Three-Year-Old Filly Diary

THREE-YEAR-OLD FILLY DIARY

FEBRUARY 23, 2005

by Hunter Houlihan

The first Saturday in May is perhaps the best-known date on Thoroughbred

racing's calendar, but the day before is when sophomore fillies get their day

in the sun. One of this year's Kentucky Oaks (G1) top contenders is also a

candidate to take on the boys in the Kentucky Derby (G1) -- champion two-year-old

filly SWEET CATOMINE (Storm Cat). The Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) heroine

returned to the track in winning fashion in 2005, taking the Santa Ysabel S.

(G3) at Santa Anita by 2 1/2 lengths on January 16. The Julio Canani-trained bay

is easily the divisional leader at this point and is scheduled to make her next

start in the March 13 Santa Anita Oaks (G1).

SIS CITY (Slew City Slew) made her first start this year in the February 5

Davona Dale S. (G2), romping by 16 lengths. More importantly, the bay handily

finished nine furlongs (same distance of the Oaks) in 1:50 1/5, just one-fifth

of a second slower than the winner of the Holy Bull S. (G3), a nine-furlong test

for three-year-old colts run later the same card at Gulfstream Park. With that

impressive score, the Richard Dutrow trainee earned her third stakes win and

solidified her position among the top three-year-old fillies in the country.

Neil Drysdale has an Oaks contender in SPLENDID BLENDED (Unbridled's Song),

who has yet to make a start this year. The chestnut has been training forwardly

and enters her three-year-old season off an impressive win over SHARP LISA

(Dixieland Band) in the Hollywood Starlet S. (G1) in mid-December. Another

much-anticipated filly who has yet to race as a three-year-old is multiple Grade

2 winner RUNWAY MODEL (Petionville). After finishing third in the Juvenile

Fillies, the Bernard Flint charge came back to win the Golden Rod S. (G2) at

Churchill Downs in November, proving once again she is capable of getting two

turns. The dark bay could make her 2005 bow in the March 20 Honeybee S. at Oaklawn Park.

MADDALENA (Good and Tough) remained undefeated when taking the Old Hat S.

(G3) at Gulfstream in early February, but distance may be a problem for the Todd

Pletcher-trained chestnut. A perfect three-for-three, Maddalena has hit many

Oaks lists, but not this one as her pedigree shows speed on both sides and

suggests she would be more successful sprinting. Sharp Lisa is another Oaks

contender after winning the one-mile Las Virgenes S. (G1) and the seven-furlonng

Santa Ynez S. (G2) this year, but she may have distance limitations as well. The

chestnut has not made it to the winner's circle in three attempts at 1 1/16

miles.

SUMMERLY (Summer Squall), who illustrated her ability at a route when taking

the 1 1/16 mile Silverbulletday S. (G3) at the Fair Grounds two weeks ago, is a

serious Oaks contender for trainer Steve Asmussen. The chestnut will make her

next start in the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) on March 12.