Cy Fair, Slay The Day Set for Rematch in Mamzelle

The April 10 Limestone Stakes (G3T) at Keeneland was marketed as the return of Cy Fair, who was making her first start since defeating the boys in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1T) in late October. However, it was Slay the Day who stole the day with a victory while Cy Fair was third. On April 30, Slay the Day and Cy Fair are set for a rematch during the Thurby feature at Churchill Downs: the $300,000 Mamzelle Stakes (G3T). The Medallion Racing, Swinbank Stables, Joey Platts and Mark Stanton-owned Cy Fair has only been defeated twice in her five-race career, although both came over Thursday's 5 1/2-furlong distance. The daughter of Not This Time did win her debut at that distance last July at Saratoga Race Course. Although beaten in her seasonal debut, the George Weaver trainee turned in a solid front-running performance, losing by just three-quarters of a length and is likely to improve in her second start off the layoff. Flying Dutchmen Breeding and Racing's Slay the Day sat a perfect stalking trip at Keeneland, applying pressure to Cy Fair before outfinishing her in the lane and holding on by a neck. In post 8, Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez could very well work out a similar trip as Cy Fair breaks from post 5. Slay the Day made her first three starts on dirt as she had trained very well over the surface. However, Flying Dutchmen president Hunter Rankin said they realized she had reached her ceiling on the dirt before trainer Brian Lynch made the call to switch to grass. The decision has been rewarded with consecutive wins. Both fillies will be returning on 20-days rest, as will Winchell Thoroughbreds' Snow Face Princess, who defeated Cy Fair at Saratoga last fall but was last of nine when making her 3-year-old debut in the Limestone. Rankin said the timing was not ideal, but the fact a competitor as strong as Cy Fair is doing the same thing should even the playing field. "We had high hopes for her when she was a 2-year-old," Rankin said of Slay the Day. "She bounced out (of the Limestone) like she should. It was really cool to beat (Cy Fair), hopefully we can do it again." Coming in off a longer layoff of six months is Gary Barber and Peter Deutsch's Final Accord. The daughter of War of Will won the 6-furlong Matron Stakes (G3T) at Aqueduct Racetrack last fall, but sustained a minor injury in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) that led to a ninth-place finish. Dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse said the filly is doing well ahead of her season debut. Although she may prefer a bit more ground, Casse knew he needed to get her season started. "This might be just a touch short for her, but when you have a filly that's already won a graded stakes that's 3, there's not a lot of options, so you pretty well got to come back in stakes," Casse said. "That's why we're here." Casse will also saddle a promising 12-1 longshot in Midnight Martini for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Blue Crevalle Racing, and Torie Gladwell. The daughter of Yaupon has been lightning out of the gate in two starts, setting fractions of :21.27 and :43.82 in her debut win on grass. In an allowance race over the Gulfstream Park Tapeta, she set fractions of :21.14 and :44.31 before being beat 3 lengths while second. Stretching out an extra half-furlong, Casse thinks the return to grass should help. "She won very impressively on the grass, didn't run quite as well on the Tapeta," he said. "She's fast."