Where are the girls?
 

We all know how loaded Darley/Godolphin/shadwell/ Zabeel is with colts but what do they have for quality fillies and mares? I have been trying to think of some but am drawing a blank. Afew good females and they could go ahead and sweep the BC.

Talking main track or turf? On dirt, Take d'Or has been on a roll in the East, Oona Maccool has been nearly unbeatable, but Happy Ticket did it and she's 17/12-4-0 lifetime, not too shabby. Proposed has two graded wins, goes for a G1 today. On turf, we've got Honey Ryder and a few others. The turf milers on show yesterday weren't all that much, but over 9-12f we've got a few who can hold their own.

If you are talking 3yos, yes, there doesn't seem to be anybody to take the lead, except Bushfire around one turn. Pine Island looks like she will dominate the longer 2-turn races on the NY tracks.

Balleto will be okay when she finally stretches out to around two turns....Dubai Escapade is the best filly or mare sprinter in the world, although that happens to be the one class of horses that the BC discriminates against....And I know that Shawanda is about to launch her seasonal campaign in England that could culminate with a run in the BC F&M Turf, and if she comes for that race and is anywhere close to her old self then she will win it....I'm sure there are more..that is just what I could think of off the top of my head...

thanks Joel--I knew they had to have some I just couldn't think of any...

I meant that the sheiks own--should have been more specific maybe.

Shawanda....you mean the very good filly that the Sheik purchased after last season from the Aga Khan?

Aren't Balleto's good 2YO races, before disappearing into the Dubai Triangle, mostly around one turn? Why would the change be significantly different now when it wasn't before?

Very good filly (Shawanda)..... too bad she's slightly injured and having a spell.

Godolphin has Portrayal and Pictavia (good girls), the injured Emily Bronte (who should be back in a few months), Silca's Sister (she'll improve!) and Reunite (getting better all the time).

Yep....she is about to resume racing in Europe under the royal blue silks....as good as she was last year and regarded against the best males in Europe, she should be the nuts in the BC F&M Turf if she gets here in one piece...

Honestly, she came up lame before the Hardwicke and was scratched... it was announced she'd take time off now. Sorry.

Based on her pedigree and the way she has run in her last pair of starts it is very conceivable that she won't be at her best until she stretches out to around two turns...she was solid in juvenile races around one turn strictly because that is about all that is run for 2-year-olds...her BC Juvy Filly effort was very solid IMO when she ran around two-turns at Lone Star...

Ouch, I didn't hear that...wow, that sucks....I don't get to keep up with Euro racing as much as I would like to....if you have a good source over there and a strong interest then I would love for you to keep posting on here...I enjoy reading your stuff...thanks for the Irish Derby heads up...I almost forgot abouy that too..

No problem. Sorry for the bad news. She'll be okay though so watch out world.:)

What I meant was that Balletto didn't appear to improve when switching to two turns in her previous life, so I wouldn't say it's fair to expect her to do it now, especially considering there was a two year hiatus ( or one and a half ) between then and now.

Unfortunately she seems to be one that barely made it out alive. Hey, I hope she does improve ( I suppose in the Go For Wand ? ) as that division needs all the help it can get. I just doubt it will happen.

Shawand, I believe, was second choice to Hurricane Run in the Arc. Did you know, by the way, that Emmanuelle Beart presented the trophy for the Arc last year?

I just figured that a Timber Country out of a Nijinsky II mare has to enjoy the route of ground, adn judging by her physique she is very typical of her pedigree...Depending if she can dodge Oonagh MaCool and Happy Ticket in her next start, I have been planning on betting on her on the stretchout to around two turns....she'd have to dodge that duo though...

I think, and have thought for a while, that Oonagh MacCool is WAY overrated.

Shawanda update (for Cunningham Racing) from Racing Post.....

Shawanda out until August
by David Milnes

SHAWANDA, a late absentee on her intended debut for Saeed Bin Suroor at Royal Ascot last month, won't be seen out until August at the earliest.

The four-year old was found to be lame on her right fore foot prior to the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes on June 24th and is still recuperating at Godolphin Stables in Newmarket.

As a result, Shawanda won't be rushed back for the King George and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes at Ascot later this month, for which she is currently an 8-1 chance with Hills.

Simon Crisford, racing manager to Godolphin, said "There are no plans for Shawanda at present but we hope to get her back for the second half of the season. She was lame on the morning of the Hardwicke but she is recovering well.

Although she is entered in the King George we are aiming to run Electrocutionist inthat so she will have more time."

Before being purchased by Sheikh Mohammed late last year, Shawanda won both the Irish Oaks and Prix Vermeille before finishing a commendable sixth in the Arc when trained by Alain Royer Dupre.

Crisford added thatGodolphin would be quiet at next weeks July Festival at Newmarket with Ifrraaj only a "possible runner" in the Darley July Cup on Friday week.

As short as 7-1 second favourite with Blue Square, Iffraaj ran well from a bad draw when seventh to Les Arcsin the Group 1 Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Crisford said: "Iffraaj is not a definite runner in the July Cup at this stage as he has other options."

THANKS MMSC!!!...Good stuff...it sounds like she won't miss much time and feet are not too big of a problem for grass campaigners so you would thinks they'd get it straightened out and have her ready to comeback by August like they say....One start in August and one in late Sept. or early Oct could still have her ready for the BC F&M Turf in early November at CD - conventually thinking anyway....

Im the authority on all things godolphin/darley related things, as well as European racing

I knew that after I finished the post and reread yours; tried to delete it, but obviously failed.