Filly and Mare Turf Division

MIDDAY-GB
Owner: Juddmonte Farms, Inc.
Trainer: Henry Cecil
Pedigree: B.f.,3, by Oasis Dream – Midsummer, by Kingmambo

Positives: Midday’s best winning performance in 2009 came in 10F Nassau S.-G1 at Goodwood in August, a race contested in heavy fog over soft ground in which she thoroughly handled by more than two lengths the previous year’s juvenile champion filly Rainbow View. However, her best overall effort likely occurred when she went down by a head to Sariska in the 12F English Oaks-G1 at Epsom in June, a race that confirmed the promise she displayed in a six length romp in the Lingfield Oaks Trial the previous month. The daughter of Oasis Dream had little more than a maiden win to her credit as a juvenile, but has competed successfully at the highest level during her sophomore campaign and lost little when third to Shalanaya and Board Meeting in the 10F Prix de l’Opera-G1 on Arc day in her most recent start while perhaps a bit below her best following a two month hiatus. She owns enough tactical speed to be forwardly placed if needed, but like most of the top class Europeans can turn it on late, and if she adapts to the top-of-the-ground conditions that Santa Anita’s turf course presents, she’ll be extremely formidable.

Concerns: It’s been somewhat of a long year for Midday (she made her seasonal bow in April), but with only six starts this year she should be relatively fresh. She has won on firm ground, but firm at Newmarket is not the same as firm in California. Her top Racing Post Rating (120 in her Nassau S. victory) compares very favorably to the 118 assigned Forever Together her victory in last year’s BC Filly and Mare Turf, but that doesn’t guarantee she’ll reproduce that effort at the tail end of the season over hard ground half way around the world.

Bottom Line: Midday is yet another Euro import who needs to be observed upon her arrival to accurately judge her chances. She certainly has the class and ability to win if she arrives in the condition that suggests she has one more big performance left in her.