Vibrance Could Stamp Year for McCarthy in Starlet

Trainer Mike McCarthy looked at the odds board prior to the Nov. 2 Tito's Handmade Vodka Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), compared it to what he was seeing from the bay filly he led over, and figured either his charge had been pulling a fast one on him in recent weeks or the betting public was about to have some regrets about their pre-race assessments.

While he certainly didn't expect Vibrance to carry favoritism for the 1 1/16-mile test, the 35-1 longshot designation she took with her into the Churchill Downs starting gate seemed a bit much considering she had just run second to the filly deemed the overwhelming favorite. Though a Breeders' Cup upset eluded her, the daughter of Violence  nonetheless proved her quality by overcoming a less-than-ideal setup to finish third—missing out on place honors by half a length.

In what will be the filly's third consecutive try against top-level company, McCarthy is expecting a similar theme to continue this weekend. He won't be surprised to see higher-profile competition better supported. He will also be the least shocked person on the grounds if his filly comes away with more proof of how much upside he has to work with.

Vibrance aims to throw a splash of gravy on what has already been a career season for McCarthy when she faces five challengers in the $300,000 Starlet Stakes (G1) Dec. 8 at Los Alamitos Race Course.

Owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Donna Daniell, and Jim Daniell, Vibrance was part of the five-horse contingent McCarthy brought into his first Breeders' Cup since going out on his own full-time in 2014. Though it was City of Light  who gave the barn its first victory in the World Championships with his emphatic score in the Dirt Mile (G1), Vibrance put in a more-than-respectable run behind race winner Jaywalk in the Juvenile Fillies, overcoming getting stuck inside to finish ahead of favored Bellafina—who had bested her in the Chandelier Stakes (G1).

"I thought 35-1 was a little out of whack," McCarthy said of Vibrance's Breeders' Cup odds. "I thought she ran very good in the Chandelier. She was a decent second to a filly who was the likely favorite on paper for the Juvenile Fillies, so I thought we were in there with better than a puncher's chance. She had trained very well at Churchill and … she ran her race.

"We didn't have the best trips, tucked down inside. I don't think we could have won that day, but I think we could have been a clear-cut second. So we'll try and go a little better this weekend."

Described as a "feel-good type" of filly by her conditioner, Vibrance broke her maiden by open lengths second time out Aug. 29, going a mile at Del Mar in an effort that encouraged McCarthy to put her against Bellafina—who was already a grade 1 winner at that point—in the Chandelier. Though McCarthy says she doesn't have the most wicked turn of foot, Vibrance does possess a high cruising speed he expects will hold up as the distances stretch out.

"She loves her job, loves to train. And being out of a Dynaformer mare, I don't think she will have any distance limitations," said McCarthy, who has already enjoyed career highs in wins (32), earnings ($3,922,931), and graded victories (eight) this season. "Hopefully, (the Starlet) will be an exciting end to a very good 2018, and on to a bigger and better 2019 for her."

Rare is the top-level juvenile test that goes to post in California without a representative from the barn of Bob Baffert, and this year's Starlet is no exception. The Hall of Famer has a formidable pair for Saturday in 9-5 morning-line choice Chasing Yesterday and Mother Mother, both of whom are coming off stakes wins.

Already famous for being a half sister to 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah , Chasing Yesterday has won three of her four starts for owner/breeder Summer Wind Equine. The lone blemish for the daughter of Tapit  came when she ran seventh in the Sept. 1 Spinaway Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course, but she has put together two wins since, including her 1 1/2-length score over just two other challengers in the Nov. 12 Desi Arnaz Stakes.

Stablemate Mother Mother broke her maiden by 6 1/2 lengths at Del Mar July 22 before running second to Bellafina in the Del Mar Debutante Stakes (G1). The daughter of Pioneerof the Nile  had to scratch from the Chandelier due to illness but returned to win the Oct. 28 Rags to Riches Stakes at Churchill Downs.

Entries: Starlet S. (G1)

LOS ALAMITOS RACE COURSE, Saturday, December 08, 2018, Race 7

• Grade I
• 1 1/16m
• Dirt
• $300,000
• 2 yo Fillies
• 3:28 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Vibrance (LA)	Flavien Prat	120	Michael W. McCarthy	5/2
2	2Mother Mother (KY)	Florent Geroux	120	Bob Baffert	2/1
3	3Sold It (KY)	Mario Gutierrez	120	Doug F. O'Neill	20/1
4	4Oxy Lady (KY)	Declan Cannon	120	Jack Sisterson	5/1
5	5Enaya Alrabb (KY)	Mike E. Smith	120	Doug F. O'Neill	12/1
6	6Chasing Yesterday (KY)	Drayden Van Dyke	120	Bob Baffert	9/5