Sheep Pond Partners' Lady Eli remained undefeated in three starts with a dynamic victory in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (gr. IT) Oct. 31 at Santa Anita Park .
Ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. for trainer Chad Brown, Lady Eli, by Divine Park out of the Saint Ballado mare Sacre Coeur, rated in fourth along the rail until the top of the lane and exploded past front-running Sunset Glow to win going away in a sharp 1:33.41 on a course rated firm.
Sunset Glow, who grabbed the lead from the break, was easily second, 2 3/4 lengths behind Lady Eli, followed by Osaila and Prize Exhibit. Lady Zuzu was a veterinarian's scratch at the gate.
Lady Eli was bred in Kentucky by Runnymede Farm and Catesby Clay. She broke her maiden at Saratoga Race Course and then won the Miss Grillo Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Belmont Park.
Lady Eli, who has shown the ability to lay close early and then kick on impressively late, did so again in the Juvenile Fillies Turf. She broke quickly with Sunset Glow and was guided behind an early three-filly speed duel between Sunset Glow, Isabella Sings, and Nicky's Brown Miss.
Sunset Glow asserted herself and set fractions of :22.66 for the opening quarter-mile, :46.46 for the half-mile, and 1:10.48 for six furlongs. As the field turned from home, Lady Eli, who found room along the rail, blew by the leader and was kept to her task while appearing to loaf in the lane.
Osaila and Prize Exhibit ran on late but couldn't threaten the top pair.
"I'm so proud of her to see her run like this today," said Brown, who had three other fillies in the race. "We develop these babies from scratch, and I remember the first time I saw her breeze on the turf. It took my breath away.
"I told (the owners) she was something special and she proved out to be. It all worked out."
Ortiz said Lady Eli got a perfect trip.
"My filly broke good and I got a nice spot down inside," Ortiz said. "I broke through the hole (at the top of the stretch) when Sunset Glow came out, and my filly flew right through there. It feels great. It's unbelievable."
Victor Espinosa, aboard Sunset Glow for trainer Wesley Ward, said the Exchange Rate filly lugged in a bit at the three-eighths pole and gave some room to Lady Eli, "but she ran great."
Lady Eli, the favorite in a field of 13, paid $6.80, $4.20, and $3 across the board. Sunset Glow returned $5.20 and $3.40, while Osaila was worth $3.60 to show. The $2 exacta paid $35 and the $1 trifecta $65.90. Image, text: Breeders' Cup