Goodnight Olive Goes for Another Filly and Mare Sprint

Goodnight Olive , the reigning queen of the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1), looks to extend her reign Nov. 4 at Santa Anita Park. 

Her 5-year-old season has not been quite as successful as her 4-year-old campaign where she was a perfect 4-for-4. While she hasn't been flawless this year, she's still been pretty good, going 2-1-1 from four starts. 

The Ghostzapper   mare is hitting her finest form for trainer Chad Brown at the right time. Her past two times out have produced the best Equibase Speed Figures of her career. She posted a 107 in a victorious effort in the Bed o' Roses Stakes (G2) and followed that last time out with a 115 in the Ballerina Handicap (G1), where she finished second.

Bred by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings and purchased by Liz Crow, agent, for First Row Partners and Team Hanley for $170,000 at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale, the dark brown runner would eclipse $2 million in career earnings with another Filly and Mare Sprint victory. She's 8-2-1 from 11 starts with $1,676,200 in earnings.

The seven-furlong distance is what she prefers, posting a 6-1-1 mark from eight starts.

Among those challenging Goodnight Olive's throne is Matareya . The Godolphin homebred finished third behind Goodnight Olive in the Ballerina. But in the May 6 Derby City Distaff Stakes (G1), Matareya got the best of the 2022 champion female sprinter by two lengths.

Trained by Brad Cox, the daughter of Pioneerof the Nile  is 1-1-2 in four starts this year.

Like Goodnight Olive, Matareya excels at the distance, finishing in the top three every time with a 3-0-3 record.

While she may not have quite as much success as Goodnight Olive or Matareya at seven furlongs, the pedigree of Society , not to mention the results she has produced, makes her every bit of a challenger.

Throughout most of her racing career, the Peter E. Blum Thoroughbred's homebred has run a mile-plus and with good results, but four times, including three of the last four times out, have been at seven furlongs. She finished third to Goodnight Olive in the Madison Stakes (G1) and won both the Chicago Stakes (G3)—ahead of Matareya—and the Misty Bennett Pink Ribbon Stakes.

The shorter distance has been beneficial to the Gun Runner   filly. Not only has she led almost the entirety of the races she won, but she's increased her lead throughout. If the Steve Asmussen trainee gets out to an early lead, she may not be caught.

This is Society's second Breeders' Cup appearance. She finished a distant seventh in last year's Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) at Keeneland. 

If we want to discuss pedigree, the conversation should turn to the Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained Three Witches . By the top sire in North America Into Mischief  , Three Witches earned her place by winning the Princess Rooney Invitational Stakes (G3), her first shot in graded company. 

If her sire doesn't hint at what she can do, Three Witches is a half sister to Kid Cruz , who earned almost $800,000. They are out of the Tale of the Cat mare Layreebelle.

NEW-ISH TERRITORY

Not every horse entered has had the success or the opportunity to run seven furlongs. Yuugiri  and Eda  are winless in one attempt; Clearly Unhinged  finished second in her one attempt (Test Stakes, G1); and Desert Dawn  has never run less than a mile since her maiden in July 2021.

DO IT AGAIN

The winning trainer of the past four editions of the race (Brown, Michael McCarthy, Bob Baffert, and Cox, respectively) each have an entrant this year. Since the race's inaugural running in 2007 William Bradley (Groupie Doll ) is the only trainer to win consecutive years (2012-13). Brown has won twice, winning with Wavell Avenue  in 2015 in addition to Goodnight Olive last year

FIRST-TIMERS CLUB

This is the first Breeders' Cup for Nathan McCauley as a breeder (Eda). As an owner, he has brought others to the World Championships, notably Venetian Harbor , who ran in the 2020 Filly and Mare Sprint. Kenneth D'Oyen, who bred Elm Drive , also is reaching his first Breeders' Cup as a breeder. Also, making their first appearance as breeder is Sekie Yoshihara and Tsunebumi Yoshihara (Yuugiri).