Breeders' Cup 2012 - Juvenile Fillies Turf

9.28 Santa Anita

Breeders´ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (Grade 1) (2yo Fillies) (Turf) (2yo) Winner £348,387

Advice: 1 pt win  1 pt place Spring Venture (11/2 Totesport, Betfred, 11/10 Hills)

Kitten’s Point: Seriously impressive when winning maiden on Synethic, coming from well back despite very poor start and being forced very wide; Split Moonwalk and then Summer Of Fun over extended 1m in the Jessamine last time and while probably best of those, seems to be the type that would improve for  extra distance.

Summer Of Fun: Unfaltering form figures but must have hated the sloppy dirt on debut and then wanted faster ground than Yielding surface she got at Woodbine, but way she was reeled in by Moonwalk and Kitten’s point suggested she has her limitations and others preferred.

Sky Lantern: Never out of the first two in five starts, being beaten on one of those occasions by May Hill and Fillies Mile winner Certify before running out a ready winner of the Moyglare Stakes last time; That form gives her first rate chance and while trainer has poor Breeders Cup record, this been the target for some while, and perfect draw in 3; Big chance.

Flotilla: Highly rated before that off the back her impressive 7f Clairefontaine win in July and then given far too much to do in Prix d’Amule; No run in Marcel Boussac latest when stuck on the railso that effort can be upgraded (despite the fact it wasn’t a strong race); Bred to cope with firm turf (5 of sire’s 6 top won on this surface, both relatives won here) and interesting.

Spring Venture: Unbeaten in three, winning all of her starts with ease; Hard not to be impressed with way she brushed aside overmatched rivals in Polytrack Grade 3 latest but destruction of Grade 1 Polytrack winner Spring in the Air as good as any form in this field and has to be respected here; One of main players.

Watsdachances: Formerly in Ireland for Ger Lyons, where she won 5f maiden by wide margin; Turned into Graded class performer since with wins at Satatgosa and Belmont (Grade 3) and therefore one of the main hopes for home side, so has to be respected here.

Oscar Party: Had Moonwalk behind when winning minor 7f Turf Stakes before staying on fourth in Jessamine Stakes; Could have won that way and respected here but this a significant step up in class and held on latest form.

Tara From The Cape: Won first two starts in style of a nice horse, looking as iif she’d be upto Graded class when dismissing rivals at 1/5 in Greene Memorial Stakes at Delaware Park; Well held by Watsdachances and creditable fourth in Polytrack Grade 2, so probably just about held.

Nancy O: Didn’t handle the pace or the dirt last time when beaten a long way into fourth in the Frizette Stakes and got going too late on all other occasions, although was already beaten when out in the clear behind Spring Venture in Woodbine Grade 2.

Waterway Run: Three from four in UK, reversing form with second in 5lbs worse terms when landing Group 3 Oh So Sharp Stakes in good style (impressive attitude); Form a little weak for the level through and drawn quite wide in 10, so question marks over her challenge for all she should be respected.

Moonwalk: Got the best of three reopposing fillies using strong attitude (got there by a nose after final 100 yards) in Grade 3 at Keenland; Proximity of those four to eachother makes her look slightly exposed and needs a significant jump up in any case.

The Gold Cheongsam: Eye-catching fifth in the Albany, Jeremy Nosdeda’s filly met her first defeat since when last in the Cheveley Park here last Saturday, but never got a chance to show her true colours after being blocked for her run and made to switch several times at the business end of a race that developed into a rapid sprint late on; No idea how really quick ground will affect her and drawn in 12; Pass.

Flashy Ways: Stormed home to win maiden claimer at Del Mar and cosy win in minor C&D event here showed she’s talented, talented enough for her trainer to stump up $100,000 here; Would be even more interesting if she also wasn’t drawn in stall 13, which is critical blow to her chances.

Infanta Branca: Has looked exposed when beaten into third as 7/4 favourite in Listed contest all the way back in May, but suggested there’d be more to come when fourth behind very useful stablemate on first run since May (Ballydoyle horses always come on for the run); However, first reserve and will be drawn on outside if getting run.

VERDICT: All four running of this have been won by local fillies, although had Aidan O’Brien’s Up and Heart Shaped not endured nightmare passages, it could easily be 2-2 (Lille Langtry also came back injured). Richard Hannon’s poor record here can be explained by two poor draws in the Mile of recent years, while Showbrook didn’t handle dirt and Mr Brooks sadly broke down, so his Sky Lantern looks to be one of the best chances he or the Euros will ever have of landing this. While it’s hard to ignore the credentials of either her or Flotilla who is bred to relish a fast surface and hasn’t had a clear run in group company so far, there was something special about the way in which SPRING VENTURE dismissed a subsequent Grade 1 winner at Woodbine two starts back and she gets the vote to hold off the home team.