THREE-YEAR-OLD FILLY DIARY
APRIL 27, 2006
by Jennifer Caldwell
MISS NORMAN (Artax) provided an exciting edition of the Fantasy S. (G2) at
Oaklawn Park on April 14, looking to take the 1 1/16-mile affair by easy lengths
as the longest shot on the board. However, some late-race antics cost the dark
bay miss her chance for graded glory, and she instead had to settle for second.
Breaking quickly from the gate, Miss Norman moved up to set the pace under
jockey Tony Farina. While many expected her to start backing up as the race
progressed, the sophomore filly kept up the pace and seemed on her way to a
first stakes victory. Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be.
Coming out of the turn, Farina did what any jockey would do and went to the
whip. Feeling that first tap on her right flank, Miss Norman immediately bolted
toward the grandstand, giving away valuable ground that READY TO PLEASE (More
Than Ready) and Stewart Elliott were more than willing to take advantage of.
Those two ranged up to take the lead past the mile, but Miss Norman wasn’t done
yet. Coming with a game rush back toward the inside, she looked to challenge
Ready to Please for the win.
Once again, though, Farina tried to do his job and went to the whip, and once
again Miss Norman headed toward the grandstand. After that, there was just too
much ground to make up and the game lass had to settle for second, three lengths
back. This was her second runner-up finish against graded company, having filled
that position in last year’s Matron S. (G1). One of two things is going to have
to happen, though, if she is ever to breakthrough with a black-type win: either
she learns to tolerate encouragement from her jockey or her rider is going to
have to leave the whip in the jockeys’ room.
Ready to Please was making her stakes debut in the Fantasy and now owns three
straight wins. Both of these fillies could threaten in the Kentucky Oaks (G1),
which will take place a week from Friday.
DIPLOMAT LADY (Forestry) ended her juvenile campaign with a nice half-length
score in the Hollywood Starlet S. (G1) in mid-December, but entered the April 13
Beaumont S. (G2) still seeking her first 2006 win after two starts. Sent off the near
4-1 second choice in the Keeneland feature, she dueled for pacesetting duties
before taking over in the stretch and pulling off for the 2 1/4-length victory.
Diplomat Lady earned a career-best 103 BRIS Speed figure for the win and will
likely be one of the favorites in the Oaks.
MIRACULOUS MISS (Mr. Greeley) dropped her only start when making her
sophomore bow in the Old Hat S. (G3) at Gulfstream Park, but redeemed herself
with easy victories in the Forward Gal S. (G2) and, most recently, the April 15 Comely S.
(G2). In the latter, the Steve Klesaris trainee returned to the site of her Valley Stream S. (G3)
victory and rallied from
near the back of the six-horse field over the Aqueduct main track. In the
stretch, Miraculous Miss looked to
have too much to do with the wire coming quickly to stakes winner and leader
Regal Engagement (Cat Thief). However, the eventual winner suddenly kicked into
another gear in midstretch, overtook her rival and powered away for the 1
1/4-length score. The chestnut lass would have been tough in the Oaks, but could
get a slight break and point toward the June 10 Acorn S. (G1) at Belmont Park.
SOMETHINABOUTBETTY (Forestry) may not be one of those in the gates for the
Oaks, but the Todd Pletcher trainee is one to keep an eye on as the season
progresses. The well-traveled bay miss found herself at Pimlico last Saturday,
facing five other sophomore fillies in the Country Life Farm S. She quickly
grabbed the lead and set a reasonable pace before holding off Crown You (Two
Punch) by three parts of a length at the wire. Somethinaboutbetty doesn’t have
any graded earnings to get her into the Oaks, even if Pletcher was inclined to
send her, but she could still be a force later in the year.
Coming up this weekend will be the Park Avenue Division of the New York
Stallion S., which was rescheduled to Sunday after rainy weather forced the
cancellation of races at Aqueduct last Sunday. The seven-furlong test
is the co-feature on Aqueduct’s closing day along with the Times Square Division
for three-year-old colts and geldings.