The Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf brings together the best 2-year-old female turf horses from North America and overseas for a 1 mile test on the grass course.

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf

The 2022 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf will be held at Keeneland on Friday, November 4. Bet & watch the race with OffTrackBetting.com (OTB) - US Legal Online Wagering.

2022 Juvenile Fillies Turf Contenders

Breeders' Cup Press release by Ren Carothers

#1 Comanche Country (IRE) (15-1)

Breeder: Honey Hunter Syndicate

Owner: Little Red Feather Racing, Sterling Stables LLC, and Marsha Naify

Trainer: Philip D'Amato

Jockey: Umbert Rispoli

Comanche Country (IRE) is a daughter of Galileo's globally celebrated son, 7-time Gr1/G1 winner, and 2016's Turf champion, Highland Reel. Comanche Country faced Meditate in the second start of her own career in the Naas Sprint. That was her first race after being purchased by Little Red Feather Racing, Sterling Stables and Marsha Naify, who then imported her to the United States and into the barn of Philip D'Amato.

She has since won all three of her stateside outings, including the Juvenile Fillies Turf and the G3 Surfer Girl. Also worthy of note that Comanche Country's female family has produced Gr1 winners Sobetsu (Prix Saint-Alary), Tower of London (Sprinters Stakes), Imagine (Epsom Oaks) and 1991's Horse of the Year across the pond, Generous.

#2 Cairo Consort (12-1)

Breeder: Frankfort Park Farm

Owner: Maple Lane Farm LLC

Trainer: Nathan Squires

Jockey: Joel Rosario

Cairo Consort is in off a runner-up finish to Last Call in the "Win and You're In" G1 Natalama at Woodbine. She had beaten Last Call two starts prior before then winning the Catch a Glimpse Stakes and had been favored to win the Natalma. Unfortunately, she did not have clear trip and was beaten a length in the end. She is a daughter of Cairo Prince out of the Street Cry mare, Absolutely Awesome, who is herself a ½ sister to G1W Awesome Maria. It's a pretty productive family, as the filly's third dam is G1W Pretty Discreet, who went on to produce G1Ws Discreet Cat, and Discreetly Mine.

#3 Last Call (20-1)

Breeder: English Channel Co-Owners and Jodi Cantwell

Owner: X-Men Racing 2 LLC and SF Racing LLC

Trainer: Kevin Attard

Jockey: Lanfranco Dettori

Last Call, who is by a Breeders' Cup Turf champion in English Channel, locked down a stall when scoring the G1 Natalma. It was her first victory, and her first start without blinkers. It is also worth noting that she had been significantly bumped around in the start prior which had her keyed up so the 21-1 odds were mighty generous, especially when you consider she had run within 1-1/2 lengths of Cairo Consort on debut.

Last Call is out of Over Served, by Gr1 winner Black Minnaloushe. Over Served is a half-sister G2 winner, multiple G1 placed Yearly Tour, and to G2 winner Victor Avenue.

#4 Free Look (6-1)

Breeder: KatieRich Farms

Owner: Klaravich Stables Inc

Trainer: Chad Brown

Jockey: Flavien Prat

Free Look was second to Delight in the "Win and You're In" G2 Miss Grillo, which was the third start of her career. She ran third to Be Your Best (IRE) on debut after having drawn the far outside stall, then came back to score a maiden special weight at Saratoga by 2-1/2 lengths. Free Look dropped the hammer at $300,000 at the 2021 Keeneland September yearling sale. She's a daughter of prepotent sire Tapit, who has sired Breeders' Cup champions Stardom Bound (2008 Juvenile Fillies), Tapitsfly (2009 Juvenile Fillies Turf), Hansen (2011 Juvenile), Tapizar (2012 Dirt Mile), Untapable (2014 Distaff), and Essential Quality (2020 Juvenile).

Her dam, Wild Mint by Medaglia d'Oro, is a full-sister to G1 winner and sire, Violence (CashCall Futurity), whose son, Forte, won G1 Hopeful Stakes ahead of securing berth into the FanDuel Juvenile in the G1 Claiborne Breeders' Futurity. This is the direct family of Hall of Famer, Sky Beauty, who is Free Look's 4th dam. Sky Beauty's own dam, Maplejinsky, was a multiple G1 winner (Alabama, Monmouth Oaks) and half-sister to England's Horse of the Year and champion sprinter,

Dayjur, who infamously jumped his shadow, ceding victory to Safely Kept in the 1990 Breeders' Cup Sprint. The family also includes 1982's champion sprinter Gold Beauty, G1 winning millionaire Tale of Ekati, and Pleasant Home, who won the Breeders' Cup Distaff in 2005.

#5 Pleasant Passage (12-1)

Breeder: Emory Hamilton

Owner: Emory Hamilton

Trainer: Claude McGaughey

Jockey: Irad Ortiz, Jr.

Pleasant Passage gained her passage to the Juvenile Fillies Turf winning the 8.5 furlongs, G2 Miss Grillo Stakes over yielding ground at Belmont at the Big A. She may be the kind where ground makes no difference, as she won her debut over firm turf at Saratoga. She is trained by Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey for owner and breeder Emory Hamilton, and is a daughter of the recently passed More Than Ready, who holds the record for most progeny Breeders' Cup wins at seven: More Than Real, (2010 Juvenile Fillies Turf), Pluck (2010 Juvenile Turf), Regally Ready (2011 Turf Sprint), Roy H (2017, 2018 Sprint), Rushing Fall (2017 Juvenile Fillies Turf), Uni (GB) (2019 Mile).

Pleasant Passage is out of Peaceful Passage, by War Front. Peaceful Passage is a half-sister to another scion of More Than Ready's, Hungry Island, whose wins include the Churchill Distaff Turf Mile (G2) and Woodford Reserve Lake Placid Stakes (G2). Peaceful Passage is also a half-sister to G3 winner Soaring Empire. Another sibling, Flying Dixie by Dixieland Band, produced 2019's Woodward Stakes (G1) winner, Preservationist.

Yet another half-sibling to Peaceful Passage is G3 placed Tokyo Time, who went on to produce Classic contender Olympiad, a horse that has secured not one, but two 2022 Breeders' Cup berths with victories in the Stephen Foster (G2) and Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1). This filly's third dam, Chic Shirine, won the Ashland (G1) and is a full-sister to champion older mare, Queena. The family also includes other G1 winners like Keen Ice, Somali Lemonade, and Verrazano.

#6 Be Your Best (IRE) (8-1)

Breeder: St Croix Bloodstock

Owner: Michael Ryan

Trainer: Horacio De Paz

Jockey: Jose Ortiz

Be Your Best's third-place finish in the Miss Grillo was her first defeat and she had been installed as the 6-5 morning-line favorite, as she had been two-for-two and coming off a 3-3/4 lengths score in the P.G. Johnson Stakes at Saratoga. She's by 2015's Cartier champion sprinter, Muhaarar, who won four consecutive Gr1 races to close out his career: Commonwealth Cup, Darley July Cup, Prix Maurice de Gheest, QIPCO British Champions Sprint. Her dam, Kamakura, by Medaglia d'Oro, is an unraced full-sister to stakes winner and sire, Bay of Plenty. Kamakura is also a half-sister to Fortify, who was second in both the 2012 Hopeful and Champagne Stakes before becoming a leading sire in Argentina.

Be Your Best's 2nd dam, Kotuku, is a daughter of A.P. Indy and full sister to another established sire in Anasheed, which means her 3rd dam is European highweight Flagbird, and her 4th is the blue hen mare, Up the Flagpole. Her progeny includes G1 winners Runup the Colors (Alabama) and Prospectors Delite (Acorn, Ashland). Prospector's Delite was 2003's Broodmare of Year and represented by the likes of Tomisue's Delight (Personal Ensign Handicap, Ruffian Handicap) and 2003's Horse of the Year, Mineshaft, whose wins that year included the Pimlico Special, Suburban, Woodward, and Jockey Club Gold Cup. If this weren't impressive enough, the family further impresses, laying genetic claim to Little Belle (Ashland), Dickinson (Coolmore Jenny Wiley Stakes), Revolutionary (Louisiana Derby), and Sovereign champion three-year-old filly, Munnyfor Ro.

#7 Spirit Gal (FR) (20-1)

Breeder: Charles Fipke

Owner: Charles Fipke

Trainer: WP Browne

Jockey: Ricardo Santana, Jr.

Spirit Gal is in off two consecutive wins, the latest being a stakes win over Cairo (IRE) (who next won the Gr3 Killavullan for O'Brien) in the EBF Star Appeal on synthetic. Spirit Gal had previously run second to Dower House and that race included fellow entrant Basil Martini, who finished fourth that day. Spirit Gal is by Gr1W sprinter and important sire Invincible Spirit (IRE) and is the first foal out of Awesome Gal (IRE), by Galileo. Which makes the following fact even more intriguing: Spirit Gal's third dam, Anzille, is a half-sister to Galileo's mom, Urban Sea.

#8 Manhattan Jungle (IRE) (30-1)

Breeder: Patrick Headon

Owner: Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners

Trainer: Amy Murphy

Jockey: Manuel Franco

Manhattan Jungle's record is solid, with three wins from seven starts, a second and a third. She had won the first three starts of her career before a lackluster performance in the Gr2 Queen Mary, which has been her only race restricted to fillies. It is off a show finish in the Gr3 Prix Eclipse that she enters. The start prior, she finished fourth in the Prix Morny, where the top three were Blackbeard, Persian Force, and The Antarctic.

The Antarctic, who is a full-brother to champion sprinter Battaash, had finished a length better than Manhattan Jungle in the Gr3 Prix de Cabourg. Manhattan Jungle is by the Exceed and Excel (AUS) stallion Bungle Inthejungle (GB) and out of Skylight (IRE) by Acclamation (GB). Her extended family claims among its members 2016's Champion older mare in Italy, Waikika (FR), and Gr1 sprinter Emaraaty Ana.

#9 Delight (6-1)

Breeder: Hickstead Farm

Owner: Augustin Stable

Trainer: Jonathan Thomas

Jockey: Luis Saez

Delight has two wins and two thirds in four career starts. She got her first win at Delaware Park and then secured a spot in the Breeders' Cup gate winning the G2 JPMorgan Chase Jessamine in front end fashion by five lengths. Delight is a daughter of Coolmore's Mendelssohn, who won the 2017 Juvenile Turf, and out of Honey Trap, by Medaglia d'Oro. Mom was unraced, but a half-sister to stakes winners Little Nick V. and Now Spun. Another class note is that Delight's third dam, Pacific Squall, won the G1 Hollywood Oaks.

#10 Meditate (IRE) (4-1

)

Breeder: Lynch-Bages and Rhinestone Bloodstock

Owner: Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, and Westerberg

Trainer: Aidan O'Brien

Jockey: Ryan Moore

Meditate won the first four starts of her career, including the Gr3 Coolmore EBF Naas Fillies Sprint, Gr3 Albany at Royal Ascot, and the Gr2 Alpha Centauri Debutante at the Curragh. She had to settle for second in her next two Gr1 outings, the Moyglare Stud and Juddmonte Chevely Park Stakes, despite going off as the favorite in both. Meditate is by the aforementioned No Nay Never and out of Pembina (IRE), a daughter of 2003's Horse of the Year in Europe, Dalakhani (IRE). Pembina's half-sister, Tonnara, produced Gr1/G1 winner Ectot, whose wins include the Criterium International and the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic. Tonnara is also the dam of Most Improved, winner of the Gr1 St James's Palace in 2012.

#11 G Laurie (12-1)

Breeder: Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey

Owner: Madaket Stables

Trainer: Graham Motion

Jockey: William Buick

G Laurie goes blinkers on for the Juvenile Fillies Turf. She was making just the second start of her career when she got the show spot in the Natalma. She won her debut going 8.5 furlongs by 6 lengths at Colonial Downs and in addition to coming in to that G1 off just that single start, she also had traffic woes with which to contend. G Laurie is a first-crop representative of 2016's Juvenile Turf champion Oscar Performance, whose sons Andthewinneris and Deer District made up the exacta in the Gr2 Castle & Key Bourbon Stakes.

That kind of affinity for grass should come as no surprise as Oscar Performance is himself a son of 2004's Eclipse champion grass horse, Kitten's Joy, and out of Devine Actress, whose sire, Theatrical (Ire) earned that distinction in 1987, following victory in the Turf. G Laurie is out of a stakes-placed daughter of Arch, and her second dam, Lovely Isle, was G1-placed (2nd Las Virgenes) in addition to being a stakes winner.

#12 Midnight Mile (IRE) (10-1)

Breeder: Premier Bloodstock

Owner: Mrs. Richard Henry

Trainer: Richard Fahey

Jockey: Wayne Lordan

Midnight Mile is two-for-two, following up her debut win at Doncaster with a Gr3 score in the Godolphin Oh So Sharp Stakes at Newmarket. She's by No Nay Never and out of Ruby Tuesday (IRE), by Galileo. Ruby Tuesday is a three-quarter sister to an O'Brien Gr1 winner named Yesterday (IRE), whose wins include the 2003 Irish One Thousand Guineas. Yesterday was also second in the Epsom Oaks, and third in the Filly & Mare Turf, and fifth in the 2004 edition.

Ruby Tuesday is also a ¾ sister to Quarter Moon (IRE). She won the Moyglare Stud in 2001 and was second in the 2002 Irish One Thousand Guineas, Epsom Oaks, and Irish Oaks. Quarter Moon was also third in the Nassau Stakes and went on to produce Gr1 Pretty Polly victress Diamondsandrubies (IRE).

#13 Xigera (8-1)

Breeder: Cedar Hill LLC

Owner: Rigney Racing LLC

Trainer: Philip Bauer

Jockey: Julien Leparoux

Xigera, who was fourth in the Alcibiades, was also selected into both the Juvenile Fillies and Juvenile Fillies Turf, opting to start in the latter Her first two starts came on the grass, and this daughter of 2015's Juvenile champion, and Kentucky Derby winner, Nyquist (who was trained by Doug O'Neill and is another son of Uncle Mo), had won her previous start by 5-3/4 lengths following a runner-up finish to Pink Hue on debut - but 1-1/2 lengths the better of Delight, who went on to win Juvenile Fillies Turf berth in the JPMorgan Chase Jessamine.

Xigera is a three-quarter sister to G3 Pilgrim winner Forty Under and is out of the stakes-winning Argent Affair, by Black Tie Affair (IRE). Black Tie Affair was Horse of the Year in 1991, the year in which he won the Breeders' Cup Classic.

#14 Basil Martini (IRE) (15-1)

Breeder: Summit Bloodstock

Owner: Michael and Jules Iavarone, Mrs. Paul Shanahan, Mrs. M.V. Magnier

Trainer: Joseph O'Brien

Jockey: John Velazquez

Basil Martini got to the winner's circle for the first time in five career starts, but it was in the Gr3 Weld Park Stakes over yielding ground at the Curragh. She's a daughter of champion sprinter Starspangledbanner (AUS) and out of Under Offer (IRE) by another fleet-footed stallion in Bated Breath (IRE). Her female family includes some group winners from Argentina, including at Gr1 level such as Bonaventura and Batallosa.

Waiting in the wings on the "Also Eligible" list are Bling and Alluring Angel. Bling, trained by Victoria Oliver for G Watts Humphrey, Jr., is coming out of a third place finish to Delight in the Jessamine. Alluring Angel (GB), who was 4th, beaten 3-1/2 lengths, in the Miss Grillo, is trained by Jorge Abreu for Lawrence Goichman.

2024 BREEDERS' CUP RACE SCHEDULE

What is the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf?

The Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf is a one mile turf stakes race for thoroughbred fillies two years old. As its name implies, it is part of the Breeders' Cup thoroughbred championships, the de facto year-end championship for North American thoroughbred racing.

The race was run for the first time in 2008 during the first day of Breeders' Cup racing at that year's host track, Santa Anita Park, and since its inception has been limited to 12 starters.

Because of technical requirements, it was not eligible for classification as a graded stakes race in its first two runnings. The American Graded Stakes Committee made it a Grade II race in 2010.

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Winners