Eastern Fillies Top Good Field in Goldikova

Eastern based Filimbi and Strathnaver, along with four-time Santa Anita turf stakes winner Pontchatrain, head a strong field of nine fillies and mares Nov. 2 in the $200,000 Goldikova Stakes (gr. IIT) at Santa Anita Park. 

The track’s 25-day autumn meet will conclude Sunday, a day after the conclusion of the 2014 Breeders' Cup. and there is a special noon first post time.

Trained by Bill Mott, Filimbi, currently based at Belmont Park, comes off a close third in the one-mile First Lady Stakes (gr. IT)at Keeneland Oct. 4. The 5-2 favorite in a field of nine, she was forced to steady late and was beaten 1 1/2 lengths on a good turf course.

A 4-year-old Kentucky-bred filly by Mizzen Mast  , Filimbi is owned and bred by Juddmonte Farms, and will be ridden by Joel Rosario. She began her career in France and has been favored in four out of her five stateside starts for Mott. Filimbi has four wins from seven starts at a mile on turf and is 5-3-3 overall in 12 raceswith earnings of $266,263.

Trainer Graham Motion will be represented by grade I stakes-placed Strathnaver, who comes off a subpar effort in the Flower Bowl Invitational Stakes (gr. IT) at Belmont Park Sept. 27. A 5-year-old English-bred mare, Strathnaver is winless in five starts this year but has kept good company. She was second, beaten a nose, four starts back in the Just a Game Stakes (gr. IT) at Belmont June 7, and was also second, beaten a neck, in the Ballston Spa Stakes (g. IIT) Aug. 23 at Saratoga Race Course.

           

Strathnaver has one win from three tries at a mile on turf and is 5-3-1 from 21 races overall.  Owned by Andrew Stone, she has earnings of $417,070, and will be handled for the first time by Rafael Bejarano Sunday.

A winner of four Santa Anita turf stakes in-a-row (three of them graded) from Sept. 28 through Feb. 17, trainer Tom Proctor’s Pontchatrain showed speed and tired late to finish fifth as the heavy 2-5 favorite in a classified allowance going 6 1/2 furlongs over the downhill turf course on Oct. 3.  Two starts back, she pressed the pace and was a one length winner of the Grade II, one mile turf Buena Vista Stakes Feb. 17, and could well improve with a race under her belt.

Glen Hill Farm's Pontchatrain is a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred filly by War Front who has one win from two tries at a mile on grass. She has six wins from nine overall starts and has earnings of $446,142.

Trainer Wayne Catalano’s multiple grade III stakes winner I'm Already Sexy comes off an impressive gate-to-wire score in the ungraded Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf Stakes going one mile on turf at Kentucky Downs Sept. 13.

Sixth, beaten 2 1/2 lengths two starts back in the Beverly D. Stakes (gr. IT) at Arlington Internatonal Racecourse Aug. 16, I’m Already Sexy has two wins from four starts at a mile on turf and should be forwardly placed in the Goldikova. A 4-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Ready's Image, she’s got seven wins from 16 starts and is owned by Hit The Board Stables, I'm Already Sexy will be handled by regular pilot Florent Geroux.

Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s homebred Emotional Kitten comes off a 1 1/2-length classified allowance win going 1 1/16 miles on turf at Keeneland Oct. 12 and will get the services of top international jockey Frankie Dettori. In a field that appears to have an abundance of early speed, Emotional Kitten, who has run her best races as a deep closer.