When Inglorious exploded through a hole at the top of the stretch and ran away from the Queen's Plate field I immediately penciled her in as the three year old filly champion. How could you not? After all, winning the Queen's Plate has basically guaranteed you the three year old male title over the last few years; Big Red Mike, Eye of the Leopard and Not Bourbon went a combined 1 for 9 in the races after the Queen's Plate the year of their Plate wins. So, how could a filly win the Oaks and Plate and not win her championship divisional honours? Seemed impossible.
Further enhancing her case: Dancethruthedawn, Dance Smartly and La Lorgnette were the last three Oaks/Plate double winners and all three were Champion three year old filly. And it's not as if Inglorious only has the Oaks and Plate to rest her laurels on: She won the La Lorgnette Stakes, was 2nd in the G3 Rachel Alexandra Stakes, 3rd in the G3 Selene Stakes and 4th in the G2 Fair Ground Oaks. You could make the case that she's had a better year than Biofuel did last year; Biofuel is not only the reigning three year old filly champ but the defending horse of the year. As of this morning Inglorious is 19th in North America in money earned. In 21st, 22nd and 23rd: Regally Ready, Musical Romance and Caleb's Posse; all 3, Breeders Cup winners.
However, Inglorious has not won since the Plate and another Canadian bred, three year old filly has exploded onto the scene. Marketing Mix showed promise earlier in the year when second in the fury and third in the Oaks but since switching to turf she has really excelled, with three wins. Her wins in the Wonder Where, (third leg of the triple tiara) G3 Pucker Up at Arlington and G2 Miss Revere at Churchill are all great resume builders for championship honours. It is however, her second place finish in the G1 QEII at Keeneland that might be the difference when it comes time to vote. The QEII is one of the most prestigious races in North America and when Marketing Mix was second she finished ahead of every top American trained filly in the race. With two Graded wins to Inglorious' none and a 2nd in a Grade 1 race, Marketing Mix may have done enough to take the honours away from Inglorious.
Whatever way the vote goes, both fillies are deserved winners and exciting Canadian bred fillies to watch next year. Who's your pick?
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
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