Natalma: Dozen Vying for Breeder's Cup Date

A dozen 2-year-old fillies have a chance to stamp their ticket for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (gr. IT) when they square off in the $200,000 Natalma Stakes (Can-IIT) on the Woodbine lawn Sept. 13.



The one-turn mile event is one of four "Breeders' Cup Win & You're In" challenge series races at Woodbine during the Sept. 13-14 weekend, guaranteeing the winners a fee-paid starting berth at the two-day racing festival. All entrants carry 119 pounds in the Natalma, which is race 6 on the Saturday card with a 3:31 p.m. EDT scheduled post.



Pin Oak Stable Kentucky homebred Don't Leave Me, unbeaten in two starts for trainer Malcolm Pierce, enters off a 1 3/4-length allowance victory from off the pace going seven furlongs over the Woodbine course Aug. 22. She graduated in her debut, an off-the-turf Polytrack test that she won by a head three weeks earlier over Natalma rival Reserved.



Don't Leave Me, a gray daughter of Lemon Drop Kid   out of the multiple graded stakes-winning mare See How She Runs, by Maria's Mon, has been favored in both of her starts. To be ridden from post 4 by Eurico Rosa Da Silva, she breezed a half mile Sept. 5 in :48 2/5 over the Polytrack.



Reserved, the filly Don't Leave Me defeated in their debut, came back to score in front-running fashion over maidens by four lengths in her first try on turf at Woodbine Aug. 16. She was timed in 1:24.28 going seven furlongs as the 11-10 favorite.



Owner Colebrook Farms bred the daughter of Kitten's Joy   in Ontario. Trainer Ashlee Brnjas tabs Justin Stein to ride Reserved from the far outside post.



Other last-out maiden winners on turf are Siena Farm homebred Isabella Sings, a daughter of Eskendereya   shipped in from Saratoga Race Course by Todd Pletcher after winning her debut at Belmont Park smartly two months ago; Conquest Stables' Conquest Harlanate, who scored by 2 3/4 lengths at Woodbine for trainer Mark Casse; and Patsy C. Symons' New York-bred Skinner Box, a Rick Violette-trained filly who defeated state-bred company at Saratoga at 5 1/2 furlongs Aug. 11.



Casse also enters Dixie Twist, winner of the listed Ontario Debutante Aug. 9 on Polytrack for John Oxley. This will be the turf debut for the Indian Charlie miss. Also coming out of the Debutante are Roaming, the runner-up, and Starless Night, sixth as the favorite. Both are also making their turf bows.