By Alan Carasso
Winless in two starts though he is, Godolphin homebred Sovereignty (Into Mischief) will have his fair share of backers from the outside stall in a field of 10 in Sunday's GIII Street Sense Stakes on opening day of the fall meet at Churchill Downs.
A maternal grandson of GSW & GI Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic runner-up Mushka (Empire Maker), Sovereignty debuted as an 11-1 chance in the Travers Day maiden Aug. 24 won by 'TDN Rising Star' Tip Top Thomas (Volatile). Last of the 10-strong field after the opening quarter-mile, Sovereignty found his best stride late to finish fourth and galloped out strongly. Tried over a mile in his latest in New York Sept. 27, the bay settled midpack and closed his final quarter in a race-best :24.38, but found the promising Praetor (Into Mischief) a neck too strong.
The form of the Aug. 24 maiden has worked out nicely, as Tip Top Thomas was second in the GI Champagne Stakes, runner-up Rookie Card (Adios Charlie) graduated impressively on Saturday and third home Keewaydin (Instagrand) scored impressively Oct. 12.
Dapper Moon (Malibu Moon) was pre-entered for Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile, but takes in this softer assignment. A five-length maiden winner going seven panels at the Spa Aug. 31, the Louisiana-bred forced the pace from a wide gate in the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity Oct. 5 and retreated to fourth.
Tiztastic (Tiz the Law), a debut fifth to possible Juvenile favorite and 'TDN Rising Star' Chancer McPatrick (McKinzie) July 27, has since won two in a row on grass, including the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile Sept. 8. Comes a Time (Not This Time) was up in the final few strides to defeat Rookie Card last time and should be suited by this two-turn trip.
The other graded event on a calm-before-the-storm Sunday afternoon is the GIII Autumn Miss Stakes for sophomore turf fillies at Santa Anita. Medoro (Honor Code) won the first four starts of her career, including the GIII Providencia Stakes here in April, but looks to return to winning ways after finishing third in the GII San Clemente Handicap July 20 and second in the GI Del Mar Oaks Aug. 17. Asean (Ire) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) beat the boys twice in eight starts–all over five furlongs–for Donnacha O'Brien last season and was last seen finishing 11th in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. She faces her own sex for just the third time in her career going two turns for the first time, but if any trainer can excel with a horse of this variety, it's Phil D'Amato.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
