By Alan Carasso
For the first time in its history, Saturday's GI First Lady S. at Keeneland is a qualifying race for the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf and the race has attracted a field relatively short on numbers, but very high on quality.
Dona Bruja (Arg) (Storm Embrujado {Arg}) was nearly perfect in her native Argentina and made a seamless transition to American racing from a class standpoint with effortless wins in the GIII Mint Julep H. and GIII Modesty H. in her first two trips to the post stateside. Sent off the 23-10 favorite for the GI Beverly D. S. Aug. 13, she made something of a premature move and displayed her trademark sharp turn of foot, but could not resist the late surge of Dacita (Chi) (Scat Daddy) and settled for a dead-heat for second. Dona Bruja is not yet nominated to the Breeders' Cup.
Roca Rojo (Ire) (Strategic Prince {GB}) missed by a nose to Miss Temple City (Temple City) in last year's GI Matriarch S. and resumed with a victory in the GII Distaff Turf Mile at Churchill May 7. Last of seven as the favorite in the GI Just a Game S. June 10, she endured a troubled trip when third to stablemate Lady Eli (Divine Park) and Dickinson (Medaglia d'Oro) in the GII Ballston Spa S. Aug. 26.
The latter defeated Lady Eli in this track's GI Jenny Wiley S. this past April and set leisurely fractions in the Ballston Spa, but was no match late for the eventual winner.
Hakwsmoor (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}), winner of the 2016 G2 German 1000 Guineas, was beaten a head into third behind Time and Motion (Tapit) in the GI QE II Challenge Cup at this venue last October. She posted front-running wins in the GIII Beaugay S. and GII New York S. when allowed soft leads each time, but was no better than seventh in the Beverly D. after racing prominently.
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