Breeders Cup Picks: Juvenile Fillies Turf
The $1 million Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf is race 4 of today’s five world championship races. The one mile race for 2-year-old fillies has a field of 14 and is slated as race 8 with an approximate post time of 6:15 p.m. ET.
#12, Sweet Melania, Jose Ortiz, 5-1
Sweet Melania is 2-1-2 in five career starts this year for trainer Todd Pletcher and her last outing was indeed her best, winning by 5 ½ lengths in her first graded stakes, the $200,000 Grade 2 JPMorgan Chase Jessamine Stakes at Keeneland on Oct. 9. This was coming off a runner-up finish by a neck over today’s entrant Crystalle in the P.G. Johnson Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 29. Jose Ortiz rides for the fourth straight time and with the last performance, I think he knows exactly what he has here and will give a big effort. The pick.
#13, Selflessly, Javier Castellano, 8-1
Trainer Chad Brown brings Selflessly into this race in great form. In her maiden start, she finished a half-length behind Jazzique (IRE) at Saratoga on Aug. 28, where she was bumped late. She responded in her last with a ¾ of a length triumph over today’s entrant Crystalle and Jazzique (IRE) in the $200,000 G2 Miss Grillo Stakes at Belmont Park on Sept. 29. She showed some true grit at the end of that race, holding off a late charging Crystalle to prevail. All indicators are go for Selflessly and wouldn’t be surprised if she is right there at the end. Runner-up.
#5, Daahyeh (GB), William Buick, 5-1
Daahyeh (GB) makes her first appearance in the states after a successful five race start, going 3-2-0. She comes off a victory in the G2 Shadwell Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket on Sept. 27, rebounding from two straight runner-up finishes in the G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes at Curragh (9/15) and the G2 Bet 365 Duchess of Cambridge Stakes at Newmarket (7/12). The question is whether she can handle the mile distance as her races across the pond have been mainly sprints. I think she has a shot. Contender.
#7, Crystalle, Joel Rosario, 8-1
As noted above, Crystalle has been in some tough competition in her last two races with a win in the P.G. Johnson Stakes and a runner-up finish in the G2 Miss Grillo. She has shown in those two races she has a late kick and plenty left in the tank towards the finish. Joel Rosario returns for his third straight start in the saddle and that could be huge late. In the mix.
PICKS: 12-13-5-7
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