Filly & Mare Turf Diary

FILLY & MARE TURF DIARY

JULY 3, 2007

by Kellie Reilly

All eyes will be on Hollywood Park this weekend, with Friday night's $1

million CashCall Mile (G2) and Saturday's $750,000 American Oaks Invitational

(G1) featuring truly international casts. Before delving into these fascinating

contests, a few recent stakes deserve mention.

The June 23 New York Breeders' Cup S. (G2) was the coming-out party for

MAKDERAH (Ire) (Danehill), who announced her resolve to live up to her

glorious pedigree in no uncertain terms. Making her third U.S. start for Kiaran

McLaughlin, and her first in a stateside stakes, the four-year-old bay deployed

a lightning-quick move to go from last to first. The Shadwell Stable colorbearer

blazed her final quarter in :22 1/5 while opening up by four lengths, ultimately

getting the 1 1/4 miles on Belmont Park's firm inner turf in 2:00. And she was

still under no more than a hand ride.

Critics will note that the contest wasn't as tough as it might have been

after a couple of key contenders were withdrawn. Grade 1 winner VACARE

(Lear Fan) suffered an entrapped epiglottis, and multiple Grade 1-placed

BARANCELLA (Fr) (Acatenango) also opted out. The race still boasted quality

distaffers, though. Runner-up MASSEUSE (Dynaformer) had every chance, but

the well-regarded mare was simply annihilated by Makderah. The third-place

finisher, the honest HOSTESS (Chester House), was beaten much farther

than she had been in her previous start, when she was just 1 3/4 lengths adrift

of HONEY RYDER (Lasting Approval) and SAFARI QUEEN (Arg) (Lode) in

the Sheepshead Bay H. (G2). Moreover, the 6-5 favorite, JADE QUEEN

(Giant's Causeway), had been narrowly defeated by Honey Ryder in last year's

Flower Bowl Invitational S. (G1). From any perspective, the New York Breeders'

Cup form looks solid, and even had Vacare been able to run, I doubt that she

could have matched Makderah's lethal burst.

Ironically, Makderah's success came on the same day that her stablemate,

Horse of the Year Invasor (Arg), was retired because of a sesamoid injury.

Several clichés suggest themselves, variously involving the highs and lows of

the sport, or the passing of torches. In any event, Makderah's star potential is

undeniable, and she appears primed to add further laurels to one of the most

productive families in the stud book. I'll restrict myself to mentioning just

two of her maternal-line relatives -- once-beaten Nashwan (Blushing Groom [Fr]),

winner of the 1989 Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1), Epsom Derby (Eng-G1), Eclipse

S. (Eng-G1) and King George VI Queen Elizabeth Diamond S. (Eng-G1), and Japanese

superstar Deep Impact (Sunday Silence).

Makderah was a decent enough performer in England last year, when she chased

Red Evie (Intikhab), subsequently a multiple Group 1 heroine, a couple of times,

but she is a different proposition now. McLaughlin has mentioned the July 28

Diana S. (G1) at Saratoga or the August 11 Beverly D. S. (G1) at Arlington as

possible targets.

I'm rooting for the Beverly D., where she would meet the streaking

CITRONNADE (Lemon Drop Kid). The Bobby Frankel trainee went for a Sunday

stroll at Hollywood Park, and by the way, came home with the Beverly Hills H.

(G2). Once again exploiting the luxury of being the lone speed, Citronnade never

had an anxious moment en route to her 2 1/2-length score, while regular rider

David Flores kept peeking for nonexistent threats in the stretch. She has now

bagged five in a row since shifting her tack to California last fall.

Another Frankel pupil, KAREN'S CAPER (War Chant), set a new course

record when making her seasonal reappearance in the June 16 Eatontown S. (G3) at

Monmouth Park. The Stonerside Stable homebred smoothly ranged up to take command

in the stretch, and she wasn't asked a serious question as she held on by a cozy

half-length. In fact, she was so utterly in control, that I was amazed to see

her final time was 1:39.48 for the grassy 1 1/16 miles.

Although the bay is a Grade/Group 3 victress, Karen's Caper is perhaps better

remembered as the tough-luck loser of three photo-finishes -- the Coronation S.

(Eng-G1) at Royal Ascot and Queen Elizabeth II Invitational Challenge Cup S.

(G1) in 2005, as well as the First Lady S. (G2) at Keeneland in her 2006 finale.

If there is any justice in the racing cosmos, she should capture a much-deserved

Grade 1 prize this season.

The Bill Mott-trained MY TYPHOON (Ire) (Giant's Causeway) also

promises to a complete her resume with a coveted Grade 1 tally in 2007. The

royally-bred chestnut landed her fourth Grade 2 event in the Just a Game S. (G2)

on Belmont Day, revealing a newfound killer instinct when drawing 3 3/4 lengths

clear of champion WAIT A WHILE (Maria's Mon). Granted, My Typhoon got

away with a soft early lead in the one-mile event, and Wait a While would have

been better served by a more aggressive strategy, but the winner could not have

been more authoritative. Indeed, she sprinted home in :22 2/5, a fine piece of

acceleration that Wait a While would have been hard pressed to equal. Better

than ever at the mature age of five, My Typhoon is headed for the Diana.

Wait a While will pursue the Cash Call Mile, hoping that she can

recover her old sparkle on the West Coast. The Todd Pletcher-trained gray has

been underwhelming so far this season, with an efficient winning debut in the

Honey Fox H. (G3), a throw-out fifth in the Jenny Wiley S. (G2) on Polytrack and

her well-beaten second in the Just a Game. Perhaps a return to the scene of her

smashing American Oaks triumph will trigger her brilliant best.

She'll have to be at her best to cope with a stellar group at Hollywood.

Among the American-based distaffers expected to line up are Matriarch S. (G1)

queen PRICE TAG (GB) (Dansili [GB]), who got within three-quarters of a

length of Citronnade in the Gamely Breeders' Cup S. (G1); the exciting LADY

OF VENICE (Fr) (Loup Solitaire), last seen charging to victory in the Ouija

Board Distaff H. (G3); John C. Mabee H. (G1) winner DANCING EDIE (Moscow

Ballet), a near-miss runner-up in the Redondo Beach S. in her 2007 bow; and the

thoroughly dependable PRECIOUS KITTEN (Catienus), successful in the Mrs.

Revere S. (G2) last fall and the Gallorette H. (G3) last time out.

The well-traveled ALEXANDRA ROSE (SAf) (Caesour), now with Neil

Drysdale, will make her American debut in the CashCall Mile. The Team Valor mare

had strong form in her homeland. A Group 2 winner, she was just nipped by the

classy Bad Girl Runs (Western Winter) in the 2005 Cape Fillies Guineas (SAf-G1),

and was a respectable third to the outstanding Jamaica in the 2006 Majorca S.

(SAf-G1). Alexandra Rose wintered in Dubai, where she was second in the Cape

Verdi S. before checking in fifth in the nearly nine-furlong Balanchine S. She

will probably prefer the flat mile here.

Last year's CashCall Mile was taken by Dance in the Mood (Jpn), and three

Japanese shippers will try to follow in her exalted footsteps. None of them has

quite her resume, though. Grade 2 victress DIA DE LA NOVIA (Jpn) (Sunday

Silence) has abundant back class, having placed in such prestigious events as

the 2005 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) (Jpn-G1), when she was narrowly beaten by

Cesario (Jpn), and the 2006 Victoria Mile S. (Jpn-G1), chasing Dance in the

Mood. She wasn't disgraced when finishing in midpack in the super-tough Hong

Kong Cup (HK-G1) versus world-class males last December, but she hasn't run up

to that level in her past two starts. Considering that she's trained by the

astute Katsuhiko Sumii, the mastermind behind Cesario's American Oaks romp as

well as the exacta in last year's Melbourne Cup (Aus-G1), I'm expecting a far

better showing from the five-year-old mare.

In contrast, KOIUTA (Jpn) (Fuji Kiseki) enters this event off a

career-best win in the Victoria Mile, with KISS TO HEAVEN (Jpn) (Admire

Vega) fourth and Dia de la Novia only sixth. It's worth noting that Koiuta was a

shock winner at 59-1 on that occasion, and she has to prove that she can do it

again. Kiss to Heaven, who had defeated Koiuta in last year's Oka Sho (Japanese

One Thousand Guineas) (Jpn-G1), is exiting a creditable eighth versus males in

the Yasuda Kinen (Jpn-G1), where Dia de La Novia clunked up 14th.

Japan will also be represented in the American Oaks Invitational by

ROBE DECOLLETE (Cozzene), a photo-finish winner of the Japanese Oaks last

time out. I doubt that she's the next Cesario, however. The Oaks was weakened by

the absence of champion VODKA (Tanino Gimlet), who opted to thrash colts in the

Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) (Jpn-G1) instead, and the withdrawal of One

Thousand Guineas queen DAIWA SCARLET (Agnes Tachyon), who spiked a fever.

A much more daunting trans-Pacific invader is Australia's ANAMATO

(Aus) (Redoute's Choice), who was last seen storming to a course record-setting

score in the April 21 Australasian Oaks (Aus-G1) at this 1 1/4-mile trip. She's

not the best of her age and sex Down Under, since she's had the misfortune of

being born in the same crop as the brilliant multiple Group 1 heroine MISS

FINLAND (Redoute's Choice), her own stablemate and a contender for Horse of the

Year honors. Anamato was a close second to Miss Finland in a Group 3 last

September, and in the prestigious V.R.C. Oaks (Aus-G1) in November, she finished

an admirable third to her and another excellent filly in TUESDAY JOY (Carnegie

[Ire]).

There aren't any Miss Finlands or Tuesday Joys here, and a duplication of her

Australian form would be enough to take top honors at Hollywood. Also, unlike

the Japanese fillies, who aren't foregoing any opportunities at home, Anamato

has skipped other viable targets on her own continent to seek glory half a world

away. Her trainer, David Hayes, was a leading conditioner in Hong Kong in

addition to enjoying massive success in Australia, and he is as shrewd as they

come in engineering international assaults.

Another masterful planner, the Irishman Dermot Weld, is sending

SUPPOSITION (GB) (Dansili [GB]), who will be making her sophomore debut in

this spot. It's difficult to know what to expect, especially because she's never

been beyond seven furlongs. As a juvenile, she was third in the Moyglare Stud S.

(Ire-G1), and in her career bow, she was beaten a mere neck by the Aidan

O'Brien-trained colt Duke of Marmalade (Danehill), who is Group 1-placed this

year.  Rounding out the international brigade is French Group 3 queen

JUST LITTLE (Fr) (Grand Slam) from the barn of Jean-Claude Rouget. Although

she was beating questionable sorts, her last-out third in the one-mile Prix de

Sandringham (Fr-G2) may turn out to be pretty useful. Just Little could also

relish the prospect of firm ground.

Spearheading the American defense will be VALBENNY (Ire) (Val Royal

[Fr]). Four-for-five in the United States, the Paddy Gallagher trainee is coming

off scores in the Senorita S. (G3) and Honeymoon Breeders' Cup H. (G2). Pletcher

will saddle AUDACIOUS CHLOE (More Than Ready), who is three-for-three in

2007 with tallies in the Gaily Gaily S., Appalachian S. and Little Silver S., as

well as PANTY RAID (Include), the Black-Eyed Susan S. (G2) winner who

will be trying turf for the first time. Santa Ysabel S. (G3) heroine BARONESS

THATCHER (Johannesburg), third in the Black-Eyed Susan, will also make her

turf bow for Patrick Biancone.

Our next installment will review the action from Hollywood as well as Honey

Ryder's next outing, which could come against males in Saturday's United Nations

S. (G1).