Nine years after her dam Shared Account upset British hotpot Midday in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1), Sharing emulated her by downing another British favorite, Daahyeh, in Friday’s $920,000 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) – for the same trainer, Graham Motion. Moreover, Sharing’s sire is 2004 Sprint (G1) champion Speightstown, so she is the first Breeders’ Cup winner whose parents both won Breeders’ Cup races.
RELATED: Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Transcript
Shared Account, herself by 2003 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) hero Pleasantly Perfect, was 46-1 when she toppled the 4-5 Midday. The odds weren’t so drastic on Future Stars Friday at Santa Anita, where Daahyeh was a lukewarm 7-2 and Sharing 13-1.
Under regular rider Manny Franco, who was celebrating his first Breeders’ Cup score, Sharing was well placed early, nestled just behind the early leaders. British-based Living in the Past had her head in front through a quick opening quarter in :22.74 on the firm turf, but she soon yielded to Abscond. Flanked by Sweet Melania, Abscond reached the half-mile mark in :47.02.
Sweet Melania, the American Pharoah filly, took command turning for home through six furlongs in 1:11.33. She tried her utmost to give her hot freshman sire another Breeders’ Cup trophy, following Four Wheel Drive in the Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2).
But Sharing was just beginning to unwind. Powering clear, the chestnut had 1 1/4 lengths to spare from Daahyeh who caught Sweet Melania but never looked like gaining enough on the winner.
“It’s amazing,” Motion marveled. “Her mother (Shared Account) was really the most special filly I’ve trained. I mean I’ve had some really nice fillies, but she was very special. It’s so hard to win these races. Just to get here, it’s really surreal to be honest.”
Roger Varian, the trainer of Daahyeh, expressed conflicting emotions.
“She ran an absolutely fabulous race. They didn’t go a great pace. If they had gone faster, we would have been able to attack them. The winner got first run on us, which eventually won them the race. Our filly was learning to bend as well as trying to quicken. Unfortunately, she hasn’t quite got there. Finishing second is always a funny feeling. Obviously, we’re very disappointed, but at the same time, immensely proud.”
Sweet Melania was just a neck away in third, completing a perfect in-the-money percentage for American Pharoah’s first Breeders’ Cup runners. He’d also sired Another Miracle, third to fellow Pharoah Four Wheel Drive in the Juvenile Turf Sprint.
Sweet Melania’s trainer, Todd Pletcher, observed that the final time in the Juvenile Fillies Turf (1:34.59) eclipsed Structor’s 1:35.11 in the Juvenile Turf (G1) over the same mile trip:
“I thought she ran well. Jose (Ortiz) had to use her a little bit to get to the position he wanted. She was a little bit wide in the first turn, but they were able to back down the fractions pretty well in the second quarter. We waited, she responded, but we couldn’t quite fend off two really good fillies there in the end. It was a quality race where they went several ticks faster than the colts.”
Irish shipper Albigna, last turning for home, uncorked giant strides to take fourth. Already a top classic prospect for Jessica Harrington, the Niarchos homebred did her reputation no harm. Next came Selflessly; Croughavouke; Abscond; Tango; Shadn; Etoile, a long-term hope for Ballydoyle who chased the pace from post 14 before fading in the stretch; Crystalle, unable to factor this time after another slow start; Fair Maiden; Unforgetable; and Living in the Past.
A $350,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling purchase, Sharing races for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Antony Beck’s Gainesway Stable. She was third, beaten a scant neck, in a Saratoga turf sprint before dominating an off-the-turf maiden at the Spa. Back on turf at Laurel for the September 21 Selima, Sharing cleared away in a stylish prep for the Breeders’ Cup. Her resume now reads 4-3-0-1, $730,300.
Sharing was bred in Maryland by historic Sagamore Farm, which campaigned her dam. Shared Account, herself a half to Grade 3 scorer Colonial Flag, has also produced stakes winner Riley’s Choice. This is the immediate family of mother-and-son Grade 2 winners Sapphire n’ Silk and Shaniko.
