Three-year-old Filly Diary

THREE-YEAR-OLD FILLY DIARY

APRIL 27, 2006

by Jennifer Caldwell

MISS NORMAN (Artax) provided an exciting edition of the Fantasy S. (G2) at

Oaklawn Park on April 14, looking to take the 1 1/16-mile affair by easy lengths

as the longest shot on the board. However, some late-race antics cost the dark

bay miss her chance for graded glory, and she instead had to settle for second.

Breaking quickly from the gate, Miss Norman moved up to set the pace under

jockey Tony Farina. While many expected her to start backing up as the race

progressed, the sophomore filly kept up the pace and seemed on her way to a

first stakes victory. Unfortunately, it wasn't to be.

Coming out of the turn, Farina did what any jockey would do and went to the

whip. Feeling that first tap on her right flank, Miss Norman immediately bolted

toward the grandstand, giving away valuable ground that READY TO PLEASE (More

Than Ready) and Stewart Elliott were more than willing to take advantage of.

Those two ranged up to take the lead past the mile, but Miss Norman wasn't done

yet. Coming with a game rush back toward the inside, she looked to challenge

Ready to Please for the win.

Once again, though, Farina tried to do his job and went to the whip, and once

again Miss Norman headed toward the grandstand. After that, there was just too

much ground to make up and the game lass had to settle for second, three lengths

back. This was her second runner-up finish against graded company, having filled

that position in last year's Matron S. (G1). One of two things is going to have

to happen, though, if she is ever to breakthrough with a black-type win: either

she learns to tolerate encouragement from her jockey or her rider is going to

have to leave the whip in the jockeys' room.

Ready to Please was making her stakes debut in the Fantasy and now owns three

straight wins. Both of these fillies could threaten in the Kentucky Oaks (G1),

which will take place a week from Friday.

DIPLOMAT LADY (Forestry) ended her juvenile campaign with a nice half-length

score in the Hollywood Starlet S. (G1) in mid-December, but entered the April 13

Beaumont S. (G2) still seeking her first 2006 win after two starts. Sent off the near

4-1 second choice in the Keeneland feature, she dueled for pacesetting duties

before taking over in the stretch and pulling off for the 2 1/4-length victory.

Diplomat Lady earned a career-best 103 BRIS Speed figure for the win and will

likely be one of the favorites in the Oaks.

MIRACULOUS MISS (Mr. Greeley) dropped her only start when making her

sophomore bow in the Old Hat S. (G3) at Gulfstream Park, but redeemed herself

with easy victories in the Forward Gal S. (G2) and, most recently, the April 15 Comely S.

(G2). In the latter, the Steve Klesaris trainee returned to the site of her Valley Stream S. (G3)

victory and rallied from

near the back of the six-horse field over the Aqueduct main track. In the

stretch, Miraculous Miss looked to

have too much to do with the wire coming quickly to stakes winner and leader

Regal Engagement (Cat Thief). However, the eventual winner suddenly kicked into

another gear in midstretch, overtook her rival and powered away for the 1

1/4-length score. The chestnut lass would have been tough in the Oaks, but could

get a slight break and point toward the June 10 Acorn S. (G1) at Belmont Park.

SOMETHINABOUTBETTY (Forestry) may not be one of those in the gates for the

Oaks, but the Todd Pletcher trainee is one to keep an eye on as the season

progresses. The well-traveled bay miss found herself at Pimlico last Saturday,

facing five other sophomore fillies in the Country Life Farm S. She quickly

grabbed the lead and set a reasonable pace before holding off Crown You (Two

Punch) by three parts of a length at the wire. Somethinaboutbetty doesn't have

any graded earnings to get her into the Oaks, even if Pletcher was inclined to

send her, but she could still be a force later in the year.

Coming up this weekend will be the Park Avenue Division of the New York

Stallion S., which was rescheduled to Sunday after rainy weather forced the

cancellation of races at Aqueduct last Sunday. The seven-furlong test

is the co-feature on Aqueduct's closing day along with the Times Square Division

for three-year-old colts and geldings.