Last year's champion female turf horse Tepin (Bernstein) kicks off her 5-year-old season against a number of formidable foes in Tampa's GIII Endeavour S. Saturday. The Bat Masterson colorbearer was a head and a nose away from a perfect seven-for-seven season in 2015, suffering heartbreakers in Saratoga's GI Diana S. and GI Ballston Spa S. after annexing the GII Churchill Distaff Turf Mile in May and Belmont's GI Just a Game S. in June. Putting those tough beats behind her with a seven-length drubbing over soft turf in Keeneland's GI First Lady S. Oct. 3, Tepin turned in one of the most impressive performances of Breeders' Cup weekend when she comfortably handled males in the GI Mile Oct. 31. “We feel she is training super,” offered trainer Mark Casse, also saddles 2014 Canadian Horse of the Year Lexie Lou (Sligo Bay {Ire}) in this spot. “She is the same Tepin we saw last year, and we're expecting big things from her again.” Tepin's training has been disrupted slightly due to wet weather, but she returned to the Palm Meadows turf course for her final drill–a :49 2/5 (6/21) breeze Feb. 6. “It has been a bit of a challenge getting her ready because of the weather. That said, all systems are go,” Casse offered. “She is a tough horse and a good work horse, and that helps you because those kind of horses put a lot into it. I believe in confidence, and she has a lot of confidence. She got into a groove last year and hopefully it will keep going.”
Certainly no other runner in the Endeavour boasts a resume like Tepin's, but that's not to say there aren't other accomplished mares in the group. Photo Call (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) broke through at the graded level for trainer Graham Motion in Monmouth's GIII Violet S. Aug. 29, and shipped to Santa Anita to upset the GI Rodeo Drive S. Sept. 26. Fifth in the Oct. 31 GI Breeders' Cup F/M Turf, she subsequently sold for $3 million to J. J. Crupi's New Castle on behalf of Teresa Viola Stables and was turned over to Todd Pletcher.
Lady Lara (Ire) (Excellent Art {GB}) went 3-2-1-0 in her first three North American appearances, but endured a three-race off-the-board streak behind Tepin in the Distaff Turf Mile, Just a Game and Diana. Second and third, respectively, in Belmont's GIII Noble Damsel S. Sept. 19 and GIII Athenia S. Oct. 17, she rediscovered her best form to take Gulfstream Park West's GIII My Charmer H. Nov. 21. Third finisher Sandiva (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) returned to take Gulfstream's GIII Marshua's River S. Nov. 21, and is the morning-line favorite for Saturday's GII Royal Delta S.
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