Artemis Agrotera Fires Bullet at Belmont

Chester and Mary Broman's homebred Artemis Agrotera, a strong winner of the $500,000 Frizette Stakes (gr. I) at Belmont Park, fired a bullet half-mile work in :46.77 at Belmont Oct. 18. The New York-bred filly is preparing for a run at the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) Nov. 2 at Santa Anita Park.

"She worked about the same as she did before the Frizette and that worked out," trainer Mike Hushion said of the drill. "She just does it effortlessly. I know it was a fast work, but it was a fast track. I'm not sure how the time stacks up but a lot of trainers said the track was pretty fast today."

Prior to the Oct. 5 Frizette, Artemis Agrotera went five furlongs in 1:00.74 on Sept. 29.

The attractive bay filly, a daughter of Roman Ruler—Indy Glory, by A.P. Indy, was foaled in New York at Broman's Chestertown Farms.

In selecting the stallion for the mating, Broman said his process is to do it by committee that includes himself; farm manager Jeff Raines; pedigree consultant Alan Porter; and horsewoman Becky Thomas, who prepares his horses from when they are weanlings until they are ready for racing.

They got a good one in Artemis Agrotera, who broke her maiden in wire-to-wire fashion against state-breds Aug. 16 at Saratoga Race Course by 11 3/4 lengths prior to coming from off the pace in the one-mile Frizette to top odds-on favorite Sweet Reason by 1 1/4 lengths in 1:36.25.

"She's a big, leggy filly; she's probably 16.2 hands, and maybe even a little bigger," Hushion said.

"Jeff sent me pictures of her, the ones he filed with The Jockey Club, and she was a good-looking foal," Broman said. "I don't think she's heavy, she's just tall on the back end and that gives her a good stride."

Hushion said he plans on working his unbeaten filly again Oct. 27, weather permitting, and then ship to California for the Breeders' Cup World Championships one or two days later.