‘Kitten’ Aims to be a Perennial ‘Flower’

Stephanie’s Kitten (Kitten’s Joy), winner of the 2014 GI Flower Bowl Invitational S. for breeders Ken and Sarah Ramsey, is looking for Flower Bowl win number two after an up and down campaign in 2015 in this “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the GI Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Keeneland. Tabbed the 9-5 morning line favorite, the close runner-up to 2014 divisional champion Dayatthespa (City Zip) in last year’s Breeders’ Cup landed Tampa’s GIII Hillsborough S. to start her season Mar. 7, but dropped to fourth in the GII New York S. over course-and-distance here in June. Fifth to Hard Not to Like (Hard Spun) upstate in the GI Diana S. July 25, the Chad Brown charge was third, promoted to second after checking in deep stretch behind the disqualified Secret Gesture (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) and main beneficiary, her reopposing stablemate and official winner Watsdachances (Ire) (Diamond Green {Fr}) in the GI Beverly D. S. at Arlington Park Aug. 15. If the Belmont lawn turns up on the soft side with rain in the forecast, it wouldn’t inconvenience either runner, as the Beverly D. turf was yielding. “I thought it was a solid performance last out,” commented trainer Chad Brown on Stephanie’s Kitten. “I think she should have at least been second and maybe would have won. She’s trained well all season but hasn’t run as well as we had hoped. I think she’ll really like the ground she gets in the Flower Bowl.”

Second in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf in 2012, Watsdachances was fourth in Stephanie’s Kitten’s 2014 Flower Bowl and has made solid forward progress throughout the season with a win in Old Hilltop’s GIII Gallorette H. May 16, followed by a narrow head defeat in the GII Dance Smartly H. at Woodbine July 5, prior to her Beverly D. triumph for Michael Kisber, Bradley Thoroughbreds and Nelson McMakin. “She’s really had a beautiful campaign,” said Brown of Watsdachances. “Any time you have a horse place in a Breeders’ Cup race at two and winning Grade I’s at five, she’s a rarity. She’s a very talented horse and should also like the ground.”

Adding international flavor to the Flower Bowl is G2 Ribblesdale S. heroine and G1 Darley Irish Oaks third Curvy (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) for Coolmore and David Wachman. The bay receives first-time Lasix and enters on the back of a fourth-place effort in the G1 Darley Yorkshire Oaks Aug. 20. Bobby Flay’s GI Delaware H. third-place finisher America (A.P. Indy) returns to the grass for the first time since March of 2014 and should like the 10-furlong trip. She exits the GI Personal Ensign H. with a fifth-place showing at Saratoga Aug. 29.

Grade III Glen Falls S. third Regardez (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) is another representing the Chad Brown training axis for J. H. Richmond-Watson. Brown’s main track hope Rosalind (Broken Vow), who secured the 2014 renewal of the GI Ashland S. over the all-weather at Keeneland and the GII Sheepshead Bay S. at Belmont this May, should relish her chance if the race is transferred to the main track.