La Coronel inviting favorable comparisons following Jessamine romp

Even with turf stars like Tepin and Catch a Glimpse in the barn, the Mark Casse stable is always on the lookout for young fillies that will ultimately fill those big shoes. They might have one in La Coronel, who rolled to a decisive victory Wednesday in the $150,000 Jessamine (G3) at Keeneland.

Not only did La Coronel maintain her unbeaten streak on turf winning the 1 1/16-mile event, but also stamped a ticket to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) at Santa Anita next month as the final "Win & You're In" prep for the two-day fixture.

"When she broke her maiden at Saratoga, (jockey) Florent (Geroux) came back and said, ‘We have another Catch a Glimpse,'" Casse said. 

Aboard the John Oxley-owned filly for that four-length score on September 5, Geroux was in the saddle again Wednesday as La Coronel tracked in fourth as longshot Divine Humor, and later Lull, led through splits of :22.89, :47.37, and 1:13.57. Pouncing on the latter in upper stretch, La Coronel drew off late to win by 4 1/4 lengths in a time of 1:43.37 on firm ground. She paid $5.80.

Lull finished second, with 84-1 chance Rum Go third and second choice Sweeping Paddy fourth in the field of 12.

The Jessamine was the third graded juvenile stakes win at Keeneland for Casse since Saturday, when he captured the Breeders' Futurity (G1) with Classic Empire. Keep Quiet followed up on Sunday with a win in the Bourbon (G3) on turf, and now all three two-year-olds are Breeders' Cup bound.

Unplaced in her first two starts in dirt sprints, La Coronel has now bankrolled $144,615 from a line of 4-2-0-0.

Bred in Kentucky by Kim Nardelli, Rodney Nardelli, Susan Bunning, A. Jaffreys & B. Jaffreys, La Coronel brought $375,000 at OBS this past April. She is by Colonel John out of the Chester House mare Listen, who was Grade 3-placed in Canada and a half-sister to Grade 2 winner Listen Here.

(Wendy Wooley/Equi-Sport Photos)