Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Gary Barber's In Lingerie will start in the Nov. 2 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (gr. IT) at Santa Anita Park and not the Ladies' Classic (gr. I), Eclipse president Aron Wellman confirmed Oct. 28.
The 3-year-old daughter of Empire Maker has never run on the lawn, but is undefeated in three trips over synthetic surfaces including her last outing, a victory in the Oct. 7 Spinster Stakes (gr. I) at Keeneland for trainer Todd Pletcher. She was pre-entered for both events.
"It was a decision that was pretty easy for us to make," Wellman said. "Any way you slice it, she's going to be faced with the stiffest challenge of her career, but that's what you'd expect from these championship races. After seeing her train on the turf here at Santa Anita the past two weeks, she's pretty much convinced us it's the right thing to do."
In Lingerie, purchased privately by Eclipse and Barber after breaking her maiden by 6 1/4 lengths Jan. 14 at Turfway Park, has strung together a 4-2-1 record from her seven career starts all made in 2012. Her past five races have been in stakes company, where she has never finished off the board.
She won Turfway's Bourbonette Oaks (gr. III) March 24 as well as the Black Eyed Susan (gr. II) on the dirt at Pimlico Race Course in May. She was third behind Questing in the Coaching Club American Oaks (gr. I) at Saratoga Race Course in July, and came back to finish second in the Alabama (gr. I) to the same foe in August at the upstate New York oval.
In Lingerie was bred in Kentucky by Colts Neck Stables and is out of the Storm Cat mare Cat Chat.
"We know it's unusual to run a horse in the Breeders' Cup on a surface they've never run on before, but after looking at it with Todd and Gary, we determined the turf really gives us the best option for her to win," Wellman said.
