9/20 (PHA): $750k Fitz Dixon Cotillion (Gr. II)
 

9th (3:50) Fitz Dixon Cotillion S. (G2)

1 1/16 Miles | Fillies | 3 Year Olds Stakes | Purse: $750,000

1 Color Me Up Pennington F 114 L
2 Million Dollar Run Carmouche K 114 L
3 Never Retreat Gomez G K 114 L
4 Seattle Smooth Lezcano J 119 L
5 Picker Lezcano J 114 L
6 Proud Spell Saez G 124 L
7 By the Light Prado E S 114 L

From the couple of previews I read, looks like they're just handing this one to Proud Spell. However, she's made hard work of it ever since the Mother Goose. Despite facing a similarly "outclassed" field in the Delaware Oaks, she looked beaten at the top of the lane only to gut it out for the win. The Alabama was another gut-buster, and as Larry Jones suggested, you have to think she might be vulnerable regardless of the field.

In here is a CA shipper named Million Dollar Run who could be a nice number despite being the likely 2nd choice. She was just tagged in her debut after making a flashy move to the lead when her jockey fell asleep midstretch. She validated her talent next out in a Grade 3 sprint, breaking her maiden in a field that included MGSW Lethal Heat and G2 winner Tasha's Miracle. Her first route race was a disaster when nearly clipping heels after a 1/2 mile in the Hollywood Oaks, shuffled back to last behind a slow pace, but still made a wide run to be a decent 4th, beaten 2 lengths. Switched to the turf, she made another sweeping move to the lead on the turn when taking a first condition allowance. Her last out was the G1 Del Mar Oaks, again on grass, where she was stuck wide throughout and was bullied between horses entering the lane and not given much of a chance thereafter by her jockey.

This will be her first conventional dirt start, but she should be able to give Proud Spell a bit of a scare on the far turn if she uncorks her typical move. This filly is much classier than her odds will reflect, and if the favorite doesn't have another one in her, she might be the beneficiary.