Charles Fipke’s homebred Perfect Shirl, trained by Roger Attfield, surged to the lead in deep stretch to win the $2-million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Churchill Downs.
Perfect Shirl, who was a finalist for a Sovereign Award as Turf Female in 2010, had yet to win this year in six starts while racing mostly in stakes events, but the four-year-old bay was resplendent in victory in Louisville.
“I’m ecstatic,” said Attfield. “I had my doubts about running her. I was very concerned because she’s never been able to handle a soft course. Once I saw how she was moving down the backside, I could see she was moving beautifully and I became very excited.”
Dubawi Heights led the 11-horse field, reduced when Announce was a late scratch after bumping into a horse ambulance parked on the track, through a quarter in :25.44 and a half in :51.07, as Perfect Shirl, under jockey John Velazquez, rated comfortably from eighth position. Dubawi Heights was put under pressure heading into the far turn by Dynaslew, but it was a fast-moving Nahrain who would take command at the top of the stretch. Perfect Shirl, who was fifth travelling four-wide as the field turned for home, demonstrated an impressive turn of foot to take the lead in mid-stretch and held strong to win by three-quarters of a length. Nahrain nosed out a rallying Misty For Me, who stumbled at the start, for place.
Perfect Shirl covered a mile and three-eights in 2:18.62, over a turf course rated as ‘good’.
Velazquez was thrilled with the ‘perfect trip’ he engineered for Perfect Shirl.
“She was aggressive early, but when we went by the wire the first time she settled right down,” said Velazquez. “From there on out, I had a perfect trip. Roger didn’t give me any instructions. He said he just wanted me to save her for the end. We wanted to save something for the finish. It worked out just like we’d hoped.”
An emotional Fipke was elated with the performance of the daughter of Perfect Soul-Lady Shirl.
“You know, when it comes down to it, it’s the heart of the horse, and that horse really has a lot of heart,” said Fipke.
It was the first Breeders’ Cup win for Attfield, an eight-time winner of the Sovereign Award as Outstanding Trainer. The English-born conditioner knew he had an improving horse in his barn.
“She’s been progressing all the way through this year and getting better and better,” said Attfield. “I said if the turf course was firm, she’s going to run really, really well for me. I was wrong about the going, and she handled it, and she did very well. She’s a filly that’s been gradually getting better and better all year.”
Perfect Shirl who earned $1,818,000 in victory, improved her record to four wins, two second and five third-place finishes from 15 career starts.
She paid $57.70 to win.
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