Filly & Mare Turf Diary

FILLY & MARE TURF DIARY

SEPTEMBER 1, 2005

by Jennifer Caldwell

The big turf news from the past two weeks comes out of Saratoga Springs, New

York. In Monday's 8TH race at Saratoga, ALINGHI (Aus) (Encosta

de Lago) made her U.S. debut, capturing the Ballston Spa Breeders' Cup H. (G3)

by 1 1/4 lengths. Performing to expectations, the dark bay four-year-old rallied four wide from midpack

to blow past the leaders and easily pull away in the final yards. Her record shows a

long list of Group victories in her native Australia,

including the Robert Sangster S. (Aus-G1) and Newmarket S. (Aus-G1) from this

season, and she only looks to improve on that while racing stateside. Alinghi

will be an exciting addition to the Breeders' Cup.

SHACONAGE (El Prado [Ire]) earned her first win since late June of last year

when taking the Ellis Park Breeders' Cup Turf on August 20 by 4 1/4 lengths. The

Mitch Shirota trainee has been close in most of her starts this year, showing

much better form over 12 months ago. She finished sixth in the Breeders' Cup

Filly & Mare Turf (G1) last year and could move into the top three of the 2005

edition if she continues on the improve.

SINGHALESE (GB) (Singspiel [Ire]) showed that there was more to her than her

third-place in the American Invitational Oaks (G1) indicated in the Del Mar Oaks

(G1) on August 20. The chestnut miss rallied from near

the back while coming wide into the stretch, overtook the pacesetting Dancing

Edie (Moscow Ballet) and held off THREE DEGREES (Ire) (Singspiel [Ire]) to post

her first graded victory in style. She earned a 98 BRIS Speed rating, which

isn't as nice at her 102 Speed figure garnered in the American Oaks, but is

nothing to sneeze at either.

Three Degrees earns a mention off her run in the Del Mar Oaks as well. The

gray filly, winner of the Honeymoon Breeders' Cup H. (G2), raced in between

rivals in the Del Mar Oaks before having to bide her time when caught behind

some runners on the second turn. She moved toward the inside, then sat just off

the pacesetter in midstretch before finding room passing eighth pole and getting

up for second. After all that, Three Degrees was just a half-length back of

Singhalese and could show much more in her next one with an unimpeded trip.

As promised last week, I would like to add something to my previous Filly & Mare

Turf Diary. A reader was kind enough to advise me to watch the Beverly D. S.

(G1) once again and this time pay better attention to the trip of the winner, ANGARA (GB) (Alzao). So I did.

My friend, let me just say you were 100 percent correct!

With Gary Stevens sitting chilly in the saddle, Angara ran eighth in the

nine-horse field while three wide. The only horse she had beat was Megahertz

(GB) (Pivotal), but at no point did Stevens seem worried. As the field

approached the stretch, Angara accelerated on her own, with her jockey just

along for the ride. Megahertz had also started her rally, and for a brief moment

the two raced in tandem down the middle of the stretch. But Angara was not to be

denied and, under just a hand ride from Stevens, pulled away from her rival for

the neck victory at the wire. It was a sensational run, and Angara has moved to

the top of the her division off that win. If she reproduces her Beverly D.

effort on Breeders' Cup

Day, everyone else will be running for second.

I would like to end this week's Diary with a big thank you to everyone who

has taken the time to write me and my fellow columnists with your comments and

rebuttals. We welcome all e-mails, both the positive and negative. We are but a

few trying to cover a large subject and everything sent to us helps in providing

much more insightful articles. So please, keep sending your thoughts and

opinions. We are listening.