The stage is set for a breakout performance by two-year-old filly Country Star in the Starlet Stakes at Hollywood on Saturday. Trained by Robert Frankel, who also trained her sire, Empire Maker, she has been working up a storm at Hollywood and looks primed to run her best race to date. That won’t be easy as her last win was a breathtaking eight-wide run in the Grade 1 Alcibiades Stakes at Keeneland. Eighth early, and still fifth and four lengths back at the last call, she won going away by a length and finished like a filly that could run all day. Not so surprising since her sire won the mile and a half Belmont Stakes.
Her toughest test could come from Grace and Power, a filly who has run only on turf. Her numbers are quite good and if it translates to synthetic, she could win this. The other big threat is the new and improved Foxy Danseur. She has turned it around in her last three starts, including a win last out at this distance on this track. Perhaps her biggest downside is that her bad luck charm, Set Play is entered. Foxy Danseur finished 3rd, 7th, and 8th in three tries against Set Play at shorter distances. Was it the distance, the class, or has Fozy Danseur improved? I think she has improved, while Set Play has gone the other way, tiring at the end in all three of her route races. Her sire, Van Nistelrooy has an AWD (average winning distance) of only 6.2 furlongs so far.
Sunday Geisha looks like a decent play at a price, but only for a piece. She has finished pretty well in her last two tries at this distance. Spritely has never gone the distance but is 2 for 2 sprinting under Todd Pletcher. She has the pedigree to go the distance with no problem, but her closing fractions have been a bit slow. She’s a threat to to wire the field since both Country Star and Grace and Power are closers. Spitely could get away from them and hang on. Grace Anatomy is a talented filly who may be running further than she would like. She has looked tired at the end of both her route races, which isn’t too surprising considering her sire is Aldebaran.
Time Reveals all in another threat for a minor award at a good price with Talamao back in the saddle. She’s never gone a distance but the pedigree says that won’t be a problem. The Golden Noodle is another that is talented but may prefer shorter distances. Like Grace Anatomy, it isn’t surprising considering the sire.
Country Star -95
Grace and Power -94
Foxy Danseur-92
Sunday Geisha/Spritely-88
Grace Anatomy, Time Reveals All-87
Set Play, The Golden Noodle-86