Jessamine Features Evenly Matched Fillies

Wednesday’s race card at Keeneland will provide one last chance for a juvenile filly to claim a spot in the 2013 Breeders’ Cup World Championships. The feature race on the day is the Grade III $150,000 Jessamine Stakes for two-year-old fillies going 1 1/16 miles on the Keeeneland turf. The race is a ‘Win and You’re In’ whereby the first-place finisher will receive fees-paid entry to the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf race on November 1 at Santa Anita. The race is the second-to-last in the ‘Win and You’re In’ series, and has drawn a field of 10.

Only second lifetime start for ML favorite

Leading the pack at 3-1 in the morning line is Zinzay on the strength of a nose  maiden win on the Saratoga grass, where she raced three wide on both turns and then dueled down the stretch against the front-running favorite to prevail at the wire. Co-second choices at 4-1 are a pair with different running styles in Kitten Kaboodle and Candy Kitty.  The two previously met in a MSW event at Saratoga in August with the latter prevailing in a wire-to-wire victory, while the former stumbled out of the gate.

Others look to continue moving forward

Among the outsiders, Runway Giant (10-1) is taking a big step up in class but has shown promise at the middle-allowance level, just missing last time out coming off the pace to close quickly in a one-mile event at Churchill, and should benefit from the added distance in this.  Courtesan (8-1) made a huge forward move second time out to win at this distance, but is likely going to need to find more speed to compete in this field. Richies Party Girl (9-2) is the only filly in the field with two wins, the last coming by a nose over Runway Giant while holding a five-pound weight advantage.