Irish classic winner Just The Judge hopes to turn an Oct. 19 run in the $500,000 E.P. Taylor Stakes (Can-IT) into a bid at the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (gr. IT) just a few weekends later, but first she must find the winner's circle at Woodbine.
The 4-year-old daughter of Lawman was third in the Aug. 16 Beverly D. Stakes (gr. IT) going 1 3/16 miles at Arlington International Racecourse in her most recent start, and will now tackle the E.P. Taylor's 1 1/4 miles. At 7-5 on the morning-line in a field of eight fillies and mares, the Charlie Hills trainee gets the services of regular rider Jamie Spencer from the 3 hole.
In 11 starts over three seasons for Qatar Racing and the Sangster family, Just The Judge has proven her class against some of Europe's best fillies, including a sharp victory in the 2013 Etihad Airways Irish One Thousand Guineas (Ire-I) and a runner-up performance to Sky Lantern in the English equivalent. She is riding a seven-race losing streak, however, her past three races a trio of thirds including the June 29 Pretty Polly Stakes (Ire-I) at the Curragh.
Looming a threat to Just The Judge's Breeders' Cup aspirations is Sam-Son Farm's homebred local star Deceptive Vision. The 4-year-old A.P. Indy filly took her first graded stakes for trainer Malcolm Pierce, the Sept. 14 Canadian Stakes (Can-IIT) going 1 1/8 miles at Woodbine, by 2 1/2 lengths over Amerman Racing's Royal Fury, who also returns in this spot. Roger Attfield trainee Meri Shika, fourth in the Canadian for Stella Perdomo, is entered in the E.P. Taylor as well.
Coming in along with Just The Judge from Europe but making their North American debuts are Wertheimer and Frere's 3-year-old filly Eyeful; Mrs. Barbara M. Keller's Odeliz; and Chasemore Farm's Wall of Sound.
Augustin Stable's Pennsylvania-bred Angel Terrace, winner of the Sept. 24 Kentucky Downs Ladies Marathon Stakes on Sept. 24 for trainer Jonathan Sheppard and winner of the 2012 Pin Oak Valley View (gr. IIIT), completes the field.
PP | Horse | Jockey | Weight | Trainer |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Eyeful (GB) | Flavien Prat | 119 | Andre Fabre |
2 | Angel Terrace (PA) | Florent Geroux | 124 | Jonathan E. Sheppard |
3 | Just The Judge (IRE) | Jamie P. Spencer | 124 | Charles Hills |
4 | Odeliz (IRE) | Ryan L. Moore | 124 | Karl Burke |
5 | Royal Fury (KY) | Luis Contreras | 124 | Brian A. Lynch |
6 | Deceptive Vision (ON) | Eurico Rosa Da Silva | 124 | Malcolm Pierce |
7 | Wall of Sound (GB) | Richard Kingscote | 124 | Thomas Dascombe |
8 | Meri Shika (FR) | Emma-Jayne Wilson | 124 | Roger L. Attfield |