Tepin thrashes the boys in Breeders' Cup Mile

Robert E. Masterson's Tepin, who decimated her own division in the October 3 First Lady (G1) at Keeneland, was every bit as dominant over an international cast of males in Saturday's $1,840,000 Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) at the same course and distance. Sitting a softer trip than I envisioned right off the flank of Obviously, who went far slower than he's ever gone on this continent, Tepin burst clear at the head of the lane to inscribe her name alongside past Mile heroines Royal Heroine (1984), Miesque (1987-88), Ridgewood Pearl (1995), Six Perfections (2003) and Goldikova (2008-10).

And she might well have claimed an Eclipse Award as champion turf female too. Trained by Mark Casse, who just celebrated his first Breeders' Cup success with Catch a Glimpse in Friday's Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1), Tepin extended her 2015 mark to 7-5-2-0. Her scorecard includes the Churchill Distaff Turf Mile (G2) and Just a Game (G1), and her only losses have come at the wire in slightly longer races at Saratoga -- the 1 1/8-mile Diana (G1), where she chased a taxing pace and nearly pulled it off, and the 1 1/16-mile Ballston Spa (G2). And by virtue of her second in the Diana, Tepin is on top in the head-to-head match-up with Filly & Mare Turf (G1) winner Stephanie's Kitten, who was only fifth in the Diana.

Southern California speedball Obviously was surprisingly tame early on, so in this case, it actually paid to be prominent. After an opening quarter in :23.77 on a course listed as good, he went at a fairly leisurely tempo of :48.08 for the half.

Tepin was perfectly placed in second by Julien Leparoux, in a near replay of the tepid pace she prompted in the First Lady. Putting her head in front at the six-furlong mark in 1:13.23, she injected an unassailable dash of pace to scamper three lengths clear by midstretch. Mondialiste, the Woodbine Mile (G1) winner rattled home from far back after finally finding room late. But he was no threat to Tepin, who held a comfortable 2 1/4-length advantage in a final time of 1:36.69. The 9-2 third choice returned $11.80 to win.

Grand Arch, coming off a victory in the local prep in the Shadwell Turf Mile (G1), also found trouble at a key point but finished strongly for third. The wide-trip Mshawish held fourth, a neck ahead of France's 5-2 favorite Make Believe. Defending champion Karakontie never factored when 11th of 12.

Bred by Machmer Hall in Kentucky, Tepin was purchased for $140,000 as a yearling at Fasig-Tipton Saratoga. Her resume now reads 15-7-3-1, $2,475,973, notably reflecting a win in the 2013 Delta Downs Princess (G3) on the dirt and a second in the 2014 San Clemente (G2) over Del Mar's turf.

A daughter of Bernstein (who also sired 2014 Mile winner Karakontie), Tepin is out of the unraced Stravinsky mare Life Happened, making her a half-sister to multiple Grade 2-winning millionaire Vyjack.

Masterson indicated that Tepin would be back in action in 2016, attempting a repeat like Miesque and Goldikova.

Click here for the postrace quotes and transcript.

 

Photo courtesy of Lauren Pomeroy/Horsephotos.com.