Gr. I Star Elusive Kate Choice in Filly Turf

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Photo: Rick Samuels

Dayatthespa works 10/31/2011 at Churchill Downs for the Breeders' Cup and draws post position 2.
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The John Gosden-trained Elusive Kate, winner of the Prix Marcel Boussac (Fr-I) was made the 2-1 favorite for the Nov. 4 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (gr. IIT). The daughter of Elusive Quality   will break from post 10 in the one-mile turf race worth $1 million.

With William Buick named to ride, Elusive Kate will break from post 10 in a full field of 14 2-year-old fillies. Bourbonstreetgirl, fourth in the Miss Grillo Stakes (gr. IIIT), and recent maiden winner Karlovy Vary, are on the also-eligible list.

Racing for Rachel Hood and Magnolia Racing, Elusive Kate was a three-length winner of the one-mile Boussac on Arc weekend at Longchamp. Prior to that, she won the seven-furlong Prix du Calvados-Haras des Capucines (Fr-III) at Deauville. Bred in Kentucky by Clovelly Farms, Elusive Kate was a $70,000 Keeneland September yearling sale purchase last year and so far has earned $332,597 with a 4-0-0 slate from five starts. In the Juvenile Fillies Turf, she will race in the Magnolia silks but has been sold to Terry Yoshida.

The Michael Matz-trained Somali Lemonade, winner of the Oct. 13 Jessamine Stakes at Keeneland going 1 1/16 miles is the second choice on the morning line at 3-1. Caroline Forgason’s homebred daughter of Lemon Drop Kid will break from the far outside 14 post.

Third choice, at 8-1, is Mike Repole’s Stopshoppingmaria, who will be making her turf debut. The daughter of More Than Ready   that cost $100,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.’s March 2-year-old sale, was second to Grey Goose Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) favorite My Miss Aurelia in the Frizette Stakes (gr. I) Oct. 8 at Belmont Park. Stopshoppingmaria will be breaking from Post 4.

Drawing inside in Post 2 was Dayatthespa, a maiden winner at Saratoga first-time out before running second to Northern Passion in the one-mile Natalma Stakes (Can-IIIT). The daughter of City Zip  , a $50,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling, races for Steve Laymon, Bradley Thoroughbreds, Kris Kruid, and Jerry and Ron Frankel.

“I’m really happy with that post,” said trainer Chad Brown of his 12-1 chance. “I was looking for anything inside. You just don’t want to lose too much ground on this turf course with the turns.”

Stephanie's Kitten, winner of the Darley Alcibiades Stakes (gr. I) over Keeneland’s Polytrack Oct. 7, drew post 5 for Ken and Sarah Ramsey and trainer Wayne Catalano. The homebred daughter of Kitten's Joy   was third in the Natalma after breaking her maiden going a mile over Arlington’s turf Aug. 5.

Catalano has won two other Breeders’ Cup races with 2-year-olds: Dreaming of Anna in the 2006 Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) and She Be Wild in the same race in 2009.

“It’s a good post,” Catalano said. “I like it. We hope we can sit mid-pack with a clean trip and have an honest pace in front of her.”
 

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