The fields for the 14 races that comprise the Breeders’ Cup World Championships actually start to return into focus in summer season and fall. This common function will supply a snapshot profile of one of many earlier weekend’s standout stars, normally a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” Problem Sequence winner, and whether or not I’m shopping for or promoting their probabilities to win Nov. 1-2 at Del Mar.
This week we take a more in-depth take a look at Scottish Lassie, winner of the $400,000 Frizette Stakes Oct. 5 held throughout the Belmont on the Huge A meet at Aqueduct, which earned the McKinzie filly a assured spot within the $2 million NetJets Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies through the “Win and You’re In” Problem Sequence.
Accomplishments: It took a leap of religion for the homeowners of Scottish Lassie to enter the 2-year-old filly within the Grade 1 Frizette Stakes after she completed a well-beaten third in her profession debut Sept. 1 at Saratoga Race Course. However they got here away from that race inspired by her first begin and, when requested in regards to the choice to enter her in probably the most necessary stakes within the nation for 2-year-old fillies, Steve Weston of co-owner Parkland Thoroughbreds mentioned they felt prefer it was the most suitable choice.
“All of us agreed that if we had gained that [first] race, what would we’ve got carried out? Go to the Frizette. OK, so, let’s faux we gained and go to the Frizette,” Weston mentioned. “If we don’t win, then we are able to return and win a maiden at any time. Now we have nothing to lose and the whole lot to achieve.”
Scottish Lassie rewarded their choice to roll the cube with a runaway nine-length romp in her second begin, punching her ticket to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.
“The best way she ran as we speak, she may compete with another 2-year-old within the nation,” Weston mentioned of Scottish Lassie, who the possession group bought for $85,000 earlier this yr on the OBS March 2-year-olds in coaching sale.
Racing a one-turn mile, Scottish Lassie stalked the tempo via a half-mile in :46.20 and turned a half-length deficit right into a nine-length margin of victory with a last quarter-mile in :24.93. She coated the ultimate eighth of a mile in :12.59 to finish the race in 1:36.73, roughly a fifth of a second slower than males ran the identical distance a race later when Chancer McPatrick gained the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes in 1:36.51.
The Frizette victory gave coach Jorge Abreu, a former assistant to prime coach Chad Brown, his first profession graded stakes win. Abreu completed second in final yr’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies with Jody’s Delight and third together with his solely different Breeders’ Cup starter, Stellar Agent within the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.
“It means rather a lot, particularly with this filly,” Abreu informed Day by day Racing Kind. “I purchased her, I skilled her, I picked the races. Steve Weston [head of Parkland Thoroughbreds] is one in every of my primary shoppers. And it’s not a Grade 2 or Grade 3, it’s a Grade 1.”
Velocity Figures: Scottish Lassie improved 21 factors from a 74 Equibase Velocity Determine for her debut to a 95 for the Frizette Stakes win. Her 90 Beyer Velocity Determine for the Frizette was a 24-point enhance from her debut.
The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies winner over the past 10 years earned between an 86 and a 112 for the win, though Songbird’s 112 in 2015 was 11 factors higher than the following greatest successful determine. The common successful Equibase Velocity Determine for the Juvenile Fillies from 2014 to 2023 has been 96.7. The successful Beyer Velocity Determine for the Juvenile Fillies over the past 10 years has ranged from a 78 to a 99, with a mean of 86.4.
Scottish Lassie’s 95 Equibase Velocity Determine and 90 Beyer Velocity Determine imply if she repeats her Frizette effort Nov. 1 at Del Mar or improves barely, she is a significant win candidate.
Wanting Forward: Scottish Lassie is from the primary crop of McKinzie, a a number of Grade 1 winner with tactical velocity and the power to hold it a distance of floor. Wanting again on McKinzie’s victories within the Pennsylvania Derby and Whitney Stakes, I see a number of him in Scottish Lassie.
It’s truthful to be skeptical of the standard of the Frizette area after 3-5 morning-line favourite Senza Parole and two others had been scratched, however there isn’t a denying Scottish Lassie ran a quick race that in a few years can be ok to win the Juvenile Fillies. The Breeders’ Cup can be her first strive navigating two turns within the 1 1/16-mile race, however I count on she’ll deal with that take a look at and be a official win contender Nov. 1 at Del Mar.
