F&M Turf Euros Get First Look at Santa Anita
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The first day out of quarantine at Santa Anita Park went smoothly Oct. 28 for the European contenders in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (gr. IT) at Santa Anita Park.
Defending 2013 Filly & Mare Turf winner Dank, a homebred for James Wigan and trained by Sir Michael Stout, was joined by Fiesolana and Just The Judge on the turf track at 7:30 a.m. PDT. Secret Gesture was kept on the dirt main track where she cantered easily.
On the turf, the three fillies walked half way around before picking up a gentle canter to the wire. They then returned to the barn via the paddock.
Dank comes into the Breeders' Cup off of only two starts this year. She finished third in the Dubai Duty Free (UAE-I) at Meydan Racecourse before running a poor fifth in the Prince of Wales's Stakes (Eng-I) at Royal Ascot. She came out of that race with a badly bruised foot.
"She has been given a lot of time off, and she has an experienced trainer who thinks it is worthwhile (returning to the Breeders' Cup). She loves the firm ground, and it is all systems go at the moment," Wigan told BloodHorse.com earlier this month.
James Savage, traveling head lad for Stoute, said he was delighted with Dank's position in post 3 for the 1 1/4-mile Filly & Mare Turf to be run Nov. 1.
"We would take stall three any day of the week," Savage said.
Dank is a 5-year-old daughter of Dansili out of the Darshaan mare Masskana, who has produced two other group I stakes winners: Irish-bred Sulk (by Selkirk) and British-bred Eagle Mountain (by Rock of Gibraltar). Both group I half siblings were bred by Wigan's London Thoroughbred Services.
Ryan Moore has the mount on Dank. He's been her regular rider since the beginning of 2013.
Willie McCreery, the trainer of Irish-bred Fiesolana (Aussie Rules —Tidal Reach, by Kris S.), was on site and said he was pleased with how Flaxman Holdings' mare had traveled. He also said he had no complaints about the post draw.
"The draw is grand, and we will be riding her to get home in the race," McCreery said. Bred by Robert De Vere Hunt, Fiesolana won the Coolmore Fastnet Rock Matron Stakes (Ire-I) at Leopardstown Sept. 14 and has placed in two other group stakes this year. The 5-year-old mare has won at 1 1/4 miles late in her 2-year-old year but has raced primarily at seven furlongs or a mile for the past couple of seasons. She will be ridden by William James Lee, who has been her primary rider in 2013 and 2014.
Charlie Hills, the trainer of Just The Judge, was also trackside to watch the filly stretch her legs. They shipped in from Woodbine Racecourse where the 4-year-old daughter of Lawman won the E.P. Taylor Stakes (Can-I) Oct. 19.
"Everything is absolutely tip top," Hills said.
English jockey James Doyle was on board for the morning work and said he was happy with how she went.
"Everything was fine and she felt really well," said Doyle, who will not be riding her in the Filly & Mare Turf. Her regular rider is Jamie Spencer.
Doyle said the Santa Anita turf track "was quick but not firm, with lovely cushion" of grass on it.
"It is different grass to back home but it is absolutely fine," he said.
Just The Judge, bred in Ireland by Joan Keaney-Dempsey, is the first stakes winner out of the Rainbow Quest mare Faraday Light. The filly is owned in partnership by Qatar Racing and the Sangster family. Qatar Racing also owns a half brother to Just The Judge named Obliterator (by Oratorio), who is twice stakes-placed.