Marketing Mix could face Winter Memories in QEII

Last updated: 9/18/11 3:54 PM

Marketing Mix will get her
shot at Grade 1 glory in the QEII
(Four Footed Fotos)

Glen Hill Farm’s MARKETING MIX (Medaglia d’Oro), who easily captured
Saturday’s Pucker Up S. (G3) at Arlington Park, came out of her
impressive effort in good order and is likely to go to Kentucky for her
next run in Keeneland’s Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) on October
15.

That race, run over the Lexington lawn at nine furlongs, is shaping
up as a possible confrontation between Marketing Mix and Winter Memories
(El Prado [Ire]), who earned an equally eye-popping score in Saturday’s
Garden City S. (G1) at Belmont Park.

“(Marketing Mix) came back beautiful,” trainer Tom Proctor said
during training hours Sunday morning at Arlington. “She’s a pretty good
filly. We’ll see, but I’d probably say the QEII is next.

“The Pucker Up was a good race but there’s a big difference in the
two races. But I know two of ’em (Pucker Up) winners have won that
(next) race — Chris Block’s filly (Vacare in 2006) and Phil Sims’ filly
(Hot Cha Cha) two years ago.”

Trainer Leigh Bentley took the high road and said nothing but good things
when talking about the excellent runner-up performance of SEA LEVEL DRIVE
(Malibu Moon) in the Pucker Up.

“She came out of her race yesterday just super,” said Bentley, who was
saddling her first stakes horse listed in her own name. “She ate up everything
last night and is still looking super this morning.”

Although Sea Level Drive romped by 12 3/4 lengths against optional claiming
rivals on July 30, the dark bay miss was dismissed at 25-1 in the Pucker Up.
Bentley never doubted her filly would put in a big run in the race, though.

“I’ve said all along this is a very nice filly and she showed everyone how
good she is yesterday,” Bentley said. “She’s just getting better every day. Her
race yesterday was very exciting for me.”

The Pucker Up was wide open until Marketing Mix kicked into gear
(Four Footed Fotos)

Sea Level Drive could get a shot to turn the tables on Marketing Mix as she,
too, is headed to Keeneland for her next start.

“Most likely, we’ll take a look at that Keeneland race (Queen Elizabeth II
Challenge Cup [G1]) for her next start,” Bentley said about future plans for Sea
Level Drive.

TRAC N JAM (El Corredor), fourth choice in the wagering for the Pucker Up but
ninth under the wire, came out of the race in good order, trainer Andy Hansen
said Sunday, and will also be shipping south to Kentucky.

“She’s fine this morning,” Hansen said. “She was dragging the hot walker
around this morning like she hadn’t even run yesterday, and she really didn’t.
She never got a chance to run. She had a really rough trip yesterday and was
forced to check several times.

“I would say we’ll look for an allowance race at Keeneland to help her get
her confidence back, although we’d probably have to run her against older horses
and I’m not too thrilled about that. Ultimately, I’d like to shoot for the
(October 21) Valley View (G3) with her down there. That’s what I’ve got my eye
on right now.

“She’ll get another chance to prove herself down the line,” added Hansen of
the filly who won the Indiana Downs Distaff and was fifth in Saratoga’s Lake
Placid S. (G2) in another traffic-troubled run. “She’s going to be a good one.”

DON’T TELL SOPHIA (Congaree), third choice of the fans in the Pucker Up
wagering, finished an unlucky 13th after a rough trip but was doing well Sunday
morning, according to trainer and co-owner Phil Sims.

“She came out fine,” Sims said Sunday morning. “She just had a really rough
trip yesterday. It was pretty disappointing. She had a horrible trip.”

Pucker Up pacesetter LOVE DARE (Osidy) was already headed back to Louisiana
Sunday morning with trainer Al Sider following her last of 14 placing in the
race.

“She was fading a little when she got brushed and then she just gave way,”
Sider said of his Pucker Up pacesetter. “I’m going to give her a little break
and bring her back at Fair Grounds going a shorter distance. She’ll do better at
seven furlongs or a mile.”