BC Juvenile Fillies

Trainer D. Wayne Lukas and Folklore taking a quiet moment before the Breeders’ Cup (Debra Kral/Horsephotos.com)

Sensation looked sensational breaking her maiden, romping home by 11 lengths
over a sealed muddy Belmont track in her debut. In her next start, she broke
with the field before dropping back on the run down the backstretch. Advancing into a
pocket along the inside around the turn, she waited patiently, angled out turning
for home, then drew off under a mild hand ride to defeat a salty first-level
allowance group by a widening 4 1/2 lengths at the Spa. After two impressive
performances, the bay miss was sent forth as the 2-1 second choice in the prestigious Spinaway S. (G2).
In that one, she broke fast, dropped back to last while on the
outside, lost ground around the turn, then offered no response, finishing an
even, non-threatening fourth. We’re just going to draw a line through that one.

In her most recent outing, she broke fast, stalked and dueled with another foe
from the outside, then displayed a quick burst of acceleration in upper stretch,
cruising under the wire 5 1/2 lengths the best in the 6 1/2-furlong Astarita S. (G3). Sensation is nicely drawn on the outside for a look-see
stalking trip and should offer excellent wagering value at 8-1 on the morning line.

SHE SAYS IT BEST (Stormy Atlantic) went right to the lead from the far
outside, galloped along with her ears pricked, opened up a little on the second
turn, then held sway by 2 1/2 lengths in the 1 1/16-mile Alcibiades S. (G2) at
Keeneland. That race was decided over an extremely deep, loose, slow surface.
Prior to that, she dueled through suicidal fractions before finishing second by
a head in the six-furlong Bassinet S. at River Downs. She Says It Best has
excellent early speed and figures to be completely overlooked in the wagering.
She could go a long way on the front end at huge odds.

Adieu could say farewell to her rivals in the stretch of the Juvenile Fillies (Lauren Pomeroy/Horsephotos.com)

The D. Wayne Lukas-trained Folklore got up in the final strides to win the
Adirondack at nearly 9-2 odds. In her next outing, she chased Adieu all the way
through the stretch to no avail in the Spinaway. In her last start, she crushed
a suspect group in the Matron S. (G1), romping home by 14 lengths as the even-money favorite, India (Hennessy), was eased. Folklore has
never finished worse than second in four starts at Belmont but will have to use
her speed from the inside post in order to establish position. Mixed feelings.

ORIGINAL SPIN (Distorted Humor) is undefeated in two career starts. The bay
filly closed from slightly off the pace to win the one-mile Arlington-Washington
Breeders’ Cup Lassie S. (G3) by 4 1/2 lengths after breaking her maiden in
front-running fashion at Arlington Park. She finished nicely in the
Arlington-Washington Lassie and has been training forwardly in the interim. She
is a good sleeper, but Jerry Bailey picks up the mount, which surely will
attract attention, and she is drawn near
the inside. WILD FIT (Wild Wonder) won her first two starts, including
the Del Mar Debutante (G1), from far off the pace, then, inexplicitly, broke on
the lead and pressed the early pace from the outside before finishing a close
second as the 1-2 favorite in her first start around two turns in the Oak Leaf
S. (G2) at Santa Anita. She is tactically drawn on the far outside, but it’s
hard to know what running style her connections will use. Also, the quality of the competition
she has been facing in Southern California is questionable. Your call.

ALONG THE SEA (Anees) ran a good second to Adieu in the Frizette after
finishing a decent third in both the Matron and Spinaway. She is a game
competitor but must work out a trip from her inside post. If she does, Along the
Sea could fill out the single-race exotics at a price. EX CAELIS (Fusaichi
Pegasus), who is also trained by Lukas, offered a bid on the far turn before
running second as the favorite in the Alcibiades. Prior to that, she finished
second as the favorite in the Arlington-Washington Lassie. Ex Caelis could crash
the board at large odds under the talented Rafael Bejarano. Consider.

The Bob Baffert-trained DIAMOND OMI (Giant’s Causeway) got a dream trip up
the rail and then held off Wild Fit to win the Oak Leaf. It doesn’t appear that
she was highly regarded prior to that race. On the other hand, she is by
the hottest sire on the planet. We’re going to go against. KNIGHTS TEMPLAR
(Exploit) won the 1 1/16-mile Mazarine Breeders’ Cup S. (Can-G3) by 13 1/4
lengths in a fast time at Woodbine last out. We’re going to take a stand against
her based on class questions.