Elate Looms Large in Juddmonte Spinster

[Wandering Eyes]

A berth in the starting gate in the GI Breeders’ Cup Distaff is on the line in Sunday’s GI Juddmonte Spinster S. at Keeneland, and Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider’s ‘TDN Rising Star‘ Elate (Medaglia d’Oro) seems to hold all the aces.

Winner of the GI Alabama S. and GI Beldame S. at three, Elate was the 2-1 favorite in the 2017 Distaff, but failed to land a true blow, finishing a well-beaten fourth. A neck second in a memorable renewal of the GI Personal Ensign S. at Saratoga last August, the homebred was forced to miss the Beldame and Breeders’ Cup with a splint issue, but has kept relatively busy this season. Emerging from the shadow of Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute) to easily account for 2018 Spinster winner Blue Prize (Arg) (Pure Prize) and She’s a Julie (Elusive Quality) in the ‘Win and You’re In’ GII Fleur de Lis H. at Churchill June 15, she successfully defended her title in the July 13 GII Delaware H. and exits a knock-down, drag-out against Midnight Bisou in the Personal Ensign Aug. 24, going down by a nose.

The Bill Mott-trained Emollient (Empire Maker) was the last 3-year-old to defeat her elders in the Spinster and Peter Brant’s progressive Dunbar Road (Quality Road) represents the sophomore set Sunday. An 8 3/4-length debut winner going Gulfstream’s one-turn mile Mar. 3, the bay suffered her lone defeat to date in the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks Mar. 30. She is since perfect in three runs, a Belmont allowance May 30 followed by easy scores in the GII Mother Goose S. June 29 and the GI Alabama S. Aug. 17. The form of the latter race was flattered when third-placed Street Band (Street Boss) returned to best ‘TDN Rising Star’ Guarana (Ghostzapper) in the GI Cotillion S.

Blue Prize was no match for Elate in the Fleur de Lis and when beaten 4 1/2 lengths into third in the Del ‘Cap, but last year’s Distaff fourth bounced back in her latest to best Vexatious (Giant’s Causeway) by a neck in the restricted Summer Colony S. at Saratoga Aug. 18. The latter was scratched from the Sept. 28 GII Beldame S. in favor of the Spinster.

No horse has completed the Spinster/Distaff double since Inside Information in 1995. The last to prep in the Spinster en route to Distaff success was Unbridled Elaine (Unbridled’s Song) in 2001.

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