Full Field of Fillies for Alcibiades

A field of 13 juvenile fillies bids for an automatic Breeders’ Cup berth in today’s GI Darley Alcibiades S. over the newly installed Keeneland dirt track. Favored on the morning line at 4-1 is George Bolton and Barry Hall’s unbeaten “TDN Rising Star” Fashion Alert (Old Fashioned). A 4 3/4-length debut winner of Belmont’s Astoria S. June 14, the bay out-dueled fellow ‘Rising Star’ Take Charge Brandi (Giant’s Causeway) to annex Saratoga’s six-furlong GIII Schuylerville S. July 18. The Todd Pletcher trainee drew the rail for this, and could face pressure early and often if she shows the speed she is expected to on the stretch-out. Al Stall, Jr. sends out Klaravich Stables and Bill Lawrence’s Top Decile(Congrats), who ran to advanced billing when she donned cap and gown by a good-looking one-length margin going 6 1/2 furlongs at the Spa Aug. 17, good for a best last-out Beyer Speed Figure of 81. Sheikh Mohammed will be represented by a pair of promising fillies carrying the Godolphin blue. Eoin Harty pupil Innovative Idea (Bernardini) led a Sept. 4 Arlington sprint box to wire, and was flattered when that heat’s third-place finisher shipped to Charles Town to break her maiden by daylight in a stakes race. The bay’s dam Golden Velvet (Seeking the Gold) was a MGSW and GISP on dirt, and her second dam is the good race mare Caress (Storm Cat), responsible for Grade I-winning juvenile and sire Sky Mesa (Pulpit). Godolphin’s other representative Gap Year (Bernardini) is at least as well bred–she’s out of the brilliant Grade I winner Dubai Escapade (Awesome Again), herself a half to GISW Madcap Escapade (Hennessy), the dam of Grade I-winning juvenile Mi Sueno (Pulpit). The homebred was a close third as the favorite in a muddy Spa debut at six furlongs Aug. 22–she made a big stretch run and galloped out well in front. Kiaran McLaughlin and Godolphin are looking for their second graded stakes win with a maiden in the last week, having sent out Imperia (Medaglia d’Oro) to a win in this past Sunday’s GIII Pilgrim S. at Belmont. Albaugh Family Stable homebred Taylor S (Medaglia d’Oro) was a front-running debut victoress under the Twin Spires for Dale Romans Sept. 14, and was subsequently flattered when her 3-year-old half-brother Liam’s Map (Unbridled’s Song) aired at Belmont Sept. 26 to earn ‘Rising Star’ status. Pangburn(Congrats), Milehigh Butterfly (Sky Mesa) and the aforementioned Take Charge Brandi were second, third and fifth respectively in Churchill’s Sept. 6 GII Pocahontas S.