Beverly D Preview: Sistercharlie Set for Repeat

A field of eight filly and mares will do battle in this Saturday’s 30th running of the $600,000 Beverly D. Stakes (G1) at Arlington Park, a day that serves as the track’s biggest of the season.

Defending champion Sistercharlie headlines this field. After winning this race last season, she claimed victory in the Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) at Churchill Downs before picking up the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Turf Female. She was off all year until she returned to win the Diana Stakes (G1) here on July 13. The Chad Brown trainee has won 8 of 12 career starts and has never finished worse than second since the Irish-bred mare came to the United States in 2017.

The winner of the Beverly D. Stakes will receive an automatic position in the $2 million Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf Stakes (G1) this fall at Santa Anita Park. Pre-entry and entry fees will be paid and a nominator award of $10,000 will be given to the nominating person. Also, all Breeders’ Cup starters based outside of the state of California will receive a travel allowance of $10,000 if based in North America and $40,000 if based Internationally.

The Beverly D. Stakes serves as one of two Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” events this Saturday at Arlington Park. The other race is the Arlington Million (G1) featuring Bricks and Mortar, the number one-ranked horse in the country. That race is a “Win and You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Longines Turf (G1). These two contests have been quality producers of Breeders’ Cup contenders for several years, making them must-see events. The American-based Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series “Win and You’re In” events continue on August 17 at Del Mar with the running of the Del Mar Handicap and TVG Pacific Classic. 

The full field from the rail out includes: Fleeting, Awesometank, Competitionofideas, Oh So Terrible, Remember Daisy, Magic Wand,  Sistercharlie, and Thais. 

Top Pick

#7 Sistercharlie – When it comes to turf horses in this country, none come close to Sistercharlie. Last year, she took the division by storm, winning this race as well as the Jenny Wiley Stakes (G1), the Diana Stakes (G1), and Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1). She kicked off this season with a repeat win in the Diana, where she looked better than ever.

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Horses to Use in Multi Race Wagers 

#1 Fleeting – Trainer Aidan O’Brien has had plenty of success during this International Racing Festival, so it is no surprise that he has shipped a few in for these events. Fleeting comes to the United States off of a pair of runner-up efforts in the Ribblesdale Stakes (G2) at the prestigious Royal Ascot meeting and the Kerrygold Irish Oaks (G1). Both races were tough spots against fellow 3-year-olds, but now she must face the best older female in America; not an easy task.

Exotic Plays

#6 Magic Wand – This is who has the best chance to challenge Sistercharlie, and she has been crossed-entered in the Arlington Million (G1) against the boys. The classy filly has gone toe to toe with some of the best horses in the world, which is why she has just two career victories. She has come to the United States twice this year, finishing second in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) and third in the Man o’ War Stakes (G1). Both of those were against the males, so perhaps she’ll try to take them on once again this Saturday.

#2 Awesometank – One of the great things about this day of racing is the international flavor that it always brings. Awesometank comes to the United States after a disappointing run last time out in the Fred Cowley MBE Memorial Summer Mile Stakes (G2) at Ascot. However, that was the worst performance of her season; three races back, she won the Conqueror Stakes, then ran second in the Investec Princess Elizabeth Stakes (G3) two starts ago.

Party Crashers 

#8 Thais – She is starting to be known as Sistercharlie’s rabbit. Her job is to go out and make sure that the pace it hot, setting it up for her stablemate’s strong closing kick down the lane. Last year, Thais was able to hang around for third in this race, despite those tactics. We’ll see if she can do it again this year; if so, she will help out the trifecta payouts. 

Throw Outs 

#3 Competitionofideas – It’s been a solid 2019 season for this filly who has finished second in three straight stakes starts. However, she is still looking for her first win of the year, and this is a difficult spot. She is a Grade 1 winner, though, as she won the American Oaks at Santa Anita Park to end 2018. She is classy enough to compete in a race of this magnitude.

 #4 Oh So Terrible – This filly has been prepping locally at Arlington Park, much like she did last season. After winning an allowance/optional claiming race two starts back, she was sixth in the Modesty Handicap (G3). Despite that effort, her connections will give it another go with hopes of improving upon last year’s eighth-place effort.

 #5 Remember Daisy – She’ll give Grade 1 company a shot after running fourth in the Modesty Handicap (G3), the local prep race, last time out. Two races back, she was a solid second in the Lady Canterbury Stakes after beating allowance optional claiming company in two starts at Canterbury Park.