Talented Group Set for Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes

Nine filly and mares are set to battle this Saturday in the $250,000 Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes (G2) at Keeneland on the track’s biggest day of the fall meet. NBC Sports will be on hand for live coverage starting at 5:30 PM ET.

The Arnaud Delacour-trained Chalon will look to make the third time a charm after finishing second in each of the race’s past two editions. She has raced four times this year, winning twice with two seconds. Last time out, she was able to capture the Roamin Rachel Stakes at Parx, a solid prep for this event. She’ll be challenged by Grade 1 winner Mia Mischief, who will return to the Bluegrass State after a pair of poor efforts at Saratoga. Earlier in the year, Mia Mischief ran exceptionally well at Churchill Downs, picking up victories in the Humana Distaff (G1) and the Roxelana Overnight Stakes.

The winner of the Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes will receive an automatic position in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (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.

Here is a look at the full field:

#1 Ours to Run – This Larry Jones-trained filly has won six of her past seven starts, with her lone loss coming last time out in the Honorable Miss Stakes (G2) at Saratoga. That was her first start against graded stakes company, which was solid considering she was only defeated by 1 1/2 lengths. She fits this race well from both a class and a speed figure standpoint.

 #2 Razorback Lady – For the first time in her career, she will be making a start away from Gulfstream Park. This Arkansas-bred filly has made 13 starts at her home track, amassing a solid 3-6-1 overall record. Her best graded stakes effort was a second in the Inside Info Stakes (G2) this past March.

#3 Spiced Perfection – We’ll see if she is ready to fire after a break of 154 days. She picked up one of the biggest wins of her career over this track in the Madison Stakes (G1) and was also able to take home the La Brea Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park as 3-year-old. That makes her the field’s only dual Grade 1 winner.

#4 Danuska’s My Girl – She comes into this race hot, having won five of her last six starts. She picked up three Grade 3 victories during that stretch, including the Rancho Bernardo Handicap (G3) at Del Mar in her last race. The Jerry Hollendorfer-trained mare seems to be getting better with age and will have top California jockey Flavien Prat aboard her.

#5 Dawn the Destroyer – Consistency is the name of this mare’s game, having hit the board in five of six starts this year against the top horses in her division. She was most recently a solid second in the Ballerina Stakes (G1) at Saratoga off of a mild layoff and has every right to improve here.

#6 Mia Mischief – A return to the Bluegrass State could do this filly well. She picked up major wins this season at Churchill Downs in the Humana Distaff (G1) and the Roxelana Overnight Stakes, but things did not go well this summer at Saratoga. She was off the board in both the Honorable Miss Stakes (G2) and the Ballerina Stakes (G1), which is nowhere near her normal efforts. She has made just one start at Keeneland, coming in a runaway maiden special weight victory as a 2-year-old.

#7 Talk Veuve to Me – This filly kicked off her season by crossing the finish line first here against allowance company back, then three starts later, she defeated allowance foes at Saratoga. Last time out, she tried a synthetic surface for the first time, running well to finish second in the Presque Isle Downs Masters (G2). Top jockey Jose Ortiz will have the mount on her for the third straight race.

#8 Chalon – For the last two years, this mare has finished second in this race. Last year, she lost to Golden Mischief by only a head. She is having a solid 2019, picking up victories at Pimlico in the Skipat Stakes and at Parx in the Roamin Rachel Stakes. She also was a runner-up in the Bed O’ Roses Stakes (G3) at Belmont Park and the Honorable Miss (G2) at Saratoga.

#9 Pretty Greeley – This will be her first start against graded stakes company after running consistently all year long. Her last win came in April at Will Rogers Downs in the Wilma Mankiller Stakes, but she has hit the board in three of her last five starts. Florent Geroux picks up the mount, which is a positive sign.

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The Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes serves as one of 15 Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” events this weekend at Keeneland, Santa Anita Park, and Belmont Park. Here is the full schedule for this coming weekend:

• Friday: The Darley Alcibiades Stakes (Juvenile Fillies) at Keeneland
• Friday: The Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix Stakes (Sprint) at Keeneland
• Saturday: The Champagne Stakes (TVG Juvenile) at Belmont Park
• Saturday: The Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity (TVG Juvenile) at Keeneland
• Saturday: The First Lady Stakes (Maker’s Mark Filly and Mare Turf) at Keeneland
• Saturday: The Shadwell Turf Mile (TVG Mile) at Keeneland
• Saturday: The Thoroughbred Club of American Stakes (Filly and Mare Sprint) at Keeneland
• Saturday: The Santa Anita Sprint Championship (Sprint) at Santa Anita Park
• Sunday: The Flower Bowl Stakes (Maker’s Mark Filly and Mare Turf) at Belmont Park
• Sunday: The Frizette Stakes (Juvenile Fillies) at Belmont Park
• Sunday: The Futurity (Juvenile Turf Sprint) at Belmont Park
• Sunday: The Dixiana Bourbon Stakes (Juvenile Turf) at Keeneland
• Sunday: The Indian Summer Stakes (Juvenile Turf Sprint) at Keeneland
• Sunday: The Juddmonte Spinster (Longines Distaff) at Keeneland
• Sunday: The Speakeasy Stakes (Juvenile Turf Sprint) at Santa Anita Park

The American-based Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series “Win and You’re In” events come to a close on Wednesday, October 9, with the running of the JPMorgan Chase Jessamine Stakes at Keeneland. That race will be a “Win and You’re In” for the Juvenile Fillies Turf.