Habaya won't be overlooked in Jessamine

Only after Shadwell homebred HABAYA (Storm Cat) got up by a half-length to

win at first asking on September 25 at Belmont Park did some pundits ask

themselves how they could have missed a $20.20 mutuel that looked so obvious in

retrospect. After all, the dark bay was the first starter out of Golden Apples

(Ire) (Pivotal), the 2002 champion turf mare, and Habaya was making her debut on the green

stuff for the ever-dangerous Kiaran McLaughlin.

Suffice it to say Habaya will be accorded far more respect when she steps

up to tackle stakes company in Thursday's $150,000

Jessamine S. at Keeneland over 1 1/16 miles, where she and as many as 11

others will compete for an automatic bid in the inaugural Breeders' Cup Juvenile

Fillies Turf at Santa Anita on October 24.

The Jessamine, the last "Win and You're In" race in advance of the

Breeders' Cup, drew a field of 12 plus two also-eligibles,

and a number bring positive stakes experience to the table. GLAMOROUS GAL (Soto)

flopped on dirt last time, but is two-for-three on grass including a win in the

Tippett S. at Colonial Downs two back, while ABBOTT HALL (El Corredor)

demolished nine rivals in the Happy Ticket S. over the Louisiana Downs lawn most

recently.

Logical threats moving over from Polytrack are PHOLA (Johannesburg), who

earned a 96 BRIS Speed rating when a distant third in the Arlington-Washington

Lassie S. (G3), and COMPLICITY (City Zip), a closing second in last month's

Kentucky Cup Juvenile Fillies. NEVER LIE (Alke), meanwhile, was far behind in

her two Polytrack starts, but easily captured an Arlington maiden by five

lengths in her lone turf appearance. Other turf maiden winners who could make

things interesting are WAR TIGRESS (War Chant), HINT OF LEMON (Lemon Drop Kid)

and LAKE COOK (Boundary).

John Best, the Englishman who trained Square Eddie (Smart Strike) to an upset

score in last Saturday's Breeders' Futurity (G1), sends out second-time starter

ACTING LADY (Theatrical [Ire]) with Lasix added for her American debut. MAYBE

BABY (Johar) won her debut at Arlington in a race originally scheduled for the

turf, and though her time was far from spectacular, she has the pedigree to move

way up on grass. The main body of the field is completed by LARAGH (Tapit), who

weakened to fifth over soft ground in the Natalma S. (Can-G3) at Woodbine in her

turf debut.