Connections of Emollient to mull BC options

Emollient came out of her rousing last-to-first victory in Sunday's Grade 1

Spinster in good form, trainer Bill Mott's assistant Rodolphe Brisset said

Monday morning. On Tuesday, the three-year-old filly will return to Belmont

Park, and Mott and her connections will determine what's next.

With the victory, she earned an automatic berth to the $2 million Breeders'

Cup Distaff to be run November 1 at Santa Anita but could be headed to the $2

million Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf on November 2 instead.

"Let's say she's going on the plane back to New York, so that means we've got

something in mind," Brisset said. "We've got to see how she does going back to

New York and how she acts but she really wasn't tired at all after the race.

We're going to take it day by day, breeze her a few times and go from there. I'm

sure we'll have a talk and make a decision."

Emollient has three Grade 1 wins this year. She won the Ashland at Keeneland

in April and captured the American Oaks on turf at Hollywood Park in July. With

her Spinster victory, she joins Doubledogdare (1956), Optimistic Gal (1976) and

Take Charge Lady (2002) as winners of the Ashland and the Spinster in the same

season.

In the Spinster, Emollient broke late and was last of 11 entering the far

turn before unleashing a furious rally on the far outside under jockey Mike

Smith, defeating Summer Applause by 1 1/4 lengths.

"I wasn't worried about the break at all because if there is one thing she

can do is miss the break," Brisset said with a laugh. "She did it in the (2012)

Demoiselle. She's very touchy on her sides and doesn't like to be in (the

starting gate). You never know what you're going to get from the gate. That's

why I told Mike, 'If you miss the break don't go to the lead; she doesn't need

to be on the lead.'"

Brisset said the versatility Emollient showed in the Spinster should answer

any lingering questions about her quality.

"She made a point to everybody," he said. "The thing is now she'll have the

Polytrack sticker on her back but trust me, she's as good on the grass."

Summer Applause's runner-up performance pleased Baldo Hernandez, assistant to

trainer Chad Brown.

"She ran well in a Grade 1. Good for her," he said about the four-year-old

Harlan's Holiday filly. She has victories in Grade 2 and Grade 3 competition and

has faced the likes of champion Royal Delta this year.

Hernandez said Summer Applause and Dayatthespa, second in the First Lady on

Saturday, are scheduled to return to Belmont Park on Tuesday.

Arriving that day from Belmont will be Alterite, who is scheduled to race in

Saturday's Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup. On September 14, the daughter of

Literato won the Garden City at Belmont over other QE II possibles Discreet Marq

and Concise in her North American debut.

Wine Princess returned to Churchill Downs Sunday night after her third-place

finish in the Spinster in her first start on Polytrack.

"She looks good this morning," trainer Steve Margolis said. "She worked good

on it last week (:58 2/5 for five furlongs on September) and the race validated

the work. That was a good result for the family placing in the Grade 1."

A daughter of Horse of the Year Ghostzapper out of a Horse of the Year Azeri,

Wine Princess likely will remain at Churchill Downs, according to Margolis.

"We are looking at the Chilukki (on November 2 ) and then the Falls City (on

November 28)," Margolis said.

Sisterly Love, who set the pace in the Spinster before finishing fourth, was

reported to be doing well Monday morning, according to David Adams, assistant to

trainer Mark Casse.

Byrama, who went off as the second choice in the field of 11, was scheduled

to return to California Monday afternoon, according to Lauren Robson, assistant

to trainer Simon Callaghan. Byrama finished sixth.

Trainer Michael Matz said Hard Not to Like came out of her seventh-place

finish in good order and would be turned out for a while.

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