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BREEDERS' CUP FILLY & MARE TURF (G1), 5TH-SA, $2,000,000, 3YO/UP, F/M, 1 1/4MT, 3:43PM, 11-1
No Filly & Mare Turf champion has come back to repeat the following year, a factoid that reigning titleholder DANK may consign to oblivion. Until earlier this week, however, that statistic appeared bound to stand firm. Sidelined since June, and with only two starts since last fall's heroics at Santa Anita, Dank has not exactly had an ideal preparation. Her abbreviated campaign was sure to cost her at the Breeders' Cup, and continue the pattern of past F&M Turf winners who were beaten in their title defense -- Banks Hill (2001), Ouija Board (2004, who lost in 2005 but came back to win in 2006), Forever Together (2008), Midday (2009) and Shared Account (2010). We were all set to oppose her with European sophomores Veda and Tarfasha. But both defected, with Tarfasha heading into retirement and Veda sticking to the Mile. Dank's task was considerably eased, while our task of trying to beat her ending up hitting a brick wall. 1ST -- DANK is the best horse in the race, and if anyone can get her back to peak fitness off the 4 1/2-month holiday, it's her master trainer, Sir Michael Stoute. Aside from her Eclipse Award-winning season of 2013, highlighted by victories in the Beverly D. (in virtual course record-equaling time at Arlington) and the F&M Turf, Dank has mixed it up in two of the world's toughest races this year. She returned from a similar break in the March 29 Dubai Duty Free, where she was a hard-charging, troubled third to Japan's superstar Just a Way, who smashed Meydan's course mark for about 1 1/8 miles. Dank next tried the June 18 Prince of Wales's over 1 1/4 miles at Royal Ascot, finishing fifth behind The Fugue, Magician and Treve -- in another course record. A foot injury derailed her in the interim, but she has reportedly been pleasing Stoute of late. She maintains her partnership with all-world jockey Ryan Moore, who interestingly told Daily Racing Form's Marcus Hersh that Dank was his best winning chance at the Breeders' Cup. 2ND -- STEPHANIE'S KITTEN, the best of the American hopes, is most likely to capitalize if Dank doesn't fire her best. Among the leaders of her division for four straight years, the Ramseys' homebred daughter of Kitten's Joy has already won a Breeders' Cup trophy, in the 2011 Juvenile Fillies Turf at Churchill. Stephanie's Kitten has hurt her own cause a few times this season by dropping too far back early. That was a major contributing factor in the August 16 renewal of the Beverly D., where she flashed home off an early crawl for second to European sophomore Euro Charline (who's nice but no Dank). Stephanie's Kitten took up a far better tactical position in the September 27 Flower Bowl Invitational at Belmont -- historically the most productive prep for this race -- and delivered her trademark kick to win convincingly. We're slightly concerned by her drawing post 10 here, for she's in danger of dropping back off another tepid pace, or of covering a lot of extra ground throughout. 3RD -- SECRET GESTURE might prefer a little more ground, but the Galileo filly has been a model of consistency in salty company. Runner-up in both the 2013 Epsom and German Oaks, and third to The Fugue in the Yorkshire Oaks, Secret Gesture kicked off 2014 with a bang-up second to globetrotter Ambivalent in the May 15 Middleton at York. The Ralph Beckett trainee was expected to dominate lesser foes in the June 16 Warwickshire Oaks, but had to dig a bit before quickening in the final strides. Secret Gesture showed a similarly battling attitude versus males in the July 26 York Stakes, where she was just outpaced late by Sheikhzayedroad (subsequently the winner of Woodbine's Northern Dancer Turf). Her third in the August 24 Prix Jean Romanet was solid enough at a boggy Deauville, and she'll appreciate better conditions at Santa Anita. A pick-up mount by Irish champion jockey Pat Smullen, Secret Gesture is a forwardly-placed type who will stay on doggedly for the duration. OTHERS -- ABACO has bomb potential at 15-1, while Europeans JUST THE JUDGE and FIESOLANA are likely to make their presence felt. Abaco has strong formlines with Stephanie's Kitten, capped by a closing second in the Flower Bowl. The Shug McGaughey mare has yet to finish worse than second in three starts at this trip, and she will be doing her best work late. Just the Judge has high-class European form, and finished third to Euro Charline and Stephanie's Kitten in the loaded Beverly D., but she's wheeling back quickly off a score in the E.P. Taylor at Woodbine October 19. While we have a lot of respect for her, we would have liked her better if it weren't for her rapid turnaround plan. Her fellow Qatar Racing colorbearer, Secret Gesture, has the benefit of coming in fresh. Fiesolana has high-class form at a mile, as evidenced by her rapier-like verdict in the September 13 Matron at Leopardstown, but has yet to prove herself at this level over the 10-furlong trip. A relatively steady pace could put the premium on finishing speed, which she has in abundance. DAYATTHESPA faces a tall task to stretch her cruising speed farther than ever before, especially versus such accomplished international competition. Of those coming out of the Rodeo Drive -- EMOLLIENT, PARRANDA, RUSTY SLIPPER and IRISH MISSION -- the latter holds the most appeal. The Christophe Clement-trained Irish Mission rallied excellently after being shuffled back at a crucial point. Nevertheless, the Rodeo Drive (formerly known as the Yellow Ribbon) has historically been a weak indicator for this race.
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