Tepin Hopes to be Keeneland's 'First Lady'

Robert Masterson's Tepin (Bernstein) looks to return to her winnings ways in Saturday's GI First Lady S. going a mile on the grass at Keeneland after a pair of near misses in her two most recent efforts. Kicking off this term with an optional claimer win going this distance at Gulfstream, the bay bested Grade I winner Coffee Clique (Medaglia d'Oro) in Churchill's GII Distaff Turf Mile S. May 2 and followed suit with a victory in Belmont's one-mile GI Just A Game S. June 6. The Mark Casse pupil came within a nose of Hard Not to Like (Hard Spun) when runner-up in Saratoga's nine-furlong GI Diana S. July 25 and was caught late to be second by a head last time in that venue's 1 1/16-mile GII Ballston Spa S. Aug. 29. The only Grade I winner and only millionaire in the field, Tepin cuts back to what seems to be her preferred distance. Casse's son and assistant trainer Norman said earlier this week that they were using this test as a prep for a start in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile if all goes well.

Hall of Famer Bill Mott sends out Alpha Delta Stables's My Miss Sophia (Unbridled's Song), who has been a consistent performed since switching to grass three starts back. Winner of last term's GII Gazelle S. and runner-up in the GI Kentucky Oaks for previous trainer Todd Pletcher and owner Mathis Stables LLC, the chestnut brought $2.15 million from these owners at the Fasig-Tipton November sale and was transferred to the Mott barn. Fifth in Churchill's GI La Troienne S. in her last start on dirt May 1, she captured a grassy 1 1/8-mile optional claimer at Belmont June 5 and finished fourth in the Diana. The 4-year-old was third by just 3/4 of a length last time in the Ballston Spa.

While My Miss Sophia appears to be the biggest threat to favored Tepin from America, it is the European contingent that looms as more of a danger here. Aidan O'Brien saddles both Easter (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Outstanding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who both represent the Coolmore trio of Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith. Winner of Gowran Park's Hurry Harriet S. Aug. 12, Easter returned in the G1 Darley Yorkshire Oaks just eight days later and finished ninth to Pleascach (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}). Second in The Curraugh's G3 Dance Design S. Aug. 30 and fifth in that venue's G2 Blandford S. Sept. 13, the sophomore finished second last time in the G3 Lavarack & Lanwades S. Sept. 20 and receives Lasix for the first time here. Heroine of the Naas Oaks Trial June 24, Outstanding made her first trip to the States July 4 and finished third behind undefeated Lady Eli (Divine Park) in the GI Belmont Oaks. A non-factor 11th in the Yorkshire Oaks, the bay was eighth in the Dance Design and sixth in the Blandford before completing the trifecta last time in the Lavarack & Lanwades.

Another one to consider in here is Paul Crowley's Crowley's Law (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who placed in a pair of Group 3 events overseas. Runner-up in Epsom's G3 Princess Elizabeth S. June 5 and a Cologne stake nine days later, the bay finished third in her final European start in the Dick Hern S. Aug. 8. The Thomas Dascombe trainee certainly did not disgrace herself when third by just a length last time in her American debut in Belmont's GIII Noble Damsel S. Sept. 19.