While the Phillies make a run for baseball’s highest honor for the first time in years, this Friday all eyes will be on a different kind of filly.

For the record, I still hate the idea of a filly friday. It is like saying they are not important enough to be seen on one of racing’s greatest days. The fact that at least one of the races will be among the top two most buzz generating races, adds further insult to injury. Zenyatta has star power, and has never been beaten. Horse racing loves a good undefeated story, and hers is a doozy. This filly does things so easily, it is hard to imagine her ever getting beat. Ginger Punch is no slouch though, and does not like to lose. She is not going to willingly hand her title over to Zenyatta. Only eight fillies and mares were entered in this race, which says a lot about the quality of competition. Carriage Trail is an interesting prospect, as is Cocoa Beach (who recently defeated Ginger Punch). Don’t expect that to be so easy a second time around, and think long and hard before leaving Ginger off your tickets, especially in the win spot. Zenyatta is 3-5 and that is probably pretty accurate, but it would not be terribly surprising to see any of these fillies in the winners’ circle (ok, that isn’t entirely true- Bear Now or Santa Teresita).

The filly sprint also has Indian Blessing and she has never finished worse than second, a feat made so impressive because at times she was entered in races beyond her distance specialty. Thankfully, Baffert has dropped her back to sprints, and she has not disappointed. There is nothing wrong with being a top class sprinter, and Indian Blessing is that. She would have had a real shot at the boys this year also, but what would have been the point? If she can win Friday, she all but wraps up her second eclipse award. Standing in her way are Dearest Trickski, Indyanne, Intangaroo and maybe even Lady Sprinter.  Magnificience looked like a real rising star last spring, but injury sidelined her until this May. She has not returned to her former glory, and may be one of the many horses that never return to form off an injury. If that is not the case, she is more than capable of pulling an upset.

The juvenile filly turf looks wide open with Laragh and Saucey Evening leading the pack. And while Stardom Bound looks to be the favorite for the Juvenile, there are many accomplished fillies in this field. Eight of these fillies are coming off an win in their last outing, and only three have finished worse than fourth, ever. This race could be a handicapper’s nightmare.

The Filly and Mare Turf is led by Wait a While, a mare that runs her absolute best while in California. She has some Euros to fend off, and in this spot they are always dangerous. Forever Together and Precious Kitten are also tough competitors. Normally with Breeders Cup Turf races, it is a good formula to just bet on the European contingent, but this year America brings as impressive a line-up as ever there was.

Two days of racing is a good idea, but putting all the girls on one day, is somewhat insulting, and it is hard to articulate why that is. Obviously watching Ginger Punch and Zenyatta race is more interesting than watching the Juvenile Turfs, or really for me watching any Juvenile race at this point. The past few Juvenile winners (save Indian Blessing and Street Sense) are never there once the Derby rolls around anyway, and they never return to the same form they had for The Breeders Cup. Perhaps, the best bit of wisdom was putting Vineyard Haven away for the spring. Now maybe next year they can schedule all the babes for Friday, and put the DISTAFF right in front on the Classic.