Maryfield, claimed for $50,000 late last year, again displayed her affinity for an off track when she rallied strongly on the far outside to win the inaugural $1-million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Oct. 27 at Monmouth Park.
Owned by Mark Gorman, Nick Mestrandea, and Jim Perry, and trained by Doug O’Neill, Maryfield was taken off the pace by jockey Elvis Trujillo as Dream Rush posted quick early fractions of :21 1/5 for the first quarter-mile and :44 for a half-mile. Maryfield then went six wide at the top of the stretch, gobbled up ground, and flew past the leaders.
“She finished so strong," Trujillo said. "They were going too fast on the front end. I knew they were going to stop. With them going so fast, I knew it was going to help us. I’m thrilled, thrilled.”
Miraculous Miss, ridden by Jeremy Rose, took the inside route from last in the six-furlong event and closed sharply for second, but she fell a half-length short of Maryfield. Miss Macy Sue, ridden by Eusebio Razo Jr., got the jump on the top two with her rally, stalled a bit on the turn, then accelerated a bit in the lane to easily get third, 1 1/2 lengths behind Miraculous Miss.
Maryfield, by Elusive Quality out of the Desert Wine mare Sly Maid, covered the six furlongs in 1:09 4/5 on a sloppy track. Bred in Ontario by Mike Carroll and John Harvey, Jr., she returned $18 to win, $9 to place, and $6 to show. Miraculous Miss returned $37.40 and $17.20. Miss Macy Sue was worth $4.60 to show.
The exacta returned $374.80, the trifecta paid $1,756.80, the superfecta with Baroness Thatcher was worth $6,787, and the pick three netted $2,102.60.
Maryfield is now four-for-five on off tracks in her 28-race career. This year, the mare has won the Distaff Breeders’ Cup Handicap (gr. II) at Aqueduct and, in her most recent start before the Breeders’ Cup, the Ballerina Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga. O'Neill claimed the 6-year-old mare for the owners last year after she made her first 10 career starts at Woodbine.
"It's absolutely incredible," said O'Neill, who saddled his third Breeders' Cup winner. "Elvis Trujillo rode it like he's won 20 Breeders' Cup races. He was so polished and so relaxed. I can't tell you how unbelivable I feel. She's a beautiful filly, and this is a thrill."
Perry was ecstatic after his first Breeders' Cup win. "I would just like to thank so much Mr. Doug O'Neill, our trainer, who is not only a great trainer but a great human being. And thanks to Elvis for such a great ride. He's done that for us three times in a row. What a rider!"
Oprah Winney, who saved ground early on, made a strong move at the quarter pole and briefly led in the stretch, gave way and finished eighth in the 10-horse field. Betting favorite La Traviata was second after a half-mile, but never factored late, finishing sixth, just in back of Dream Rush.
Additional Coverage Available on BloodHorseNOW.com: Maryfield Is Her Family's Shining Star 
(Chart, Equibase)
