Filly Wind Fire Takes On Top Male Sprinters

Rich Tapestry from Hong Kong isn't the only foreign runner headed for the Xpressbet Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I).

Wind Fire, a 3-year-old filly from England, will also try to defeat the best U.S. speedsters at six furlongs on the dirt.

"She'll love the six furlongs, I'm sure," said trainer David Brown. "She's won over five (furlongs); this year she won the Scurry Stakes (at Sandown Park)."

The filly went out for what Brown termed "a nice canter" at Santa Anita Park Oct. 29. Brown has been pointing her for the Breeders' Cup for about four months. He trains at Averham Park near Newark in England.

"We have a fairly tight bend at home, and she handles it ever so well," Brown said. "She's very quick. Jamie Spencer really rides her extremely well. He basically fires her out (of the gate). She's one of those that's quiet at the start, but you put her in the stalls, and he says she's just like a rocket."

Wind Fire competes for Qatar Racing, headed by Sheikh Fahad Al Thani from the Qatar royal family.

"Sheikh Fahad is really keen to come and have a go," said Brown of the upcoming race.

Though Wind Fire represents Great Britain, in that she has done most of her racing there, Kinsman Farm bred her in Kentucky. She is a daughter of Distorted Humor  —A. P. Dream, by A. P. Indy, and sold under the name Humorous Lady for $95,000 at the 2012 Keeneland September yearling sale. David Redvers bought her for Qatar.

The filly's bottom side lends her sprinting ability. Her second dam, Kinsman homebred Dream Supreme, won the 2000 Test Stakes (gr. I) and Ballerina Handicap (gr. I), both at seven furlongs.

Dream Supreme competed in that year's Breeders' Cup Sprint, finishing sixth behind winner Kona Gold after More Than Ready bumped her.

The third dam, Spinning Round, won the Ballerina in 1993.

Brown broke Wind Fire and said she developed quickly and had a good 2-year-old season.

"She was third in the Norfolk (Eng-I) to No Nay Never, and one of Aiden O'Brien's (Coach House) was second," said Brown. "All three of them broke the track record."

No Nay Never, who is entered in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (gr. IT), also won last year's Darley Prix Morny (Fr-I) at Deauville in France and this year's Woodford Stakes Presented by Keeneland Select (gr. IIIT) at Keeneland.

"Wind Fire progressed through the winter," said Brown. "She went on to win at Newbury. She was second in the Lowther, a group II race, and second in the Flying Childers, another group II race."

Though all of Wind Fire's starts have come on turf, Brown said that she has trained on all-weather surfaces in England.

"I couldn't be more pleased with her," said Brown. "I trained Sheikh Fahad's first Royal Ascot winner, Frederick Engels (in 2011). Maybe I can train the first Breeders' Cup winner for him."