Trainer Barclay Tagg will attempt to saddle consecutive winnera of the Mrs. Revere Stakes (gr. IIT) when he sends out multiple graded stakes winner My Princess Jess in the 1 1/16-mile turf event Nov. 8 at Churchill Downs.
In the 2007 edition of the Mrs. Revere, Tagg trainee Bit of Whimsy scored by a half-length over Ciao. Like Bit of Whimsy, My Princess Jess enters the Mrs. Revere off an appearance in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (gr. IT). Bit of Whimsy won the prestigious QE II Cup at Keeneland in 2007, while My Princess Jess finished 1 1/2 lengths back in third in the 2008 running of the event. A field of 11 sophomore fillies was entered in the $175,000 Mrs. Revere.
Owned by Roy and Gretchen Jackson’s Lael Stables, My Princess Jess is likely to be sent off as one of the favorites based on her solid 2008 campaign, which has included four wins in eight starts. The daughter of Stormy Atlantic began a three-race win streak May 8 at Belmont when taking the Gaviola Stakes. She then reeled off back-to-back graded stakes scores in the June 28 Boiling Springs Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Monmouth Park and July 25 Lake George (gr. IIT) at Saratoga, both at 1 1/16 miles.
My Princess Jess, who was bred in Florida by Adena Springs and is out of the Pleasant Colony mare Jewell of Jewels, rallied willingly in the QE II Cup Oct. 11, a nine-furlong contest won by Alwajeeha. She will be ridden by Eibar Coa and will have to again overcome the 11 post while carrying top weight of 121 pounds.
The Mrs. Revere Stakes is featured on this week's edition of That Handicapping Show.
Helen Groves and Helen Alexander’s Acoma should be backed fairly heavily by bettors as well. The Kentucky homebred won the Valley View Stakes (gr. IIIT) by a half-length in her turf debut Oct. 17 at Keeneland. The David Carroll trainee had made all of her six previous starts on dirt or Polytrack prior to the Valley View. One of those was a victory in the Dogwood Stakes (gr. III) on Churchill’s main track May 31. Julien Leparoux, the leading rider at the current meet, gets the return call on Acoma, who is by Empire Maker .
The pace in the Mrs. Revere is likely to be set by Darley Stable’s Raw Silk, who finished third to My Princess Jess in the Gaviola but wired the field next out in the grade II Sands Point on the Belmont grass May 31. Most recently, the Malibu Moon filly took a narrow advantage into the stretch in the Sept. 6 Garden City (gr. IT), but faded to finish fifth under Edgar Prado. Shaun Bridgmohan gets the mount this time on the co-highweight.
Ron McCauley’s Golden Doc A is the lone grade I winner in the field, but the Unusual Heat filly hasn’t hit the winner’s circle since she triumphed in the one-mile Las Virgenes Stakes (gr. I) back in February on Santa Anita’s Cushion Track. She has been off the board in her last five tries, beginning with a fourth-place finish in the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) in May. The Gregory Fox trainee has made only two of her 17 career starts on turf, both of them coming as a juvenile.
$175,000 Mrs. Revere (gr. IIT, Race 9, 4:37 p.m.), 3-year-old Fillies, 1 1/16 Miles (Turf)
PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey
1. My Baby Baby (KY), 117, Robby Albarado
2. Clear Pond (KY), 117, E. T. Baird
3. Acoma (KY), 117, Julien R. Leparoux
4. Seemingly (KY), 117, Calvin H. Borel
5. Scolara (FL), 117, Kent J. Desormeaux
6. Absolutely Cindy (KY), 117, Larry Melancon
7. Golden Doc A (CA), 117, Jesus Lopez Castanon
8. Raw Silk (KY), 121, Shaun Bridgmohan
9. Dark Sky (KY), 117, Jamie Theriot
10. Sky Mom (KY), 117, Miguel Mena
11. My Princess Jess (FL), 121, Eibar Coa
PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey
1. My Baby Baby (KY), 117, Robby Albarado
2. Clear Pond (KY), 117, E. T. Baird
3. Acoma (KY), 117, Julien R. Leparoux
4. Seemingly (KY), 117, Calvin H. Borel
5. Scolara (FL), 117, Kent J. Desormeaux
6. Absolutely Cindy (KY), 117, Larry Melancon
7. Golden Doc A (CA), 117, Jesus Lopez Castanon
8. Raw Silk (KY), 121, Shaun Bridgmohan
9. Dark Sky (KY), 117, Jamie Theriot
10. Sky Mom (KY), 117, Miguel Mena
11. My Princess Jess (FL), 121, Eibar Coa