Distance Advice?

[Lily Wilkins]

Hello everyone,
I currently have this filly in my care https://www.simhorseracing.com/horse.ph ... ID=1097747
Should I just assume at this point that she doesn't like anything longer than 1 1/16? I am struggling because she jumped to Freak at week 9, and after her win last night I would love to try a stakes with her next out. I'm also thinking that depending on how she runs in said stakes, she might get put into a Grade 1 to end the season.
The problem I'm having is that a lot of the appealing stakes races seem to be longer than what she wants to run. I don't think I was being very fair with her either of the times I asked her to go 1 1/8 though, so her losses at that distance could be due to trainer error (asking too much too soon).
I am horrible at analyzing pedigrees and looking for clues about potential distance preferences, does anyone have insight?

[Dylan Christensen]

If you really think she just can't go past 1 1/16 it may be worth trying her out at a mile. Pedigree wise I don't see much indicating that but if she just can't seem to go longer it may be worth a shot.

[Lori Hamill]

It looks to me like her sire preferred 1 1/8 and most of his higher earners also prefer that distance, though Stewbred Gallentry seems to be liking stretching out at 3. So it could be possible that she is going to prefer shorter routes. Her dam did win a few at longer (I believe when she was older) and there is Gallantry so.... maybe try her at longer on a softer stakes then the two 1 1/8 you tried her at?

Hopefully people with more knowledge will jump in with some ideas!

[Lily Wilkins]

Thanks for the responses
I might go with the idea of a softer 1 1/8 just to determine once and for all if it could work for her or not.

[Michael Looker]

After the Disco was a deadset 1 1/4mi horse. St Nicholas Day has ended up faster because of his dam. She threw a miler (Auston Mathews) when crossed with Man of Mystery, who is another 1 1/4mi influence (and is the damsire of your filly).

I'm not sure why Ya Filthy Animal is throwing so much speed. Follow that damline back to the mare Chocolate and you see that most of her best horses wanted 1 1/4mi at least, with some who raced on past their prime finding success in their later years at 2mi (my boy Steelheart winning a 2mi Gr. 1 as a 7yo, then finished 6th in a SC Marathon in which his SC Classic-winning half-brother finished 2nd). That's even with Chocolate being out of a Tot Ziens (miler/short router) mare.

Man of Mystery is a 1/14mi+ influence, as is Paramount.

There's no way you can say she doesn't handle 1 1/8mi based on two runs in tough fields, so the easier 1 1/8mi stakes race you've picked out is a nice spot. You can try 1mi thinking she's similar to Auston Mathews if you'd like, but personally when I see After the Disco/Man of Mystery/Paramount I'd be looking to try her beyond 1 1/8mi too.

[Erin Sanderson]

From what I see, she just wasn't quite ready to run in the Louisville Oaks and had her confidence shaken a bit, hence the tough run against a really good field in the Trap Stakes. Now that she's got another win under her belt, I'd definitely try 1 1/8 with her again.

After the Disco was a deadset 1 1/4mi horse. St Nicholas Day has ended up faster because of his dam. She threw a miler (Auston Mathews) when crossed with Man of Mystery, who is another 1 1/4mi influence (and is the damsire of your filly).

I'm not sure why Ya Filthy Animal is throwing so much speed. Follow that damline back to the mare Chocolate and you see that most of her best horses wanted 1 1/4mi at least, with some who raced on past their prime finding success in their later years at 2mi (my boy Steelheart winning a 2mi Gr. 1 as a 7yo, then finished 6th in a SC Marathon in which his SC Classic-winning half-brother finished 2nd). That's even with Chocolate being out of a Tot Ziens (miler/short router) mare.

Ya Filthy Animal comes by the speed honestly, as does Auston Matthews. She never won beyond 1 1/16 miles. It was not unusual for Anointed to get faster runners when crossed on a speedy mare, and believe it or not, Vortex was a heavy speed influence (his top earner is a miler, the second was my Tempest who could hardly win past 1 1/16 miles, and top son was a Baltimore Crown winner that was best at those shorter distances, for a few examples). That's saying nothing of the fact that, while Anointed was himself a classic runner, his sire, Messiah, was a pretty effective mile influence, as well. Vanilla did all of her running at 1 1/8 and under, with a lone stakes win eked out at 1 1/4 miles over a fairly weak field. While Chocolate threw a lot of stamina, I think we're seeing a collective influence of Messiah, Vortex, and Chocolate's sire and dam (East could throw very fast routers and milers, as could Capricious, a daughter of the equally speedy Tot Ziens). I think it actually seems more unusual to me that Chocolate's sons were so good at classic and marathon distances.