Beau Recall Targets Breeders' Cup Berth in First Lady

Slam Dunk Racing and Medallion Racing's Beau Recall has not, as yet, made a trip to the Breeders' Cup World Championships during her four-year racing career. 

Now 6, the daughter of Sir Prancealot  will try to change that trend when she lines up in the gate Oct. 3 at Keeneland in the $350,000 First Lady Stakes Presented by UK Healthcare (G1T), her 30th start. The one-mile turf test will reward the winner with an automatic berth in the $2 million Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1T) Nov. 7 at the Central Kentucky track. 

Trained by Brad Cox, Beau Recall enters the First Lady on a high note. The mare broke a four-race losing streak Sept. 5 at Churchill Downs with a decisive 1 1/2-length victory in the Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile (G2T) over fellow First Lady runners Newspaperofrecord (second) and Daddy Is a Legend (fifth). 

"I think it's full steam ahead," said Phillip Shelton of Medallion Racing. "She loves Churchill and came out of the race good. She's not a horse that will work bullets on the dirt. She a straight, Euro-style grass horse that does what she needs to do on dirt for fitness, but at this point in the year she's plenty fit, so we're just keeping her happy. Hopefully we will get a repeat of Churchill Distaff Turf Mile.

"I think that the big thing for her is she needs pace. It's a shame she's not a grade 1 winner. She's won $1.4 million, she's a four-time grade 2 winner, and a four-time runner-up in grade 1s. But when you have a horse that comes from the back, you have to have some luck, and really, at the grade 1 level, we just haven't had things go right for us so far." 

Julien Leparoux will have the call aboard Beau Recall from the rail. 

The only trainer with two entered is Eclipse Award winner Chad Brown, who will saddle Newspaperofrecord and Uni. While both competitors have proven equally fierce on the grass, Uni is the reigning First Lady winner. 

Owned by Robert LaPenta, Michael Dubb, Head of Plains Partners, and Bethlehem Stables, Uni, who was named champion grass mare of 2019, will try to become the first repeat winner of the First Lady. Last year, the More Than Ready  mare parlayed her victory in the First Lady to a win over the boys in the TVG Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) at Santa Anita Park. 

Uni has made just two starts this year. She finished third in the June 27 Just a Game Stakes (G1T) behind stablemate Newspaperofrecord and seventh last out against the boys in the Aug. 22 Fourstardave Handicap (G1T) at Saratoga Race Course. Joel Rosario will be in the irons, and the pair will depart post 5. 

Klaravich Stables' Newspaperofrecord will be making her Keeneland debut. A winner of the 2018 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) at Churchill Downs, Newspaperofrecord has performed consistently in 2020, banking wins in the June 6 Intercontinental Stakes (G3T) and Just a Game at Belmont Park before just missing to Beau Recall in the Turf Mile.

Shelton said he has little doubt that Newspaperofrecord, the likely favorite, will once again be the horse to beat for Beau Recall. 

"It's a very strong field, even though it's a small field," Shelton said. "I think sometimes at Keeneland when it's cool and wet, the track can be a little fairer, but they don't give away grade 1s. I think this race, on paper, there could be more pace, and ultimately I'm not convinced Newspaperofrecord wants two turns. She never looked comfortable in the race at Churchill, but to me, she's the horse to beat. On her day she's very, very, very good. Her two races at Belmont this year were great, but both those were one turn. But still, she's the horse to beat and we will have to run our eyeballs out to chase her down late." 

Tyler Gaffalione will partner Newspaperofrecord from post 4.

Dalika, Daddy Is a Legend, and Crystal Lake complete the field. 

Entries: First Lady S. Presented by UK HealthCare (G1T)

Keeneland, Saturday, October 03, 2020, Race 8

• Grade IT
• 1m
• Turf
• $350,000
• 3 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
• 4:51 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Beau Recall (IRE)	Julien R. Leparoux	124	Brad H. Cox	2/1
2	2Dalika (GER)	Luis Saez	124	Albert M. Stall, Jr.	10/1
3	3Daddy Is a Legend (PA)	James Graham	124	George R. Arnold, II	6/1
4	4Newspaperofrecord (IRE)	Tyler Gaffalione	124	Chad C. Brown	8/5
5	5Uni (GB)	Joel Rosario	124	Chad C. Brown	5/2
6	6Crystal Lake (KY)	Joseph Talamo	124	D. Wayne Lukas	20/1