Cup Spotlight- Newspaperofrecord
It is undeniable that through two career starts, Newspaperofrecord givers the appearance that she is more than just good. More than just a top juvenile filly. She may be special. That word gets thrown around a lot, but at this early stage, she’s well on her way to earning that designation. So it’s no surprise that earlier this week, more than one top handicapper I follow on Racing Twitter named her as the most likely winner of Breeders’ Cup Weekend. And even with Concrete Rose’s win at Keeneland on Wednesday, there doesn’t appear to be a juvenile turf filly who can touch her…in America.
Let’s go back to last year for just a moment. We saw what Rushing Fall did at Del Mar while winning the BC Juvy Fillies Turf. And she’s progressed nicely since. But can I just remind everyone that the best filly in that race was September? She broke badly, made a left turn immediately to get to the rail, then went way wide turning for home and only managed 3rd. I spoke to a well-known TVG personality after the race who said “When September broke, I thought she’d need to be six lengths the best in order to win, and she was only three lengths the best.” And she was. But Rushing Fall, also trained by Chad Brown, got all the headlines.
So what does this have to do with Newspaperofrecord? Well, perhaps nothing. Perhaps everything. September wasn’t even the top rated Euro in last year’s BC Juvy Fillies Turf. And she hadn’t then and still hasn’t managed a Group or Graded win. Yet she was able to come to America and run a better race than all of our best 2yo turf girls. So before we start planning our BC wagers (and no, I am not accusing people of already locking in their bets), let’s wait and see who is coming over from Europe. Because in all likelihood, there will be someone who can run and will like the less-than-firm course we are very possibly going to see at Churchill Downs. Of course, Newspaperofrecord hasn’t minded soft ground so far either.
She also wasn’t bred in America. And part of the argument for Euro superiority over the Americans on grass has to due with the fact that they breed for the turf over there. So….whatever. I’m just trying to inform and entertain. Don’t hate.
Three weeks, people!!!
