Leigh Court Pointing to Breeders' Cup Again
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Leigh Court, a $1 million Fasig-Tipton Kentucky 2014 November Sale purchase by Speedway Stables after finishing fifth in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (gr. I) last fall, impressed with a bullet half-mile workout in :47 3/5 June 11 at Arlington International for new trainer Mike Stidham.
While under the strong hold of assistant trainer Hilary Pridham, the 2013 champion 3-year-old filly in Canada clipped off easy fractions and showed great energy. It was the second local move since returning from six months of farm rest and third overall since recommencing serious training.
The vacation has seemingly paid dividends for the 5-year-old mare, as the five-time stakes winner in 12 starts and graded stakes victress over all three major surfaces—dirt, turf, and synthetic—appears to be flourishing at Arlington this spring.
"Her work went well and she came out in good shape," Stidham said. "She's a little aggressive and naturally wants to do more. That's her style. She went to the pole quickly then settled and finished evenly.
"It'll be several weeks and many works until we decide her first race back. We are counting back from the Breeders' Cup and are focused on that. She won a Grade II over Keeneland's surface—so we know she likes it. It's just a matter of getting there."
Last year, while campaigned by breeder Eugene Melnyk and trainer Josie Carroll, Leigh Court was a three-length winner of the Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes (gr. II) Oct. 4 at Keeneland before she shipped back to her previous base at Woodbine. After refusing to load on an equine charter flight, she was vanned the entire 2,492 miles to Santa Anita Park, which may have been a contributing factor in her resulting 5 1/4-length loss to Wesley Ward's eventual champion Judy the Beauty in the DraftKings Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (gr. I).