Blue Stripe Sparkles in Breeders' Cup Distaff Work
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Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt
Blue Stripe at Keeneland
Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) contender Blue Stripe dazzled Oct. 26 in her final work for a Nov. 5 outing at Keeneland, pleasing trainer Marcelo Polanco as she looks to follow in the hoofprints of her half sister, 2019 Distaff winner Blue Prize .
Working on her own with local jockey Ferrin Peterson aboard, Pozo de Luna's 5-year-old daughter of Equal Stripes reeled off fractions of :12 1/5, :25 1/5, and :37 3/5 en route to a five-furlong time of 1:00 over a track rated good. She galloped out strongly to six furlongs in 1:12 1/5, seven-eighths in 1:24 4/5, and a mile in 1:39 2/5.
"She's got some nice gears," Peterson told Polanco, who put the rider on her first Southern California winner at Los Alamitos Race Course in 2019.
With Hector Berrios in the irons, she took the Oct. 6 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes (G1) at Del Mar, a Breeders' Cup Challenge event for the Distaff.
Blue Stripe put her finishing touches on preparations that included an Oct. 17 move in :59 3/5 at her home base of Santa Anita Park.
"Her last workout at Santa Anita was the same, it was a very good work," Polanco said. "We were expecting another nice work, and she delivered, so I think we're in the right place at the right time.
"I think she's really blooming right now, so I'm happy because that's the way we had to get to this final workout. It was a really nice work, and I'm happy with the way she came out of it so far this morning."
Also victorious in the Santa Margarita Stakes (G2) this April, Blue Stripe looks to improve upon a seventh in the 2021 Distaff at Del Mar, her North American debut. Unraced at 2, she won a group 1 and a group 2 in Argentina as a 4-year-old after breaking her maiden and being grade 1-placed at 3. The Distaff will be her first start outside of California or her native Argentina.
Blue Stripe is consigned to The November Sale, Fasig-Tipton's marquee breeding stock sale in Lexington, where she will be offered Nov. 6 as Hip 316 as a racing/broodmare prospect by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent.