Chasing Shotgun Hottie (#8 center), Le Da Vida (#5 outside) just missed the win in the Grade 3 Molly Pitcher by a half length. (Ryan Denver/EQUI-PHOTO)
Breeders’ Cup Notes
Trainer Ignacio Correas will attempt to win his second edition of the Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) by taking a proven path when he tightens the girth on Chilean import LE DA VIDA (CHI) in the nine-furlong division-defining test. The Argentine conditioner expressed satisfaction Saturday morning with how the daughter of Gemologist has progressed leading into what will be her toughest task to date, reporting that the multiple stakes winner exited her 4f Friday breeze in 49 flat in good shape and jogged an easy circuit of Keeneland on Saturday.
“Her breeze was brilliant,” Correas said. “She worked too fast last week (4f in a best-of-79 47 3/5 on Oct. 21) and that wasn’t the plan. The plan was an easy work last week and a little bit more this week, so we had to adapt the work. She went easy yesterday and looked great. It was a very nice work and Vincent (Cheminaud, jockey) was very happy with her after the work.”
Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) contender Didia (ARG) and Le Da Vida will be Correas’ fourth and fifth Breeders’ Cup runners, with his lone victory coming the most recent time the World Championships were held at Santa Anita. On that occasion, his South American import Blue Prize (ARG), who annexed Spinster beforehand, again took home the lion’s share in the $2 million Distaff. Sent off at 8-1, she upset odds-on favorite Midnight Bisou in the process.
Late-running Le Da Vida has raced eight times in 2023, winning once, but placing five times, including a determined second in the Spinster. Earlier in the season, she ran an eye-catching 101 Beyer Speed Figure when winning the Lady Jacqueline Stakes at Thistledown and sports an impressive 8-5-2-1 career record over nine furlongs — including that effort.
“I think in this race, she’s going to need a little bit of help from the pace, of course, but I am sure she’s going to run a very big race,” Correas said. “She always seems to run well and the only race I can’t explain is the (Grade 3) Locust Grove (on Sept. 16), where she got very nervous in the paddock. She didn’t run a lick that day, but then we schooled her a lot and she ran her race in the Spinster.
“If she runs her race, she will be right there, and if everyone goes crazy on the front end, you never know — she may surprise them. She’s going to keep coming and is a very brave filly. I understand she’s not considered the top of the class of the race, but at the same time, the winner of the Spinster (Idiomatic) probably won’t get that easy trip this time with plenty of speed in the race. She’s moving up and I only have one wish with her: I want to see her change leads for once in her life. It could happen whenever — and if she does that, she will have an extra gear. Maybe then she can win.
“Like I said, I think she’s going to run a big race — it’s just a matter of how big.”
