Honeymoon BC J

AMERICAN

GRADED STAKES PREVIEWS

Eight sophomore fillies are set for the $175,000 Honeymoon Breeders' Cup H.

(G2) at Hollywood Park, and VALBENNY (Ire) (Val Royal [Fr]) is the one to beat

in the 1 1/8-mile turf test. Trained by Paddy Gallagher, the bay filly opened

her U.S. campaign with victories in the Miesque S. (G3) and Blue Norther S. last

year. She got off to a slow start and didn't offer the same finishing kick off a

slow pace when returning off a three-month freshening in the Providencia S. (G3)

two starts back, but the fast-closing filly returned to form last time in the

Senorita S. (G3), blowing past her rivals in the stretch to win going away by 1

3/4 lengths. Valbenny has already handled several of her top rivals here, and

she's eligible to keep improving in her third start off the layoff. We won't go

against the promising lass.

PASSIFIED (GB) (Compton Place) is a wire-to-wire threat as the possible lone

speed. The stakes-winning filly was no match for Valbenny in two previous

efforts, but she ran a big race on the front end in the Providencia, finishing

second by three parts of a length. The Jim Cassidy charge is listed as a

generous 8-1 on the morning line, and she could last a long way under David

Flores.

SUPER FREAKY (Smart Strike) offered a good run for second in the Senorita,

and the stalker looms as a serious top three contender. A back-to-back stakes

winner prior to her last start for conditioner Doug O'Neill, the dark bay filly

owns three wins and two seconds from six turf starts. Her BRIS Speed and Pace

numbers are very solid, and the stalker could have a say in the final outcome

with continued improvement.

MYSTIC SOUL (Bahri) turned in a solid showing when capturing the Golden Poppy

S. at Bay Meadows last out, and the Jeff Mullins trainee ran well over the

course when second to Valbenny in the Miesque. She was unplaced in her first two

efforts this year versus stakes rivals at Santa Anita, but Mystic Soul is

eligible to show more at Hollywood. Consider for the exotics.

AINAMAA (Lemon Drop Kid) exits a couple of nice wins for Ben Cecil, breaking

her maiden before taking an allowance/optional claiming event at Hollywood, and

the improving filly can't be counted out of top three consideration. However,

we're inclined to give her a race against stakes rivals. ECLISSE (Fr) (Ski

Chief) exits a win over Polytrack in France, but the bay filly was no

factor when tackling Group 3 company on the turf three starts back. We respect

conditioner John Sadler and wouldn't be surprised to see him have Eclisse ready

for a top showing, but we'll let her beat us from her far outside post.

Northern California shipper ROUND TRIP FLIGHT (Monarchos) will make her

graded debut for Jerry Hollendorfer but we can't recommend her chances off a

non-threatening third behind Mystic Soul last time. LE CIRQUE (Dynaformer) will

make her stakes debut off a disappointing sixth as the favorite in an

allowance/optional claiming affair. We'll just watch to see how she fares.