriting in Valadorna's distaff line. Her dam is a half sister to Springside, winner of the 2008 Demoiselle Stakes (G2) at 1 1/8 miles.

Weaknesses:Since 2001, coach Mark Casse has entered seventwo year oldsin the Breeders' Cup Juvenile filly. The best placement was achieved by Delightful Mary, who finished third in 2010. Valadorna is a promising youngster and has experience in a whole field. She takes on more experienced fillies

Opportunities: Valadorna's speed numbers aren't as strong as the tiered stakes winners. She has to overcome a lot to beat this field.

With honors(War Front – All Her Class, von Street Cry (IRE))

Track Record: 3-2-1-0 ($157,800)

Lastrace: 2^ndChandelier Poles (G1)

FirstPreference—Juvenile maresLawn

Strengthen:With Honors has a pace-setting running style that conforms to the SantaAnita track bias. She finished second, latte a half-length in the Chandelier Stakesby Noted and Quoted. The chandelier was the firstLoss,and theFirstOnce the well-bred daughter of War Front raced on dirt. Previously, she conquered the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies TurfStakes. On the course of theChandelier, With Honors was close to the railing and a little intimidated by Noted and Quoted, but she worked up courage and got back to her rival just short of the wire.

WithHonors' mother isa missionplaced half sister of the winning sprinterFast Anna, who placed in King's Bishop (G1). With Honors' second dam is the 2006 BCJuvenile Fillies Champion and Champion 2YO FillyDreams of Anna. The third damJustenuffheartis a multiple stakes winner and a half sister to Champion Turf Horse and TopsireThe Kitten's Delight.

Weaknesses:With Honors contested the lead in Everystart. If necessary, can she evaluate or will she be involved in a speed duel with the Juvenile Fillies? The Desormeaux gained valuable experience in the chandelier.

Desormeaux was a competitor in the last two Juvenile Fillies. Danette finished fifth at SantaAnita in 2014 while Right There finished ninth at Keeneland last year.

Opportunities:With Honors has the talent to be a serious contender for the Juvenile Fillies, but needs to show she can evaluate or avoid a front-end speed duel. She doesn't seem headstrong or speed crazy. She has a preference for the Juvenile FilliesLawncould be a tough contender in either race though.

Yellow Agate(Gemmologe – Lemon Sorbet, von Lemon Drop Kid)

Racing record: 2-2-0-0 ($285.000)

Lastrace: 1^stFrizette inserts (G1)

Strengthen:Yellow Agate is undefeated in two starts. She broke away from a fast early pace in a close-upfifth placebefore you make onethree widemove around the turn. Manny Franko aggressively pushed her through the track to catch heraheadLibby's Tailby a head on the wire.

YellowAgate hasn't done two laps yet, but she has the pedigree and conformation to cover classic distances. The second and third generation of their DistafflineIsfilled with international Stakesturf routers. Her dam's father won the Belmont Stakes; The second dam sire Sadlers' Wells was one of the top stallions of theworld, andthirdMuttervater ist Kentucky Derby HeldFoolish Pleasure.

Weaknesses:Yellow Agate started her second career start in Frizette. The only filly to win the Juvenile Fillies in her third start was Indian Blessing in 2007. In the Frizette, the First Crop Sire Gemologist's daughter appeared eager early but calmed downmiddle of the raceShe was green on the track, wagging her tail and didn't seem keen on attacking the leader.

YellowAgate will be trainer Christophe Clement's first charge at the JuvenileFillies. The experienced trainer is known for his conditioningMaximum levelTurf Horses, but sits 0-29 in all Breeders' Cup divisions. His protégés took second place five times.

Opportunities:Yellow Agate is a promising young filly. She was able to mature into a top racing mare over several surfaces. HerFritzetteStakes win wasespecially since this filly is mentally still growing and could overwhelm the large starting field of the Breeders' Cup.

Frizette inserts

This is not a strong Breeders' Cup competition and could be preparing for a big onePayout for a good start to the day.