By Joe Bianca
It'll be a good, old-fashioned East Coast vs. West Coast battle when a loaded field of 14 fillies and mares line up in Saturday's GI First Lady S. at Keeneland, a “Win and You're In” qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf.
The two clear headliners in the one-mile test are the brilliant and consistent win machines Rushing Fall (More Than Ready) and Vasilika (Skipshot), who will face off for the first time. Undefeated in her first four starts, including a conquest of the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, e Five Racing Thoroughbreds' Rushing Fall suffered her first defeat, by a neck in last spring's GIII Edgewood S. She got back to business with scores in the GII Lake Placid S., GII Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup S., GI Jenny Wiley S. and GI Longines Just A Game S. before running second to champion stablemate Sistercharlie (Ire) (Myboycharlie {Ire}) in the GI Diana S. last out July 13 at Saratoga.
One of the most lucrative claims in recent memory, Vasilika (Skipshot) has spent the past 20 months terrorizing California's filly and mare turf division since being haltered for $40,000 by Jerry Hollendorfer last February. Making her graded stakes debut in the GII John C. Mabee S. last summer at Del Mar, she rallied to victory, starting a string of eight graded successes in her next 10 starts. Rattling off triumphs in the GIII Megahertz S., GII Buena Vista S., GII Royal Heroine S. and GI Gamely S. to start her season, the chestnut finally was bested when third, beaten a half-length in the GII Yellow Ribbon H. Aug. 3 at Del Mar, but promptly bounced back to annex the Mabee last out there Aug. 31.
Chad Brown, conditioner of Rushing Fall, brings backup in Grade I winner Uni (GB) (More Than Ready). Capturing the GII Sands Point S. at three in 2017, she went undefeated in four starts as a 4-year-old last season, culminating in a last-to-first conquest of the GI Matriarch S. Dec. 2 at Del Mar. An easy victress of the Perfect Sting S. in her 5-year-old bow June 29 at Belmont, she rallied to be third as the favorite against males in the GI Fourstardave S. last out Aug. 10 at Saratoga.
Coolmore and Aidan O'Brien take a shot with the improving Just Wonderful (Dansili {GB}). Fourth in last fall's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, the bay was off the board in three Group 1 tries to start her 3-year-old campaign, but perked up with a strong second despite a troubled trip at 18-1 in the GI Belmont Oaks Invitational S. July 6. She was hampered again when fifth trying elders in the G1 Qatar Nassau S. Aug. 1 at Goodwood and was beaten less than a length when third in the G1 Coolmore Fastnet Rock Matron S. last out Sept. 14 at Leopardstown.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
