Just F Y I Leads BC Juvenile Fillies Trio in Ashland

A week after the top two finishers of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), Fierceness  and Muth , each took home a grade 1 victory, the top three finishers of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) will rematch for top-level glory in the $600,000 Ashland Stakes (G1) at Keeneland April 5.

It was a sunny afternoon at Santa Anita Park Nov. 3 when Just F Y I , Jody’s Pride , and Candied  met to determine the 2-year-old filly championship. Just F Y I proved best on the day while Jody’s Pride and Candied closed ground late. The trio meets at the same 1 1/16-mile distance in the Ashland but have experienced different routes over the last few months.

Video: NetJets Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1)

George Krikorian’s Just F Y I kept her unbeaten record intact through three starts with the triumph. Pairing her Breeders’ Cup victory with an easy, 3 3/4-length win in a sloppy Frizette Stakes (G1) at Aqueduct Racetrack Oct. 7 earned the Justify   filly an Eclipse championship.

The champion was ready to start her sophomore campaign in Gulfstream Park‘s Davona Dale Stakes (G2) March 2 but was scratched by Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott that morning with a fever. Returning to the work tab at Payson Park Training Center March 18, she has worked two four-furlong bullets to prepare for the Ashland.

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Candied has also not raced since her third in the Breeders’ Cup. She holds a key advantage over her two main rivals: a start at Keeneland. The daughter of Candy Ride   won the Alcibiades Stakes (G1) at the same distance by a length Oct. 6. As she did in the Breeders’ Cup, the Todd Pletcher trainee drew the rail.

On the outside in post 8 is Parkland Thoroughbreds and Sportsmen Stable’s Jody’s Pride. Unlike her Breeders’ Cup foes, the daughter of American Pharoah   has already made her 3-year-old debut for trainer Jorge Abreu. She returned March 2 at Aqueduct with a 2 1/4-length score in the Busher Invitational Stakes on a sloppy track.

The Field

Five other fillies are looking to spoil the reunion and earn themselves a spot in the May 3 Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs. The Ashland awards qualifying points on a 100-50-25-15-10 scale.

• Juddmonte’s Impel  makes her stakes debut after winning her first two starts by a combined 11 3/4 lengths.
• Walking L Thoroughbreds’ Shimmering Allure  was fourth to Candied in the Alcibiades before winning the Tempted Stakes at Aqueduct Nov. 5.
• Whisper Hill Farm’s Leslie’s Rose  is a second entry for Pletcher. After winning her first two starts, she finished third as the odds-on favorite in the Davona Dale Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream.
• Rigney Racing’s Halina’s Forte  has never been worse than second in four starts. She won the Ruthless Stakes at Aqueduct Feb. 17.
• Richard Emmet and Joel Politi’s Standoutsensation  makes her stakes debut after two runner-up finishes in allowance company at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.

The Ashland is race 9 with a post time of 5:16 p.m. ET.