By Joe Bianca
Appearing well on her way to a divisional championship, Klaravich Stables' Newspaperofrecord (Ire) hit a roadblock named Beau Recall (Ire) (Sir Prancealot {Ire}) last time out, and the two will face off once more in a six-horse renewal of Saturday's GI First Lady S. at Keeneland, a Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” qualifier for the Filly & Mare Turf.
Runner-up for a Champion Juvenile Filly Eclipse Award after a dominant 2018 campaign that culminated in a 6 3/4-length GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf romp, Newspaperofrecord had a lost 3-year-old campaign, running second as a prohibitive favorite in the GIII Edgewood S. and GIII Wonder Again S. before a disastrous last-place run in the GI Belmont Oaks Invitational S. Returning after 11 months on the shelf, the 'TDN Rising Star' looked like her old self with a four-length score in the GIII Intercontinental S. and three-length success in the GI Just A Game S. at Belmont. Left alone on the lead at 1-2 in the GII Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile S. Sept. 5, she was overhauled late with no visible excuse.
The bay faces other speed in here, which could set up Beau Recall for a long overdue Grade I victory. Placing in the GI Del Mar Oaks as a 3-year-old, she added runner-up finishes in the Just A Game and GI Rodeo Drive S. last season and was second to Newspaperofrecord in this year's Just A Game. Fifth at 6-5 in the GII Yellow Ribbon H. Aug. 8 at Del Mar, she bounced back with an 8-1 upset in the Distaff Turf Mile, her fourth Grade II success.
It's now or never for champion Uni (GB) (More Than Ready) to get her 6-year-old campaign on track. Annexing the GI Matriarch S. to close out 2018, the chestnut went three-for-four last year, including a score in this race and a fast-finishing triumph over males in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile to wrap up her Champion Turf Female title in a loaded year for the division. This year though, she ran an even third in the Just A Game at even-money and never made any impact in an uncharacteristically dull seventh in the GI Fourstardave H. Aug. 22 at Saratoga.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.