Sharing, Mean Mary Pointed for Grade 1s in August

Sharing and Mean Mary, two of trainer Graham Motion's top-class turf fillies, are likely headed to opposite coasts for grade 1 races on the same weekend next month. 

Sharing, winner of last year's Breeder's Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) at Santa Anita Park, is pointed toward the Aug. 22 Del Mar Oaks (G1T), while Mean Mary is likely for the Aug. 23 Diana Stakes (G1T) at Saratoga Race Course. Both fillies raced last month, with Sharing finishing second in the Coronation Stakes (G1) during Royal Ascot June 20 and Mean Mary winning the June 27 New York Stakes (G2T) by 5 1/4 lengths at Belmont Park.

A 3-year-old daughter of Speightstown , Sharing had won four in a row before her runner-up finish overseas while racing over "good to soft" ground. Her three domestic grass victories had come on firm turf, all in stakes. Besides the Breeders' Cup, she won the Selima Stakes at Laurel Park last September at 2, and captured the Tepin Stakes in her season debut this May at Churchill Downs.

"She'll have her first work this weekend since she got back from England," Motion said. "It will be four weeks since she ran—I gave her a couple of weeks to get over the trip."

His stable is based at Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland.

Sharing has made $856,471 for owners Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Gainesway Stable in taking four of six starts. Besides her aforementioned turf victories, she also won an off-the-grass maiden race on a fast track at Saratoga last August.

Mean Mary, a year older than her stablemate, is riding a four-race win streak that began at Gulfstream Park over the winter. After taking an allowance-level race in December, she won the La Prevoyante Stakes (G3T) and the Orchid Stakes Presented by Rood and Riddle (G3T) in Florida before leading throughout in the New York Stakes.

"She'll breeze this weekend," Motion said. "I'm leaning toward the Diana. I wouldn't rule out running her against the boys in the Sword Dancer, depending on how the races stack up a bit. I think the Diana probably does more for her to get her to the Breeders' Cup (Filly & Mare Turf), which is a mile-and-three-sixteenths this year. I think the mile-and-an-eighth is a better progression for her."

The Aug. 29 Sword Dancer Stakes (G1T) at Saratoga is an open race at 1 1/2 miles that would match her against males, while the Diana is restricted to females. Both races are $500,000 and could experience added depth as a result of the Arlington Million (G1T) and Beverly D. Stakes (G1T) not being staged this summer at Arlington International Racecourse.

Due to the course configuration at Keeneland, the host site of the Breeder's Cup, the Nov. 7 Filly & Mare Turf (G1T) is at 1 3/16 miles, shorter than its usual distance of 1 1/4 miles or 1 3/8 miles.

All three of the Scat Daddy filly's stakes wins have come at 1 1/4 miles or longer, though she is a versatile grass performer that won shorter races last year. She runs for owner-breeder Alex Campbell Jr., a resident of Lexington, where Keeneland is located.

"I think it would be great for him, and she belongs in there," Motion said. "I want to get her there in the best shape I can."