Tepin (blue and white silks) finishing second in the Diana Stakes. Photo by NYRA/Coglianese Photos
Tepin, the very talented four-year-old filly that won the Just a Game Stakes (gr. I) and Churchill Distaff Turf Mile Stakes (gr. II) earlier this year, is under serious consideration for a start against male horses in the $2,000,000 Breeders’ Cup Mile (gr. I) on October 31st at Keeneland.
Trained by Mark Casse, Tepin has finished second in her last two starts, losing by a nose in the Diana Stakes (gr. I) and by a head in the Ballstan Spa Stakes (gr. II) this summer at Saratoga. But those races were held at nine furlongs and 8.5 furlongs, distances that may be a bit too far for Tepin.
Tepin is expected to make her next start in the eight-furlong First Lady Stakes (gr. I) at Keeneland on October 3rd, and according to the barn notes on the Churchill Downs website, this race could be used as a springboard to the Breeders’ Cup Mile.
“We would seriously consider running in the Breeders’ Cup Mile if she wins,” assistant trainer Norman Casse was quoted as saying. “We don’t think she wants to go that far so the Filly & Mare Turf is out. That is a race that can be won by a filly so it’s not like it’s out of the realm of possibility. That’s kind of the goal. We’ll see how she runs this weekend before we make any big decisions.”
“Speed doesn’t seem to do well [at Saratoga] and then you couple that with the fact that she really is a genuine miler, so we’re running her a mile-and-an-eighth, mile-and-a-sixteenth. It was kind of a perfect storm for her to get beat. It’s great to be going back to what she does best.”
Earlier this morning, Tepin completed her serious preparations for the First Lady by breezing four furlongs in :49 2/5 at Churchill Downs.
If you enjoyed this article, be sure to sign up for email newsletters and special offers from The Turf Board!
