Three years ago, the Godolphin-owned and Charlie Appleby-conditioned La Pelosa (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) used placings in the Listed Star S. and in the G3 Sweet Solera S. as a stepping-stones to victory in the GI Natalma S. at Woodbine. Connections will be hoping that lightning strikes twice Sunday with Wild Beauty (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who has charted precisely the same course into the 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies' Turf at Del Mar Nov.5.
Whereas La Pelosa finished third in the Star S. at Goodwood, Wild Beauty went one better, chasing home hot favorite Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who subsequently hacked up at 20 cents on the dollar in Doncaster's G2 May Hill S. Sept. 9. Wild Beauty and La Pelosa both finished runner-up in the Sweet Solera contested over a straight seven furlongs at Newmarket and she should appreciate the extra eighth of a mile Sunday.
D J Stable and Nexus Racing's Diabolic (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) looks to take her unbeaten streak to four while stretching out in trip for the first time. Purchased for £90,000 out of last year's Goffs Orby Yearling Sale, the gray filly validated 8-5 favoritism with a neck success sprinting five grassy furlongs at Gulfstream May 20 before adding the My Dear S. over the local synthetic surface July 31. It was back to the turf when prepping for this in the Aug. 21 Catch a Glimpse S. and Diabolic made a run from next to last to report home a length to the good of Royal Engagement (Palace Malice), with Mrs. Barbara (Bodemeister) another length and three-quarters back in third.
Bobby Flay homebred Pizza Bianca (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) holds the distinction of being the lone runner in the field of 10 with a victory going long, having graduated by three-parts of a length at first asking at Saratoga July 22. Joel Rosario retains the mount for Christophe Clement.
Ready Lady (More Than Ready) belied generous odds to score by a half-length on her seven-furlong debut Aug. 28 and will try to follow in the hoofprints of her half-sister 'TDN Rising Star' Lady Speightspeare (Speightstown), who won this event last year by 3/4 of a length off a somewhat more decisive first-out success.
Eminent Victor (Mr. Z) earned a competitive 74 Beyer for a debut score over the Arlington Poly and has since been acquired by Michael Dubb, The Elkstone Group and Louis Lazzinaro. She makes her first appearance for Chad Brown here.
1st-SAR, $100K, Msw, 2yo, 1 1/16mT, post time: 11:35 a.m. ET
Though there are more fashionable pedigrees on display for the Saturday opener at the Spa, DAUNT (Nyquist) may present longshot players something to grab on to. Owned and bred by Marc Keller and trained by Bobby Ribaudo–who teamed to win back-to-back renewals of the GI Sword Dancer Invitational in 2007 and 2008 with Grand Couturier (GB)–the February-foaled dark bay is the first produce for his dam Promotional (Artie Schiller), third in the GIII Rood & Riddle Dowager S. and sold with this colt in utero for $275,000 at Keeneland January in 2019. Promotional is a half-sister to the Glen Hill Farm's outstanding MGISW and GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf runner-up Marketing Mix (Medaglia d'Oro), while the deeper female family includes two-time GI Pacific Classic winner Skimming (Nureyev), G1 English 1000 Guineas heroine Wince (GB) (Selkirk) and MGSW Eltish (Cox's Ridge). Electability (Quality Road), a $600K in-utero purchase at KEENOV in 2018, is out of a daughter of GIII Florida Oaks winner French Satin (French Deputy), dam of GSW Long Haul Bay (Quality Road), SW & GSP Midnight Transfer (Hard Spun) and SP Salt Plage (Quality Road). Electability cost $300,000 at KEENOV in 2019 and third dam produced MGISW Lion Heart (Tale of the Cat). Royal Spirit (Into Mischief), a $450,000 KEESEP buy, is out of a winning half-sister to GSW Mo Tom (Uncle Mo), SW & MGISP Beautician (Dehere), MGSW Red Ruby (Tiznow) and SW Bella Castani (Big Brown), the dam of MSP Be Sneaky (Into Mischief). TJCIS PPs
2nd-SAR, $100K, Msw, 2yo, 6f, post time: 12:08 p.m. ET
Produced by a half-sister to GSW Doremifasollatido (Bernstein) and GSW Fortunate Damsel (Runaway Groom), STEINBECK (Frosted) fetched $125,000 at KEESEP last year, then was hammered down for $650,000 at Fasig-Tipton's Gulfstream Sale earlier this winter after breezing a quarter-mile in :21 2/5 (see below). The price ranks as easily the most expensive of 34 second-crop juveniles for his sire in 2021. Don Adam's Courtlandt Farm was extended to $690,000 to acquire Dr. Perry (Into Mischief) at Keeneland last fall. The Mar. 5 foal is out of Not In Jest (Unbridled's Song), a daughter of GI Ballerina H. winner Stop Traffic (Cure the Blues), making her a full-sister to GISW and 'TDN Rising Star' Cross Traffic and a half to MSW Thirteen Arrows (Indian Charlie). Be Better is a homebred son of Uncle Mo, who defeated Admiral Perry by 14 1/4 lengths at first asking 11 years ago to this day before going on to GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile and Eclipse Award honors. The dark bay is out of a daughter of the late SW Grat (A.P. Indy), dam of GSW turfer Old Time Hockey (Smarty Jones). TJCIS PPs
Fipke Homebred Looks 'Ready' For Debut…
5th-WO, C$126K, Msw, 2yo, f, 7fT, post time: 3:23 p.m. ET
Charles Fipke homebred READY LADY (More Than Ready) looks set to roll at first asking and has the family behind her to do it. The late Jack Werk acquired the filly's second dam, Grade I-winning Illinois-bred Lady Shirl (That's a Nice), for $485,000 in foal to Theatrical (Ire) at Keeneland November in 2005 and the result was Lady Shakespeare, who went on to become a graded winner on turf at 10 and 12 furlongs for Fipke. Lady Shakespeare has gone on to produce GISW, Sovereign Award winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Lady Speightspeare (Speightstown) while her half-sister, GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf upsetter Perfect Shirl (Perfect Soul {Ire}), has accounted for GSW 'Rising Star' Shirl's Speight (Speightstown). Lady Shirl also produced SW & MGSP Fantastic Shirl (Fantastic Light). TJCIS PPs
'Chrome' Sibling Gets Underway…
1st-DMR, $70K, Msw, 2yo, f, post time: 5:00 p.m. ET CAPTAIRE (Uncle Mo) draws outside in a field of six for a much-anticipated career debut Saturday 'where the surf meets the turf.' On behalf of SF Bloodstock, John McCormack went to $1.9 million to purchase Love That Chase (Not For Love) in foal to Tapit at Fasig-Tipton November in 2016, a few months before her son California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit) would add a Horse of the Year and champion older horse statuette to his champion 3-year-old Eclipse from two years prior. Love That Chase was RNAd for $1.3 million with this filly in utero at FTKNOV in 2018. Electric Ride (Daredevil) was the joint-third priciest of her sire's 28 yearlings reported as sold last season when fetching $130,000 at FTKOCT and was the dearest of 19 of the stallion's current juveniles when hammering for $250,000 at OBSAPR this spring (under-tack video). TJCIS PPs
Ballerina Winner Represented By Second Starter…
8th-DMR, $70K, Msw, 2yo, 6f, post time: 8:35 p.m. ET ROCKEFELLER (Medaglia d'Oro) is the second foal to make the races out of the classy Dance to Bristol (Speightstown), who posted the most important of her 10 career wins in the 2013 GI Ballerina S., besting favored Book Review (Giant's Causeway) by a head. The $750,000 KEESEP purchase squares off against Union Train (Union Rags), whose talented half-sister White Frost (Candy Ride {Arg}) was ultra-impressive in taking out the GIII Sweetest Chant S. on the turf at Gulfstream last January. Also a half-brother to MSP Torres Del Paine (Karakontie {Jpn}), Union Train realized a final bid of $325,000 at OBSMAR after breezing in :10 1/5. South Street (Quality Road) is a son of Miss Catomine (Bernardini), whose dam Sweet Catomine (Storm Cat) won the 2004 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies and GI Del Mar Debutante en route to an Eclipse Award that season. The latter's full-sister Life Is Sweet was a winner of the GI Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic. TJCIS PPs
