With the exciting end of this year's Triple Crown, American Pharoah proved to be the best three year old colt since Affirmed. But lost in the shuffle is the other half of the three year old division, the fillies. While the three year old fillies on dirt have no one outstanding runner. On the "proper surface"; the weeds, there is one very special girl. Ever since her maiden breaker last summer at Saratoga; Lady Eli - who is trained by Chad Brown has been the talk of the distaff class.
That maiden special weight victory by a nosed signaled big things for this daughter of Divine Park, out of a Saint Ballado mare. A month later at Belmont Park, she followed that up with a authoritative victory in the grade III - Miss Grillo Stakes at 7-2. That is one price she will never be again! In the Breeder's Cup Juvenile Filly Turf, she cemented herself as the best two year old filly in 2014 and many thought she should have been the eclipse award winning juvenile filly of last year. Needless to say, the award didn't go to a turf runner. But as this year approached, Lady Eli made one thing clear, she is the best three year old filly ..... hands down!
She returned this year with two odds-on victories on the weeds at Keeneland and most recently traveling over a mile at Belmont Park in the restricted Wonder Again Stakes. After over coming a tough trip, she got up in time to remain undefeated, a perfect 5 for 5 in her career. Even though the waters will get deeper as the summer continues, Lady Eli has demonstrated she is the top of her class in the three year old female division. Her next scheduled start is on the Belmont Park - Stars and Stripes card on July 4th. There she'll race in the one million dollar, grade I - Belmont Oaks at a mile and a quarter. After that race, Lady Eli will surely point toward the Saratoga stakes on the grass for the three year old fillies. Most likely, the August 14th - Maker's Mark Lake Placid Stakes at a mile & eighth distance on the weeds. One thing is for sure, because she is trained by Chad Brown and a New York based runner, her chances of appearing at the Spa are much better than American Pharoah; Lady Eli will be there! We will see the female version of our Triple Crown champion and on the preferred surface.
This weekend continues the three year old Derbies across the country. It's a non-graded stake at Thistledown, the Ohio Derby (8th) going a mile and a sixteenth. Six of the nine runners entered are coming out of grade I competition, either the Kentucky Derby or Preakness Stakes. But the most intriguing horse of the group goes from the rail for the Triple Crown winning trainer. Bob Baffert. He has, Whiskey Ticket (#1) who in his second career start won the grade III - Illinois Derby at Hawthorne Park. Talk about a loaded stable, not only has he have the Triple Crown champion, but he has this very lightly raced son of Ghostzapper who has a tremendous upside in these type of events. He is my top choice here over the other longshot grade I runners entered here. For second, War Story (#5) fits well here after knocking heads at 45-1 and no factor in the Kentucky Derby. Another Derby longshot, the N.Y. bred - Tencendur (#6) is my show pick. Again no factor in the Derby, he may make a better account of himself versus these evenly matched group of lesser horses. For superfecta plays, add the #2 Far Right and #4 Divining Rod. The play is : 1 with 5/6 with 2/4/5/6 with 2/4/5/6.
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