The 3 year old ladies in the spotlight ....... what's new?

Just a few short years ago, the thoroughbred world was mesmerized by two wonderful and talented gals. These two ladies were the talk of the racing world with their performances on the track. In a two year span just five years ago, no male could accomplish the impact these fillies had on the sport. They captured the hearts of every racing fan and are still talked about to this day. Their names were; Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra and they were at the top of our sport.

It seems that the opposite sex in thoroughbred racing tends to gather more popularity each and every year. When a filly or mare is talented, their efforts on track sometimes outshine their male counterparts. The Breeder's Cup Distaff in recent years proves that. This year, those talented ladies have returned to the track and two very talented three year old girls are making their mark too. It could be a very interesting Saratoga meet, if these two gals attempt to steal the spotlight from their male counterparts and challenge them in the biggest race of the summer.

Untapable ~ the three year daughter of Tapit, trained by Steve Asmussen has electrified her racing ranks with two eye-opening victories in the Kentucky Oaks and Mother Goose Stakes at Belmont last time out. Undefeated this year as a three year old, she may take on the boys next in the Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park the end of this month. She has proved to be the most consistent three year old thoroughbred in training at this time. She gets a track that speed tends to be kind to in New Jersey if she decides to go there. With the Monmouth meet only racing three days a week this summer, the usual suspects from the Triple Crown trail may be using the Haskell as a prep for the Travers Stakes at Saratoga in August. I think, if Untapable wins the Haskell quite easily, her trainer may take a shot a second time versus the boys in the Mid-Summer Derby at the Spa. Other than California Chrome and Tonalist, the men's side of the three year old ranks has been thinned by injured horses and lesser talent. Why not take a shot if she wins the Haskell and a longshot wins the Jim Dandy. It's worth a look, because right now Untapable is the best three year old in North America.

Speaking of three year old fillies versus their male counterparts in stake races, a talented Canadian bred who won her biggest race versus her own sex and came right back this past Sunday and beat the boys in Canada's version of the Kentucky Derby. Lexie Lou ~ a daughter of Sligo Bay and trained by Mark Casse became the 35th filly to win the Queen's Plate Stakes and only the sixth to sweep both three year old championship races for Canadian bred sophomores. Having run all her races on Woodbine's synthetic polytrack, it's less likely she will race at Saratoga in the Alabama. But this proves once again that the fillies are much more sharper at three than the boys are. With the trend of trainers sitting on their talented two year olds and lightly racing them until mid Kentucky Derby trail, maybe more trainers with highly talented three year old fillies will take that chance versus the boys in their major races. Rachel Alexandra did it three times in 2009 versus her own age group and older late in the summer. I see no reason that Untapable couldn't do the same if she has a explosive Haskell victory. That could make a interesting Travers Stakes, with a filly in it! Sometimes it's good to mix things up.