Can Frankie Dettori keep a lid on Inspiral as she steps up in trip for the Filly & Mare Turf?

The Filly & Mare Turf is back at Santa Anita on what is typically a tight track to race round, which will likely put the emphasis on draw and gate speed. The first three in the betting, Inspiral, Warm Heart and In Italian, all have advantageous low draws.

The last four runnings have been landed by horses who were trained outside North America. That record extends to seven of the last ten runnings and there is every chance of it happening again.

There will be questions over Inspiral stepping up to 1m2f for the first time, for all it looks as if she should stay, and the course’s sharpness is likely to help her, as well as the quick surface.

Warm Heart arrives having not run since September but has progressed all season, landing consecutive Group 1 victories. Those wins were at 1m4f, however. Although Warm Heart shapes as if stamina is one of her key strengths, she has winning form over 1m2f. The quick surface will also benefit her, but the drop in trip leaves questions. One big positive is her trainer Aidan O’Brien was successful in the race last year with Tuesday, whose profile was similar to Warm Heart’s.

The best fancied of the home challenge is In Italian, who was second in this race last year. She is consistent and has never been out of the first three. In Italian arrives with a good chance again back up in trip and with a better draw in stall one. Last year she was drawn 11.

Fev Rover edged out In The Moonlight in a Woodbine Grade 1 recently and that looks the strongest form of the remainder. However, this is a far stronger top-level prize.
Race analysis by Jonny Pearson

'I don't think she'll have any problem with the trip'

Inspiral looks the best chance Frankie Dettori has of a winner at this Breeders' Cup but the choice of race could be a surprise to some. As she nears the end of her third season, the daughter of Frankel steps up to 1m2f for the first time, having being raced over a mile for her last ten races.

It's been a successful policy, given she's won five Group 1 races in that time, but moving up in distance allows her to stick to her own sex rather than taking on males in the Mile.

"I don't think she'll have any problem with the trip," her trainer, John Gosden said. "We might find I should have run her over it earlier."

Inspiral works under Frankie Dettori on the turf track at Santa Anita in preparation for the Filly & Mare TurfCredit: Edward Whitaker

The risk of a tricky wide draw in the Mile was also on his mind and he pointed to the fact that Godolphin's Master Of The Seas is stuck in stall 14 for that race, compromising his chance. "American horses break far faster than ours, they're taught to. You get a wide draw at a mile, you have to hope they go ridiculously fast and you might catch them. I didn't want to take the risk."

Fast ground will suit Inspiral but getting her to settle through the early stages will take plenty of skill from her veteran rider.

Chad Brown holds the trainers' record in the race with four wins, most recently with Sistercharlie in 2018. No other US trainer has won since 2011. In Italian, runner-up to Tuesday last year, is much the shorter-priced of his two entries.

Also in the field is Fev Rover, a Group 2 winner in her juvenile days with Richard Fahey. Sold for 695,000gns in 2021, she is now with Mark Casse and the winner of two Grade 1s this year. "She is as good as she is gonna be, but this is a tall task," Casse said.

What they say

Aidan O'Brien, trainer of Warm Heart
She's a nice draw [2], she will probably go forward. She's tactical early, she has speed and gets the trip very well. Whatever comes and beats her will have to get the trip well. She doesn't lie down, she does fight.

Charlie Appleby, trainer of With The Moonlight
She's got plenty of experience. In Canada, it was just unfortunate that the ground had gone [when beaten by Fev Rover in the EP Taylor]. It was too slow for us and just knocked off a bit of her acceleration.

Joseph O'Brien, trainer of Lumiere Rock
She's been a solid, consistent filly all summer in the top-level fillies' races. She's earned her place here and we're hoping she can do us proud again. She seems to have travelled over well. She's a very straightforward, easy-come-easy-go kind of filly. I think the ground will be fine for her, she ran very well on quick ground at Royal Ascot. We'd like to be drawn lower. She likes to go forwards but she doesn't have to lead. There seems to be a bit of pace down low, so she'll probably end up somewhere behind the leaders. It looks a hotter than average renewal.

Ralph Beckett, trainer of State Occasion
Her draw [12 of 12] is tricky but she's in rare form and has done really well since she came. The ground is exactly what she wants.
Reporting by Chris Cook

Read more of Saturday's previews:

Godolphin have a huge chance of a Mile hat-trick as Guineas winner leads their pair 

'This is what we've been looking forward to all year' - Auguste Rodin, King Of Steel and Mostahdaf square up in Breeders' Cup Turf 

'If he brings his A-game I don't care who's against us' - is the Breeders' Cup Classic Arabian Knight's to lose? 

Nunthorpe hero Live In The Dream 'thriving' for biggest test yet in Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint 

The jumps season is coming! Pick up your copy of The Big Jump Off, out now and packed with everything you need for the 2023-24 National Hunt season. Our brilliant 72-page supplement, including ante-post tips, guest columnists, top trainer profiles, divisional analysis and much more, is available to order from the Racing Post shop here.