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FILLY & MARE TURF DIARY JUNE 30, 2010 With divisional Eclipse Award winner Goldikova (Ire) (Anabaa) and Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) victress Midday (Oasis Dream [GB]) both based in Europe, and under the rubric of our upcoming International Diary, the Filly & Mare Turf Diary will be confined to its traditional review of the domestic scene. So far this season, the headline story has been the remarkable string of victories compiled by TUSCAN EVENING (Ire) (Oasis Dream [GB]) -- no new face, to be sure, but a much-improved one who has been steadily building her resume for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. Triumphal march: Tuscan Evening is a perfect five-for-five this campaign. Going short or long, setting the pace or stalking, giving away significant weight in handicaps -- it's all immaterial to the peaking five-year-old. Her skein began in the January 3 Monrovia H. (G3), an about 6 1/2-furlong sprint on Santa Anita's downhill turf. After rating kindly just behind the pace, Tuscan Evening angled out to split foes at the top of the stretch, briefly looked to be in danger, but pulled away to win convincingly by a length. As the 121-pound highweight, she was conceding six pounds to each of the placed horses. Stepping up to one mile in the Buena Vista H. (G2) on Presidents' Day, she was content to stalk in second, ranged up leaving the far turn, wore down the leader in midstretch, and powered clear by 2 1/4 lengths. The 122-pound highweight was spotting nine pounds to the runner-up. Tuscan Evening faced distance questions in her next two. When lining up in the March 21 Santa Ana H. (G2), she was still unproven at the 1 1/8-mile trip, but easily disposed of that quibble. Tuscan Evening loomed as the controlling speed, got away with tepid fractions, shrugged off a bid from San Gorgonio H. (G2) winner CAT BY THE TALE (Tale of the Cat), and quickened well to prevail by 1 1/4 lengths. The 123-pound highweight, Tuscan Evening was giving Cat by the Tale six pounds. A tougher stamina test awaited in the 1 1/4-mile Santa Barbara H. (G2) on April 17, which ended up being arguably her easiest win of her current streak. In a scratch-reduced field of four, Tuscan Evening repeated her front-running tactics, again enjoyed a leisurely pace, accelerated to put the race away, and was geared down late. The 124-pound highweight was conceding eight pounds to runner-up GENERAL CONSENSUS (Giant's Causeway). Tuscan Evening had more of a battle on her hands back at 1 1/8 miles in the May 29 Gamely S. (G1), with 2008 champion turf mare FOREVER TOGETHER (Belong to Me) invading Hollywood Park. The tactical advantage lay with Tuscan Evening, and her ability to get first run proved decisive. Sitting just off the flank of surprising early leader Cat by the Tale, who tried something new in hopes of turning the tables, Tuscan Evening gradually subdued her in the stretch. Then the ominous gray presence of Forever Together drew ever nearer, forcing Tuscan Evening to keep finding more, and she was up to the task. Forever Together stayed on strongly in the final yards to whittle the margin down to a half-length, but by the time she launched her renewed thrust, it was too late. Formidable team: In one respect, Tuscan Evening's rise to prominence isn't that surprising, since she had been a smart two-year-old in Ireland and missed narrowly in the 2008 Irish One Thousand Guineas (Ire-G1) at three. On the other hand, after joining Hollendorfer for her 2009 campaign, she appeared to find her niche as a talented sprinter-miler on the Southern California circuit. Although Tuscan Evening was admirably consistent during her busy 10-race season, winning a pair of Grade 2 events along the way to her 6-1-2 mark for the year, she didn't leap off the page as a major threat for divisional leadership. What has changed? Hollendorfer's Hall-of-Fame-worthy horsemanship has been at work here to develop the classy import, teaching the sometimes headstrong bay to relax. After she was rank in the John C. Mabee S. (G1) last summer and faded to eighth, Hollendorfer gave her two months off, and brought her back in the Sen. Ken Maddy H. (G3) sprinting on the downhill turf at Santa Anita. Tuscan Evening had raced on this unique course in her first three American starts before stretching out. Dropping back down to about 6 1/2 furlongs at this particular point in her career, though, seemed to have a terrific effect on her. She chased a fast pace en route to her third in the Maddy, and in hindsight, that might have been very instructive. I suspect that the experience may well have played a role in making her more reliably ratable in the future. In any event, whether the Maddy was in fact responsible, Tuscan Evening has been a different mare ever since. Another key contribution is her partnership with jockey Rafael Bejarano, who has won eight of nine starts aboard Tuscan Evening. In the summer of 2009, he guided her to a front-running score in the Redondo Beach S. and a hard-fought decision in the Royal Heroine Mile (G2) from a stalking position. Bejarano did not ride her in the aforementioned Mabee, easily her worst performance in the United States; nor did he have the mount in the Maddy. The two teamed up again to capture the Las Palmas H. (G2), then endured their only loss together -- a runner-up effort to the brilliant Ventura in the Matriarch S. (G1). If Ventura hadn't run in the Matriarch, Tuscan Evening would be riding a seven-race winning streak right now. The road not taken: Tuscan Evening's streak might not have happened at all, if Hollendorfer had opted for any of the alternative targets that had been discussed. The Monrovia was originally mentioned as a prep for the Santa Monica H. (G1) on Pro-Ride, but thankfully she stayed on the grass. Tuscan Evening later went into the Santa Ana as a back-up plan; she was first entered in the Frank E. Kilroe Mile H. (G1), but scratched after drawing post 11. Then the Churchill Distaff Turf Mile (G2) came into play as a prep for the Just a Game S. (G1). She didn't contest either of them, thereby missing a few interesting clashes, and has made the most of staying among fellow turf distaffers in the comfort of her own circuit. Tuscan Evening must look for new worlds to conquer if she wants to claim divisional leadership, and the August 21 Beverly D. S. (G1) at Arlington fits the bill. Hollendorfer has mentioned the July 17 Modesty H. (G3), a prep over the course and 1 3/16-mile distance, as a possible stepping stone. She is also nominated for a title defense in Saturday's Royal Heroine Mile at Hollywood. Tuscan Evening passed on last Saturday's Beverly Hills H. (G3) at Hollywood, and TURNING TOP (Ire) (Pivotal) capitalized on her absence to earn her first graded victory. Defying her pedigree, the Simon Callaghan filly did her best work late in the 1 1/4-mile affair and edged away to a one-length verdict. Turning Top, who had never raced beyond 1 1/16 miles, has now won four straight, including the Redondo Beach in her previous outing. The August 15 John C. Mabee (G2) at Del Mar is a likely goal, but Callaghan plans to add her to the Beverly D. mix as well. Crying all the way to the bank: Frederick the Great once said of the Habsburg Empress Maria Theresa, "She cries, but she takes," alluding to the fact that her professed qualms never got in the way of expanding her territory. WASTED TEARS (Najran) might be crying in name only, but she can annex prizes as greedily as the best of them. With much less fanfare than Tuscan Evening, the habitual front runner has rattled off six wins in a row, dating back more than a year. A homebred trained by Bart Evans, the five-year-old would attract much more attention if she had more famous connections, or resided on a high-profile circuit. When she blasted a mile in a course-record 1:32.81 at Lone Star in the 2009 Ouija Board Distaff H. (G3), Wasted Tears was still just a regional novelty. She then came down with a staph infection that cost her the rest of the season. This year, Wasted Tears has gotten the chance to take her game on the road, and she's proven herself against a higher grade of opponent. Returning from her eight-month layoff in January, she didn't miss a beat as she sped to victory in an allowance/optional claimer at Gulfstream Park. She extended her winning streak to four next time out in the February 20 Honey Fox S. (G3) at the same venue. Wasted Tears garnered number five in a typically deep renewal of the April 10 Jenny Wiley S. (G2) at Keeneland. She dictated through sensible fractions, opened up into the stretch, and repelled a stern challenge from defending champion Forever Together. Showing implacable resolve when confronted by the surging champ, Wasted Tears found that little something extra to inch away again by a half-length. She was also carrying two pounds more than Forever Together. The final time underscored the strength of her performance -- 1:40.86, just off the stakes record of 1:40 3/5 set by Apolda in 1996 -- and unlike Apolda, Wasted Tears made her own pace. Her sixth straight score came in her title defense in the May 31 Ouija Board Distaff, where she survived early pace pressure and held on by a neck. The 123-pound co-highweight was spotting eight pounds to the runner-up. Wasted Tears will go in search of a Grade 1 laurel at some point this summer, and she must not be underestimated. Interestingly, although Wasted Tears doesn't sport a fashionable pedigree on the surface, she is bred on the illustrious Blushing Groom (Fr)/Nijinsky II cross that brought us the likes of Fantastic Light, Sky Beauty, Wandesta (GB), Quest for Fame (GB) and Dimitrova. (The reverse cross, of Nijinsky II over Blushing Groom, is responsible for Lammtarra and Kahyasi.) Minding your Ps: As mentioned in the inaugural Turf Diary, PROVISO (GB) (Dansili [GB]) owns the distinction of being the only two-time Grade 1 winner on the American turf so far this year. Her victory over males in the Kilroe, without Tuscan Evening, was described there. Reverting to her own division in the one-mile Just a Game, the Juddmonte Farms homebred might have been inconvenienced by the lack of an honest pace to set up her late kick. Trainer Bill Mott and jockey Mike Smith anticipated the scenario and adapted to it. Proviso kept close watch on the leader while stalking in second, delivered her trademark burst of speed in the stretch, and found enough in reserve to turn back PHOLA (Johannesburg) by a half-length. The reliable yardstick MY PRINCESS JESS (Stormy Atlantic) closed between them to finish third in the Just a Game for the second straight year. Phola ran a tremendous race to come as close as she did in her Grade 1 debut. The Todd Pletcher filly didn't get away from the gate alertly, so if her connections had any thought of modifying her late-running style that day, Phola ensured that she would be unhurried in last, as usual. Still seven lengths back at the half-mile mark, she hurtled into the stretch widest of all and uncorked a powerful run to threaten Proviso, only to have the Juddmonte mare hold her at bay. The two are set to renew rivalry in the July 31 Diana S. (G1) over 1 1/8 miles at Saratoga, and the extra furlong could help Phola. She first catapulted onto the scene with a visually impressive, last-to-first, 4 1/4-length romp in the March 13 Hillsborough S. (G3) at about nine furlongs at Tampa Bay Downs. A flurry of scratches had rendered the Hillsborough a rather weak race, but Phola showed her real class next time out in the Churchill Distaff Turf Mile on Kentucky Derby Day. Again barnstorming from last to first, she rolled to a 1 1/4-length decision over a few rivals who have upheld the form well. For starters, Churchill Distaff Turf Mile runner-up HOT CHA CHA (Cactus Ridge) gives the form a rock-solid look. The winner of the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) at Keeneland last fall, she was coming off a sneakily-good third to Wasted Tears and Forever Together in the Jenny Wiley, pulling three lengths clear of fourth. Following her second to Phola, Hot Cha Cha went on to capture the June 5 Mint Julep H. (G3) at Churchill over a reappearing ACOMA (Empire Maker). (To be fair to Acoma, she was held up too far back off a slow pace, made up a lot of ground by the time she swung for home, and kept on resolutely, but simply had too much to do. Acoma ought to rebound in Saturday's Locust Grove H. [G3] at Churchill, her weigh station en route to the Beverly D.) Going back to the Churchill Distaff Turf Mile, third-placer MISS KELLER (Ire) (Montjeu [Ire]) has since rallied to finish a close second in the June 5 Nassau S. (Can-G2) at Woodbine, beaten just a half-length by SIMPLY SPLENDID (Maria's Mon). Finishing two lengths behind Miss Keller was former European champion RAINBOW VIEW (Dynaformer), who had overcome a troubled trip to land the May 15 Gallorette H. (G3) in her prior start. (To be fair to Rainbow View, the Jonathan Sheppard filly was shouldering 125 pounds in the Nassau, which could explain why she ran a bit flat -- especially in her third race in less than two months.) To return to the Churchill Distaff Turf Mile also-rans, fourth-place finisher FANTASIA (GB) (Sadler's Wells) tried again in the Just a Game and reported home fifth. Defending Churchill Distaff Turf Mile champion TIZAQUEENA (Tiznow), who finished fifth behind Phola on Derby Day, switched to Polytrack to plunder the May 29 Arlington Matron H. (G3) and most recently dead-heated for third to SHARED ACCOUNT (Pleasantly Perfect) in the June 19 All Along S. (G3) on the Colonial turf. Flair for the dramatic: LADY SHAKESPEARE's (Theatrical [Ire]) winter of discontent, during which she was scratched from several graded stakes because of unsuitably soft ground, has indeed been transformed into a glorious summer. Like her stellar brother Shakespeare, who suffered his only career loss in the bog, the Roger Attfield filly is dependent upon firm ground. A tall, angular, leggy creature, the chestnut also takes time to gather her momentum, and clear running room is a must. As her near-miss runner-up effort in the March 28 Orchid S. (G3) at Gulfstream illustrated, she can't afford to have the least interruption. When she gets her prerequisites, though, she is something to behold, and it's easy to see why Attfield is so enamored of her. Lady Shakespeare regained the winning thread in the April 22 Bewitch S. (G3) at Keeneland. Poised much closer than usual, tracking the early crawl in the 1 1/2-mile test, she came under a ride on the final turn when The Very One S. (G3) winner CHANGING SKIES (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) tried to deliver the coup de grace. Once Lady Shakespeare got her legs underneath her down the lane, the race was over. She barreled past Changing Skies to win with her ears pricked by 2 1/2 lengths. Next time out in the June 19 New York S. (G2) at Belmont Park, Lady Shakespeare trailed by as many as 8 1/2 lengths on the backstretch, and John Velazquez had to encourage her to keep her in range of her three opponents in the short field. As in the Bewitch, she was caught for speed turning for home, but made up ground in no time when deploying her huge stride in the stretch. Lady Shakespeare beat Changing Skies by an even easier 2 3/4 lengths, with one ear cocked at the end of the 1 1/4 miles. Two things cast a shadow over the New York. First, Grade 1 star GOZZIP GIRL (Dynaformer) took a nosedive when stumbling out of the gate in her four-year-old bow, throwing Ramon Dominguez out of the saddle and removing her from contention. While Gozzip Girl might not have been able to win first time off the bench, trainer Tom Albertrani had told Daily Racing Form that this was the best she'd ever looked going into a race. She might at least have offered more of a challenge than the others did. Second, Juddmonte's TREAT GENTLY (GB) (Cape Cross [Ire]), who had crushed her rivals in the May 22 Sheepshead Bay S. (G2) over the same inner turf, wound up skipping the New York. Judging by how the Mott mare cleared right away in the stretch and opened up by 4 1/2 lengths, she likely would have been difficult to catch by a late-running Lady Shakespeare. Treat Gently had been headed in the wrong direction earlier this season; she was terribly rank and lugging in on her left lead when a discouraging seventh behind Tuscan Evening in the Santa Ana, and sixth over too short a trip in the Jenny Wiley. Mott worked wonders to get her in the right frame of mind for the Sheepshead Bay, where she showed an entirely different demeanor. Lady Shakespeare is on course for the Beverly D., with either the July 18 Dance Smartly S. (Can-G2) at Woodbine or the Diana serving as her prep. Out of Africa: Top-class South African GYPSY'S WARNING (SAf) (Mogok), a finalist for an Equus Award as her nation's top three-year-old filly some time ago, made an American debut to remember in the Eatontown H. (G3) at Monmouth on Memorial Day. Sidelined for nearly a year to the day, the Team Valor International colorbearer endured a wide trip throughout while reserved just off the pace. A quality rival in MARAM (Sahm), heroine of the 2008 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, prompted the pace, stole a march on Gypsy's Warning entering the stretch, and set sail for the wire. Even watching the replay, Maram appears bound to hold on. Yet somehow Gypsy's Warning caught fire and willed her way forward to nip Maram on the line, advancing her career record to 12-6-0-5. The lightly-raced Maram, who was last seen finishing a creditable sixth in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf, ran a winning race and just lost a heartbreaker. It was a magnificent comeback in more ways than one, for Gypsy's Warning had suffered ligament damage in a freak accident soon after arriving in the United States. As Team Valor principal Barry Irwin explained on the stable's website, "she flipped over while being hosed off on a wash rack. She came away with scrapes on all four ankles, one of which was so severe that her attending veterinarian Dr. Gary Priest of Kentucky feared that her career had been compromised. While trying to stand up, she suffered an asphalt burn on the ligament under an ankle and the tissue was literally burned." Now trained by Graham Motion, Gypsy's Warning is an intriguing addition to the division. Her South African resume suggests that the 1 1/16-mile distance of the Eatontown may be on the short side for her these days. She performed well at a mile in her homeland, capturing the Thekwini Fillies S. (SAf-G1) at two and the Acacia H. (SAf-G3) over her elders at three, while placing third in the Empress Club S. (SAf-G1) and Ipi Tombe S. (SAf-G2), again versus older at that same mile distance. But Gypsy's Warning really excelled in the 1 1/8-mile S. A. Fillies Classic (SAf-G1), driving to a two-length triumph in her penultimate start at home. In her South African swan song, she finished third in the Woolavington 2,000 (SAf-G1) over 1 1/4 miles, as its metric name implies, from a disadvantageous post 14. With that progression in mind, Gypsy's Warning may do even better over a longer trip, and she shapes up as a possible type for the Diana. Sophomores on the march: EVENING JEWEL (Northern Afleet), who captured the Ashland S. (G1) on Polytrack and missed by a whisker to Blind Luck (Pollard's Vision) in the Kentucky Oaks (G1), emerged as a triple-surface threat when garnering the May 31 Honeymoon H. (G2) at Hollywood in her turf debut. The Jim Cassidy filly benefited by controlling the painfully slow pace, and just lasted by a diminishing head from COZI ROSIE (Pleasantly Perfect). Evening Jewel will return in the July 25 San Clemente H. (G2) at Del Mar, but it remains to be seen how long the versatile performer remains on turf. Cozy Rosie, a handy winner of the May 2 Senorita S. (G3) in her prior start, is the filly to beat in Saturday's American Oaks (G1) over a 1 1/4-mile trip that she should relish. The John Sadler trainee appears to be the best of the local brigade, and sadly, that's what this once grand Hollywood showpiece has shrunk into this year. Not too long ago, we would have been analyzing the merits of the Japanese shipper, the Europeans, the East Coast invaders, and wondering how the Honeymoon form stacked up. For its ninth renewal, with its purse down to $250,000, we have the Californians and one nominee from Christophe Clement. Back on the East Coast, Motion has a markedly progressive three-year-old in CHECK THE LABEL (Stormin Fever), a close relation of Sweet Talker, winner of the 2005 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup. Check the Label ran well over the winter at Gulfstream, but didn't break through with her first stakes score until the April 15 Appalachian S. (G3) at Keeneland. Her stalk-and-pounce trip, a four-pound weight concession, and a recency edge all helped her to upend Natalma S. (Can-G3) winner BAY TO BAY (Sligo Bay [Ire]) on that occasion. Bay to Bay has gone on to capture the May 22 American One Thousand Guineas at Arlington and finished a hard-charging second to the pacesetting STRIKE IT RICH (Unbridled's Song) in last Saturday's Boiling Springs S. (G3) at Monmouth. Check the Label took another step forward in the May 31 Sands Point S. (G2) at Belmont, where she was bottled up and forced to steady, but sliced through with a quick turn of foot to win going away. She promises to be a leading player on the turf at Saratoga. A Canadian-bred to keep an eye out for is SOMME (Theatrical [Ire]), who gave a very good impression when aggressively muscling her way through in the June 13 Alywow S. Even more significant, the Josie Carroll pupil pulled this off successfully in a 6 1/2-furlong sprint -- but her pedigree screams long distances, and she was also exiting a maiden win going one mile. Somme didn't mind the sharp cut-back in trip in the least, and she is now two-for-two since transferring to the grass. Finally, reigning Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner TAPITSFLY (Tapit), who has been sidelined by surgery for a bone chip in her ankle, is nearing a return for Dale Romans, and should make her presence felt in the division.
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