Catch a Glimpse can't be caught in Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf

After Europe drew first blood with Hit It a Bomb in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1), North America struck back with Catch a Glimpse in the $920,000 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1). Under a crafty ride by Florent Geroux, the 6-1 chance gave trainer Mark Casse his first Breeders' Cup success in his 26th try.

Casse had come awfully close in the Juvenile Turf with Airoforce, who was just mugged at the line by the Irish invader. But he had no such heartbreak here, for Ireland's Alice Springs couldn't make enough headway mired on the inside. England's Nemoralia finished fastest on the outside, but too late, and Catch a Glimpse couldn't be caught.

By City Zip, who famously scored a Breeders' Cup double in 2014 with Work All Week in the Sprint (G1) and Dayatthespa in the Filly & Mare Turf (G1), Catch a Glimpse could follow in the hoofsteps of the latter. Both chestnuts made early speed their weapon of choice on the grass.

Catch a Glimpse had won both of her turf tries in wire-to-wire fashion at Woodbine - a seven-furlong maiden on August 22 followed by a rousing score in the September 12 Natalma (G2), a Breeders' Cup Challenge event that booked her place here.

The presence of another pace type in the speedy Ruby Notion may have been a complication on paper, but Catch a Glimpse, and Geroux, had no problem adapting to the circumstances. She was drawn one spot to the inside of Ruby Notion (posts 3 and 4, respectively). As Ruby Notion went forward through an opening quarter in :24.34 on the yielding turf, Catch a Glimpse was briefly in tight between her and the rail. Geroux adroitly eased back and then around to press Ruby Notion. Thus Catch a Glimpse secured a better position on the outside, and that maneuver might have been a key to victory.

Catch a Glimpse continued to prompt through splits of :49.20 and 1:14.35. Sapphire Kitten sat in third, while Alice Springs, bet down to 5-2 favoritism off the win by her Aidan O'Brien stablemate Hit It a Bomb, crept into a contending position after flubbing the start.

Turning for home, Catch a Glimpse made the decisive move and struck the front. Alice Springs was in close quarters behind her -- appearing to have sufficient room physically, but possibly intimidated a bit with Sapphire Kitten keeping her in the pocket. The favorite inched her way to claw back the yards, but never looked to be going strongly enough to get there. Catch a Glimpse held her safe by three-quarters of a length in a final time of 1:39.08 for the mile.

The Jeremy Noseda-trained Nemoralia made belated progress to miss second by a head. She was originally a candidate for the Juvenile Fillies (G1) on dirt before this change of plan, so her effort on perhaps unsuitably soft ground exceeded expectations. Sapphire Kitten held fourth.

Owned by Gary Barber, Michael James Ambler and Windways Farm, Catch a Glimpse was a $75,000 Keeneland September yearling. She has now bankrolled $677,352 from her 4-3-0-0 line, her only loss coming in her off-the-turf debut in the Saratoga slop.

Catch a Glimpse was bred in Kentucky by Branch Equine. The May 13 foal is a half-sister to Grade 3-winning sire Old Forester. Out of multiple stakes heroine Halo River, a daughter of Irish River who won the 1998 Appalachian at Keeneland, she hails from the family of English champion filly and Irish classic victress Forest Flower.

The Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf quotes and transcript are available via the links.

 

Photo courtesy of Keeneland/Coady Photography.