Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Top 5: Simply Ravishing on top

J. Keeler Johnson ranks the top contenders for the Nov. 6 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Keeneland.

1. Simply Ravishing

What’s not to like?

Simply Ravishing is undefeated in three starts on both dirt and turf, and she most recently wired the 1 1/16-mile Alcibiades (G1) at Keeneland by 6 1/4 lengths.

She has beaten tough competition, including her stakes-winning stablemate Crazy Beautiful, and she already boasts a Grade 1 win over the track and distance of the Juvenile Fillies.

Taking all of these factors together, Simply Ravishing looks tough to beat.

2. Dayoutoftheoffice

This two-time graded stakes winner showed determination to turn back Grade 1 winner Vequist in the Frizette (G1) at Belmont Park, where she won by two lengths, with the rest finishing 10 1/4 lengths behind.

An undefeated daughter of Into Mischief, Dayoutoftheoffice has the Brisnet Speed ratings to challenge Simply Ravishing for supremacy, but the stretch out around two turns for the Juvenile Fillies is a question mark.

3. Princess Noor

Unbeaten in three starts for trainer Bob Baffert, Princess Noor has never been asked for her best run while she dominated the Del Mar Debutante (G1) and Chandelier (G2).

But the quality of competition she has faced is unclear, and we can’t know for certain if she is capable of running faster until she goes out and does it.

4. Vequist

A 9 1/2-length winner of the 7-furlong Spinaway (G1), Vequist didn’t run a bad race by any means in the Frizette, where she finished second by two lengths against Dayoutoftheoffice.

Vequist pulled 10 1/4 lengths clear of the rest and has the class to factor in the Juvenile Fillies, though I’m not convinced 1 1/16 miles will be her best distance. I suspect elongated sprints might be more suitable for this speedy daughter of Nyquist. 

5. Girl Daddy

The fourth undefeated filly in the Juvenile Fillies field, Girl Daddy parlayed an easy Ellis Park maiden victory into an easy triumph in the 1-mile Pocahontas (G3) at Churchill Downs, where she defeated Crazy Beautiful by two lengths.

Girl Daddy displayed an impressive blend of speed and stamina with a rally into a hot pace and stayed on strongly down the stretch, but the daughter of Uncle Mo has never raced around two turns.