By Joe Bianca
A dozen 2-year-old fillies will line up in Saturday's GII Golden Rod S. at Churchill Downs and a dozen 2-year-old fillies will have a realistic shot at winning the annual closing weekend test, with no standouts among a bunch indicative of a muddled division.
The best credentials in the race belong to morning line favorite Daddys Lil Darling (Scat Daddy), victress of the muddy GII Pocahontas S. over track and trip Sept. 17. The Normandy Farm homebred followed that win up with a second in the GI Darley Alcibiades S. Oct. 7 at Keeneland and a solid fourth in the GI 14 Hands Winery Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies.
The only other open stakes winner in the field is James M. Miller's Lovely Bernadette (Wilburn), who graduated at second asking earlier on Churchill's muddy Sept. 17 card. Conquering a Keeneland allowance next out Oc.t 9, the bay produced a strong late rally to get up in the local Rags to Riches S. Oct. 30.
A half to MGISW Carpe Diem (Giant's Causeway), Coffeepot Stables' homebred Farrell (Malibu Moon) will try to take a step forward after running third despite contesting a strong clip in the Rags to Riches. The Wayne Catalano trainee worked a five-furlong bullet in :59 3/5 in company with 'TDN Rising Star' barnmate and GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. entrant Uncontested (Tiz Wonderful) here Nov. 19.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
