Beverly D. Preview: Sea Calisi Tops Full Field

A full field of 14 fillies and mares were entered in the 27th running of the Grade I $700,000 Beverly D. at Arlington International Racecourse as part of the International Festival of Racing on Aug. 13. The 1 3/16-miles turf event is a “Win and You’re In” race for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf. Topping the entries is Martin Schwartz’s Sea Calisi (FR). Trained by Chad Brown, the 4-year-old daughter of Youmzain (IRE) won a Group II in France before finishing third in a narrow loss in the Group I Darley Yorkshire Oaks last August. The filly made her North American debut in May, winning the Grade II Sheepshead Bay before another narrow defeat in the Grade II New York in June. Partnered with Florent Geroux for the first time, the pair will break from post 13. The same connections will also team up to send out Elusive Million (IRE). Lightly raced in France, the daughter of Pour Moi (IRE) will break from post 11 under rider Julio Felix as Schwartz pursues his fourth win as an owner in the Beverly D.

Pace Scenario – Moderate

Speed: #6 Coolmore, #9 Zipessa, #10 Secret Someone

Stalkers: #5 Tuttipaesi, #7 Lots o’ Lex, #11 Elusive Million, #14 Pretty Girl

Closers: #1 Ballydoyle, #2 Al’s Gal, #3 Marypop, #4 No Fault of Mine, #8 Personal Diary, #12 Faufiler, #13 Sea Calisi

With the field size this large you would expect a fast pace, although I’m not as confident in a fast pace here as I am with the Arlington Million.  The three speed horses look fast, but it’s possible two of the three could be cheap speed.  If so, then it will be Coolmore that could gain a big advantage.  If not, then the closers will look tough in here as there are many talented ones in the race.

Breakdown

Top Pick: #13 Sea Calisi

I won’t take any chances in this one unlike the other two Grade 1’s on the card where I have picked 5-1 morning line shots.  Sea Calisi simply looks to be better than the rest of these, and of course she comes in for red hot trainer Chad Brown.  Brown knows a thing or two about winning big turf races, and is loaded for the whole day on Saturday.  Hopefully Sea Calisi will get some pace to run into as that could be the only factor that might work against her.

Other Likely Winners: #6 Coolmore, #12 Faufiler

Last time out in the Grace 1 Belmont Oaks Coolmore was supposed to be the horse that pressed Catch a Glimpse but she stumbled a bit out of the gate and could never get close to her.  Even with the poor start Coolmore did recover nicely and showed a lot of heart in finishing third.  A cleaner trip could end up making a big difference today.  Faufiler is coming off a win in the Grade 3 Modesty Handicap at Arlington Park last time out, and has a trainer you can always trust when running on the turf in the United States.

Exotic Plays: #5 Tuttipaesi, #9 Zipessa, #14 Pretty Girl

Three big time prices that should be played underneath!  I’ve also like Tuttipaesi as she always comes with a consistent effort.  Last time out Tuttipaesi was beaten by Zipessa who cruised to a two length wire to wire victory.  It’s questionable she’ll get the same trip today, but if she does she’ll be tough to run down.  Finally, Pretty Girl is an ultimate wildcard as she makes her first start in the United States.  She has shown talent in France leading up to this race.

Party Crashers: #1 Ballydoyle

She came into the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks as an extremely hyped horse, but she was too bad to believe finishing thirteenth.  I’m shocked to see her back today in this spot, and she’ll really need to prove her worth to me before I can play her at a short price.  If she could somehow get back to her European form she could be very dangerous, but she just never looked comfortable in her first start in America last time out.

Throw Outs: #2 Al’s Gal, #3 Marypop, #4 No Fault of Mine, #7 Lots o’ Lex, #8 Personal Diary, #10 Secret Someone, #11 Elusive Million

Several in here look to be just taking a shot and hoping for the best.  Every horse in this group is 30-1 on the morning line so needless to say any of them winning would be shock.  This doesn’t look like the type of race where a massive longshot will win.

Summary

The team of Aidan O’Brien and owners Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith will send out a pair of 3-year-old fillies by Galileo (IRE) to contest the race in Ballydoyle (IRE) and Coolmore (IRE). While both made their last two starts in the same races, their records are dissimilar. Ballydoyle, a Group I winner at the age of two in France, finished second in the Group I QIPCO 1000 Guineas at Newmarket in May of this year. Coolmore broke her maiden in a Group III as a juvenile but struggled to hit the board again in graded stakes company until finishing third in the Grade I Belmont Oaks in July, where her stablemate finished a disappointing 13th as the favorite. Colm O’Donoghue takes the mount on Coolmore, starting from gate six, while Seamie Heffernan will guide Ballydoyle from the rail.

Trainer Mike Stidham has three entered to the turf stakes, including Mt. Brilliant Stable’s Secret Someone, who finished third in the Grade III Modesty Handicap at Arlington in July. The stakes winning daughter of A.P. Indy will be piloted again by Robby Albarado as they break from post 10, just to the outside of stablemate Zipessa in stall nine. Joe Bravo will ride the 4-year-old daughter of City Zip, who is coming off a two-length win in the Grade III Dr. James Penny Memorial. Owned by Empyrean Stables, this filly has won four of her seven career starts. A Group III winner in her native country, Richard Duchossois’ Marypop (FR) was undefeated this season until her North American debut, when she struggled to close into a slow pace in the Modesty. The 4-year-old filly by Layman will be guided by Flavien Prat from post three.

Graham Motion returns with Flaxman Holdings’ Faufiler (IRE), winner of the Grade III Modesty Handicap at Arlington in July. The 5-year-old daughter of Galileo (IRE) was coming off a fifth-place finish in the Grade I Just A Game when she rallied to win the local prep. Prior to that, the daughter of 2003 Breeders’ Cup Mile Champion Six Perfections finished second in the Grade II Royal Heroine. Ridden again by Jose Valdivia, Jr., she will break from post 12. Also returning from the Modesty will be runner up Al’s Gal, a Mike Maker trainee whohas finished well in her four latest stakes starts. Racing for Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey, the 5-year-old mare by English Channel will start from gate two with Corey Lanerie in the irons.

The Valor Ladies will send out multiple stakes winner Tuttipaesi (IRE) to contest the field. Two starts back, the 6-year-old daughter of Clodovil was victorious in the Grade II Santa Ana Stakes. Set to be ridden by Christopher DeCarlo from gate five, the Bill Mott trainee most recently finished second in the Grade III Dr. James Penny Memorial Stakes. Grade I Del Mar Oaks winner Personal Diary, owned by G. Watts Humphrey, Jr. and St. George Farm Racing, will try to earn her first stakes victory in two years. The Victoria Oliver trainee is expected to be joined by rider Mike Smith as they break from post eight.

No Fault of Mine will take her fifth shot at winning in a graded stakes for owner and breeder Lothenbach Stables. The 4-year-old daughter of Blame will start at post four under jockey William Buick while trying to outdo her runner-up performance in the Grade III Arlington Matron earlier this season for trainer Chris Block. Argentine invader Pretty Girl (ARG), a Group I winner in her native country, is coming off a stakes victory in France. Stud Rdi’s 5-year-old daughter of Harlan’s Holiday is lightly raced – she won her first three starts before receiving time off and returning to the track in May. Mikel Delzangles’ mare will start from the far outside post under rider Brice Blanc.

Rounding out the field is Lots O’ Lex. A daughter of Kitalpha, she will be making her first start of the year as she breaks from post seven under Edgar Perez. Owned by Lisa Lex and trained by Gerald Russel Aschinger, the 5-year-old mare will attempt to secure her first win against graded stakes company.