Will the 2016 champion two-year-old filly please stand up

Okay, champion juvenile male was pretty easy to determine but the two-year-old filly division…still waiting on that one.

Two-Year-Old Male – Classic Empire, Not This Time, Practical Joke

I’m going to have to go with the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) top three in this one. Classic Empire gutted out the neck victory over a very game Not This Time, with Practical Joke finishing third.

Each one of these juveniles would have been a deserving champion, but CLASSIC EMPIRE managed to come out on top following a near perfect season. In addition to the Breeders’ Futurity he also captured the Bashford Manor Stakes (G3). His only loss thus far wasn’t really a loss considering he never got to run in the Hopeful Stakes (G1) after dumping his rider at the break.

Not This Time romped, and I mean romped, to both break his maiden and score in the Iroquois Stakes (G3). He validated both those efforts by rallying in the Juvenile stretch to almost catch Classic Empire before that one dug in to repel the late run.

Practical Joke proved best of the rest when third in the Juvenile and, though he finished well behind the top two, stands out from the rest of his crop with that being his only loss this season after close triumphs in the Champagne Stakes (G1) and Hopeful.

Two-Year-Old Filly – Champagne Room, Noted and Quoted, Sweet Loretta, Union Strike, etc.

I’m punting on this one.

While some may say Champagne Room deservers it for winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), I say the 33-1 upsetter needs to prove that score was no fluke.

We were spoiled last year with Songbird. There’s no real standout amongst the two-year-old filly ranks this season.

Noted and Quoted won the Chandelier Stakes (G1), Union Strike captured the Del Mar Debutante (G1), Sweet Loretta dead-heated for the win in the Spinaway Stakes (G1), Yellow Agate scored in the Frizette Stakes (G1)…and on it goes.

Shane’s Girlfriend set stakes records in the Delta Downs Princess (G3) for winning margin (13 1/4 lengths) and time (1:37.98) the Saturday before Thanksgiving. Over Thanksgiving weekend itself, Farrell upset the Golden Rod Stakes (G2) by six lengths and Miss Sky Warrior wired the Demoiselle Stakes (G2), both over more highly regarded rivals.

There is one more juvenile filly race of consequence and I’m waiting until it’s all said and done before making my pick in this category. I’m not really expecting the December 10 Starlet Stakes (G1) at Los Alamitos to clarify the issue, but at this point I’ll take all the help I can get.