U.S. Juvenile Turf Fillies Await Euro Attack

The Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (gr. IT), inaugurated in 2008, looked like a great vehicle for American-based fillies after the U.S. swept the first four runnings of the one-mile test.

But it was only a matter of time before the Europeans began sending over some of their best runners, and the result was back-to-back crushing defeats for the Americans at the hands of the French-trained Flotilla in 2012 and the English-trained Chriselliam in 2013.

Despite full fields of 14 in both races and a deep, well-armed group of North American fillies, the Euros had a field day, blowing by our best juvenile turf fillies, utilizing their powerful late kicks and rapid-fire acceleration.

Flotilla came to Santa Anita off a solid fourth-place finish in the Prix Marcel Boussac (Fra-I), run at Longchamp on the day of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fra-I). So it was only natural that Americans kept a close look at this year's Prix Marcel Boussac to see if there was anything coming out of that race to be fearful of.

Although the winner, the Aidan O'Brien-trained Found, was impressive enough, she is not expected to travel to California. But if you were looking for that devastating closing kick we've seen the past two years at Santa Anita, it was difficult not to look once again at the fourth-place finisher Malabar, who had a dreadful trip stuck behind a wall of horses at the back of the pack, only to unleash a devastating stretch kick after being swung widest of all.

Having already won a group III stakes at Goodwood and finishing a close fourth, beaten 1 1/4 lengths, in the group I Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh, Malabar looks to be the perfect filly to emulate the victories of Flotilla and Chriselliam. As of now, the Breeders' Cup is under consideration for the daughter of Raven's Pass, as it is for the talented group III winners Osaila and Qualify, both of whom are eligible to give the Americans fits based on their recent form.

So, if these or any other top-class Europeans head for Santa Anita, are there any Americans who can match their closing speed?

If there aren't any this year, don't expect any next year or the year after that, because this year's American juvenile turf fillies look as powerful as any past group. Chad Brown alone has anywhere from two to four fillies, including one European import of his own.

Brown's contingent is headed by Lady Eli, the Miss Grillo (gr. IIIT) winner who he considers one of the best young fillies he's ever trained, and all you have to do is watch her two races and you will witness acceleration that normally is only seen in Europeans. If any American filly can blow the Euros out of the water with her turn of foot it is this daughter of Divine Park  , who Brown says looks more like a 3-year-old colt than a 2-year-old filly.

Brown's other fillies are Partisan Politics, impressive winner of the P.G. Johnson Stakes and a fast-closing fourth in the Miss Grillo; Tammy the Torpedo, third in the Miss Grillo after an impressive maiden score; and a French filly by Sea the Stars named Sivoliere, owned by Martin Schwartz, who is a stakes winner and group III-placed.

"(Sivoliere) got in a little late and has taken time to adjust here, but lately she's put a couple of works together that were OK," Brown said. "If she continues to make progress I have time to work her two more times. If she's rounding back into form and looks good we may try to get her into the race as well."

As for Lady Eli, Brown said, "We've been lucky enough to win the Juvenile Fillies Turf with Maram, I sold another winner, More Than Real, to Bobby Flay right before the Natalma (gr. IIT), and we ran second twice with Watsdachances and Testa Rossi, but this might be the best one I brought out there. We never let her run in the Miss Grillo, so hopefully she maintains her form."

There are a number of other very talented U.S. fillies in addition to Lady Eli and company, including the Mark Casse-trained Conquest Harlanate, winner of the Natalma Stakes (Can-IIT) on grass and Mazarine Stakes (gr. III) on Woodbine's Polytrack; Her Emmynency, second by a neck in the Del Mar Debutante (gr. I) and a powerful winner of the subsequent Surfer Girl Stakes at Santa Anita Park; Sunset Glow, who won the Del Mar Debutante (gr. I) as well as the Sorrento Stakes (gr. II) and finished second in the Albany Stakes (Eng-III) at Royal Ascot; and Rainha Da Bateria, who came from last to win the JPMorgan Jessamine Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Keeneland.

So, if things work out the way they look right now, the Juvenile Fillies Turf should be one of the most competitive races in this year's World's Championships.