Distaff Diary

DISTAFF DIARY

AUGUST 30, 2007

by Jennifer Caldwell

This past weekend's racing at Saratoga produced some nice contenders for the

October 26 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint and enhanced the chances of a

couple of challengers for the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) one day later.

LA TRAVIATA (Johannesburg) stamped her ticket to Monmouth Park with an awe-inspiring victory in the Victory Ride S. (G3) on Saturday. The Patrick

Biancone-trained sophomore is extremely limited in her racing experiences,

owning just three starts now, but has won in the easiest of ways each time. She began her

career at Churchill on June 4, breaking her maiden debut by 13 1/4 lengths, then

returned on July 22 to take the Post Deb S. at Monmouth Park by five lengths.

The dark bay lass made her graded debut in the six-furlong Victory Ride and,

after a stumbling start, grabbed the advantage to lead all the way home.

Crossing under the wire 9 1/4 lengths clear of her nearest rival, La Traviata

earned a 109 BRIS Speed rating.

After such a dominating display, La Traviata's connections might be forgiven

for getting a little starry-eyed and thinking Distaff for their talented charge.

However, Biancone is staying grounded and admitted that the filly doesn't have

enough experience to stretch out past seven furlongs. The Filly & Mare Sprint is

her ultimate goal this year, and we can't wait to see just how much better this

one gets as she matures.

Mark Gorman co-owns MARYFIELD (Elusive Quality) and was on hand Sunday to

see his charge take the Ballerina S. (G1) at Saratoga. The six-year-old mare was

been a bit erratic earlier this year, either running huge or throwing in dismal

efforts. Doug O'Neill gave the bay some time in the spring, and Maryfield

rewarded that patience with a fourth, beaten just 1 1/4 lengths, in the Princess

Rooney H. (G1) on July 7. She was then off for another month, and returned on

Sunday to rally from midpack to take the victory by a nose.

Not many gave Maryfield a chance in the Ballerina, as she was sent off at

16-1, but few were probably taking into account the layoff. She appears to do

best when fresh, and is likely to enter the Filly & Mare Sprint in exactly that

condition, as Gorham commented after the race that he didn't think O'Neill would

start her again before then. Maryfield beat a nice group of graded winners in

the Ballerina and will likely be a good price in the Filly & Mare Sprint.

MISS SHOP (Deputy Minister) can be forgiven for throwing in a couple of

clunkers this year. Trainer Allen Jerkens has been switching the bay lass back

and forth between the turf and dirt, and even though she's accounted herself well on both

surfaces, her preference is obviously on the latter. In Friday's Personal Ensign S. (G1) at Saratoga, Miss Shop returned to the winner's

circle for the first time since her dominating 6 3/4-length score in the Rampart

H. (G2). Breaking in last in the 1 1/4-mile test, the bay miss was content to

lope along behind the rest of the field. She came out leaving the far turn and

unleashed a rally that saw her overtake the pacesetters and draw off to be three

lengths clear at the line.

Miss Shop is a game runner who always gives her all, but the swapping back

and forth between grass and dirt would confuse anyone. She's competed on dirt in

her past three races, and each one was better than the last. As long as Jerkens

doesn't pull another switch, Miss Shop should be primed for a career-best effort

in the Distaff.

HYSTERICALADY (Distorted Humor) is something of an enigma. The Jerry

Hollendorfer-trained four-year-old is a graded winner at both sprint and route

distances and could go for either the Distaff or Filly & Mare Sprint. Her

connections probably had the former in mind when they entered her in Saturday's

Molly Pitcher Breeders' Cup H. (G2) at Monmouth and were rewarded with an easy,

front-running 6 1/4-length win. The chestnut probably relished the return to a

dirt track after running on the synthetic surfaces in California for her past

couple of starts, and could continue her current form all the way through the Breeders' Cup.