Distaff Diary

DISTAFF DIARY

SEPTEMBER 14, 2006

by Jennifer Caldwell

There were two major Breeders' Cup events that took place since the last

Diary, with top contenders competing in both. In Sunday's Ruffian H. (G1) at

Belmont Park, one filly advanced while another regressed. POOL LAND (Silver

Deputy) rebounded off her third in the Go for Wand H. (G1) to easily take the 8

1/2-furlong Ruffian by two lengths for trainer Todd Pletcher. She was never far

back from pacesetter Take D' Tour (Tour d'Or) through six furlongs, passed that

one rounding the turn and drew off.

The ease with which Pool Land pulled away from her rivals after pressing Take

D' Tour throughout suggests that the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) distance of nine

furlongs is well within her reach. My only concern is that assistant trainer

Tristan Barry seemed to indicate after the Ruffian that Pletcher might train

Pool Land up to the Breeders' Cup. That would give her eight weeks between

races, and Pool Land's only losses to date have come when she was returning off

similar freshenings. Conditioner David Fawkes has already tabbed the Beldame S. (G1) on

October 7 as Take D' Tour's next start, and that race would fit in perfectly with

giving Pool Land one more race before the Breeders' Cup. If Pool Land's

connections didn't want something that tough, there has to a race she could run

in that would keep her ready to go on November 4.

In this author's opinion, there should be a role reversal here. Take D' Tour

ran a commendable race to get second in the Ruffian, but may be showing the

effects of a tough season. After stringing together four straight wins, and

running pretty much every month since March, the chestnut has now dropped her

past two while racing against some of the same competition. She may be the one

who needs a little freshening.

I'm going to mention SUMMERLY (Summer Squall) only to say that, though she is

a tough mare, returning so late in the season pretty much knocks her out of the

Breeders' Cup. She captured her first race back against nice -- but not

necessarily top-notch -- rivals and ran last in the Ruffian in her first real

challenge. The four-year-old is definitely one I'd like to see come back next

year, but expecting her to tackle the Distaff may be expecting too much.

One day before the Ruffian, PINE ISLAND (Arch) continued her forward

progression when taking the Gazelle S. (G1) at Belmont by a length. The dark bay

lass was content to settle next to last in the six-horse field before splitting

horses while leaving the turn and pulling her way up to the outside of TEAMMATE

(A.P. Indy) approaching the eighth pole. She continued to accelerate past that

rival to earn her second consecutive Grade 1 score after taking the Alabama S.

(G1) on August 19. Pine Island just started her career in March, and went from a

maiden win, to an allowance win, and straight into Grade 1 company. The talented

three-year-old has yet to finish worse than second in her career, and, according

to trainer Shug McGaughey, might just train up to the Distaff, where she'll face

older runners for first time.

This is the fourth straight time that Pine Island and Teammate have met up,

and in each case Teammate finished behind her rival. That doesn't mean that

Teammate isn't capable of performing in the upper echelon; it just means she's

had the misfortune to be born in the same year as Pine Island. If she was pitted

against another year's three-year-old filly crop, Teammate would probably have a

few more wins on her resume.

BUSHFIRE (Louis Quatorze) entered the Gazelle off a two-month break and

drastically weakened after setting a pressured pace early on. She ran fifth, in

only her second off-the-board finish (she ran third in the Kentucky Oaks [G1]

and was disqualified to sixth). The bay miss made her seasonal bow in January

and raced once a month until July, when she took the slight vacation, so she

could have already peaked earlier in the year. Nonetheless, if Bushfire can

regain her midseason form, she'll be a runaway possibility for the Distaff.

Two other fillies that deserve a mention this week -- though their chances of

running in the Breeders' Cup Distaff are about zero to nil -- are MIRACULOUS MISS (Mr.

Greeley) and SEA SIREN (Stormy Atlantic). The former earned her sixth victory

from seven-career starts when rallying from last to take the Endine H. (G3) at

Delaware Park on Saturday. The three-year-old miss added that win to three other

graded victories, including the April 15 Comely S. (G2) from which she was

returning. Miraculous Miss is a classy filly and will always give her best in

whatever race she goes in.

Sea Siren completely outran herself when scoring a front-running, four-length

victory in the Arlington Matron H. (G3) on September 2. The bay four-year-old

was making just her second graded start in the nine-furlong event, and increased

her game about 200 percent. I don't know if she'll ever be able to repeat that

effort, but Sea Siren definitely earned three cheers for that performance.