Gamine looking to continue trend

Through its first 11 runnings, the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint had not been won by a 3-year-old, even with sophomore stars such as Unique Bella (2017), Carina Mia (2016), Turbulent Descent (2011), Champagne d’Oro (2010), and Indian Blessing (2008) having gone favored.

Then Shamrock Rose ended that statistical anomaly by upsetting the 2018 running at Churchill Downs, and Covfefe made it two in a row for 3-year-olds when prevailing last year as the favorite at Santa Anita. A three-peat now looms a distinct possibility, with the likelihood of Gamine being a solid favorite when the $1 million Filly and Mare Sprint is run at seven furlongs on Nov. 7 at Keeneland.

In view of her eye-catching romps in a couple of Grade 1 one-turn races in New York – the Acorn and Test – and with her turning back from the 1 1/8-mile Kentucky Oaks, Gamine has been listed as the 8-5 favorite for the Filly and Mare Sprint by Daily Racing Form handicapper Brad Free. The Bob Baffert trainee returned to the work tab for the first time since the Oaks, going an easy half-mile in 52.60 seconds on Monday at Santa Anita.

Next on the DRF line are Serengeti Empress (4-1) and Bell’s the One (5-1), a pair of 4-year-old fillies who finished a nose apart in one of the key Filly and Mare Sprint preps, the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff on the Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby undercard. Bell’s the One prevailed by a couple of inches in that memorable meeting.

Next at 8-1 each are Frank’s Rockette, another 3-year-old, and Ce Ce, a twotime Grade 1 winner versus older fillies and mares in 2020. Ce Ce is trained by Michael McCarthy, who also trains the 3-year-old Speech (12-1). Both are training at Santa Anita while under consideration for both the Breeders’ Cup Distaff and this race.

Rated at 15-1 on the DRF line are two more California fillies in Venetian Harbor and Bellafina, while Come Dancing (20-1) and Inthemidstofbiz (30-1) round out the top 10.

A sizable field appears possible for the 14th Filly and Mare Sprint, with as many as 14 being allowed to start. Other notable possibilities at this early juncture are the one-two finishers in the Grade 2 Eight Belles, Sconsin and Four Graces, although they could run instead to the Oct. 17 Raven Run at Keeneland. Hard Not to Love, winner of the seven-furlong Santa Monica earlier in the year, would be an interesting turnback candidate out of the two-turn Zenyatta, although trainer John Shirreffs has given no indication that will happen.