Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint

Introduction

The Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint is a test that compresses speed, tenacity and edge-of-the-seat excitement into a relatively short distance. Established in 2007, the race became an instant hit, adding a fresh dimension to the Breeders' Cup World Championships by offering a sprint distance specifically tailored for fillies and mares without the requisite stamina for the Breeders' Cup Distaff.

Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint History

The Filly & Mare Sprint was introduced to spotlight the fastest female horses in the sport and to offer them an opportunity to compete for a championship title. The race's addition to the Breeders' Cup roster was met with wide acclaim as it provided a much needed opportunity for horses that specialize in shorter distances to compete against their own gender at an optimal trip.

The race is open to fillies and mares aged three years and older and is run at a distance of seven furlongs on a dirt track. The purse has generally hovered around the $1 million mark, offering both prestige and also lucrative reward for the connections of the winning horse.

It took twelve years from 2007 for the first three-year-old to claim the Filly & Mare Sprint crown, after which that age group rattled off a hat-trick between 2018 and 2020. Since 2021, older horses have regained the ascendancy, winning the most recent three renewals.

2024 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Challenge Series Races

DATE	TRACK	RACE	GRADE	DISTANCE	AGE	SEX	DIVISION	AREA	WINNER
24/08/2024	Sar	The Ballerina	I	7 Furlongs	3 YO & UP	F & M	F & M Sprint	New York	Society
21/09/2024	GP	Princess Rooney Invitational	III	7 Furlongs	3 YO & UP	F & M	F & M Sprint	Florida	Soul Of An Angel
05/10/2024	Kee	Thoroughbred Club of America	II	6 Furlongs	3 YO & UP	F & M	F & M Sprint	Kentucky	Zeitlos

 

Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Trends

• Winner's age: 64454455445333545
• 3yo's 3 from 45 to date; '18 winner 3yo, 20/1; '19 1st/2nd only two 3yo's in the field; '20 winner Gamine 3yo; '22 2nd & 3rd 3yo's
• 3yo's won 0 of first 11, and have since won 3 of last 6
• 16/17 finished in the top 3, or within 3L of the winner, last time (not ’17 winner)
• 14/17 won at 7f; 8/17 2+ wins at 7f
• 13/17 won or were 2nd in a G1 ('17 winner 2nd 7f G1 2 yrs ago, '18 winner 1st G2 LTO only 7f start, '21 winner won G1 a yr ago)
• TCA at Keeneland is a key prep (albeit over 6f) – (26/1 Yuugiri followed hot fav/defending champ home in '23 for $35.60 exacta)
• PID Masters (6 1/2f) also key race –
• Surface switch (synth or turf to dirt) : 7/16 winners; '18 winner 1stx2 on synths prior to final prep on dirt
• Fav 7/17, 2nd fav 2/17, 3rd fav 1/17 ('21 winner). 7/17 4th or lower in the betting

 

How The Runners Fit

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Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Pace Map

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Key Trials

Go to breederscup.com for race videos.

Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Trends Contenders

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Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Form Preview

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Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Form Contenders

To be determined

Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Results

Key: PP - post position; RS - run style (lengths behind leader: 4 <½L, 3 ½L- 1½L, 2 1¾L - 3½L, 1 > 3½L); Odds - return for a 1 unit stake; SR - Equibase speed figure

Track	Date	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	PP	RS	Odds	SR	Chart
Santa Anita	4/11/2023	Goodnight Olive	Chad C. Brown	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	1	2	1.10	100	Result
Keeneland	5/11/2022	Goodnight Olive	Chad C. Brown	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	8	2	1.85	106	Result
Del Mar	6/11/2021	Ce Ce	Michael W. McCarthy	Victor Espinoza	3	2	6.20	105	Result
Keeneland	7/11/2020	Gamine	Bob Baffert	John R. Velazquez	2	3	1.10	121	Result
Santa Anita	2/11/2019	Covfefe	Brad H. Cox	Joel Rosario	1	2	1.50	112	Result
Churchill	3/11/2018	Shamrock Rose	Mark E. Casse	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	14	1	25.90	106	Result
Del Mar	4/11/2017	Bar of Gold	John C. Kimmel	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	5	1	66.70	110	Result
Santa Anita	5/11/2016	Finest City	Ian Kruljac	Mike E. Smith	12	4	8.70	110	Result
Keeneland	10/31/2015	Wavell Avenue	Chad C. Brown	Joel Rosario	7	1	10.00	108	Result
Santa Anita	1/11/2014	Judy the Beauty	Wesley A. Ward	Mike E. Smith	7	2	3.10	98	Result
Santa Anita	2/11/2013	Groupie Doll	William B. Bradley	Rajiv Maragh	11	2	3.00	115	Result
Santa Anita	3/11/2012	Groupie Doll	William B. Bradley	Rajiv Maragh	9	2	0.70	121	Result
Churchill	4/11/2011	Musical Romance	William A. Kaplan	Juan C. Leyva	5	3	20.20	106	Result
Churchill	5/11/2010	Dubai Majesty	W. Bret Calhoun	Jamie Theriot	12	3	8.60	109	Result
Santa Anita	6/11/2009	Informed Decision	Jonathan E. Sheppard	Julien R. Leparoux	7	3	3.40	112	Result
Santa Anita	10/24/2008	Ventura	Robert J. Frankel	Garrett K. Gomez	11	1	2.80	115	Result
Monmouth	10/26/2007	Maryfield	Doug F. O'Neill	Elvis Trujillo	4	1	8.00	98	Result

Memorable Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Winners

Ventura (2008)

In only the second edition of the race, Ventura, trained be the late and greatly missed Bobby Frankel, stunned the racing world with a performance that saw her win by four lengths and get within one hundredth of a second of a new track record in the process.

Groupie Doll (2012, 2013)

Groupie Doll cemented her legacy by winning back-to-back editions of the Filly & Mare Sprint. Her 2012 victory was particularly memorable, as she won by an impressive 4 1/2 lengths having been positioned wide conceding ground throughout, and she remains the only multiple winner of the race.

Covfefe (2019)

Named after a viral tweet by former US President Donald Trump, presumed to have been a typo, Covfefe lived up to her name's buzz with a hard-fought victory in the 2019 edition. In doing so she became only the second three-year-old, after 25/1 shot Shamrock Rose a year earlier, to win the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.

 

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