Be Your Best Eyes Breeders’ Cup Berth in Flower Bowl
Be Your Best, a Grade 1-winning Irish homebred, is set to make her return on three weeks' rest in the $500,000 Flower Bowl (G2), a 1 3/8-mile inner turf race for older fillies and mares at Saratoga Race Course. This race offers a 'Win and You’re In' berth into the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf, making it a key event for contenders aiming to qualify.
The Flower Bowl is one of three stakes races on Saturday’s card, which also includes the Grade 1, $300,000 Spinaway and the Grade 3, $175,000 Prioress. The 13-race card begins at 12:05 p.m. (ET).
Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., Be Your Best last competed in the Grade 2 Beverly D. on August 9 at Colonial Downs, where she finished third. Despite sitting off the pace, she was unable to maintain her position as the race developed. Her trainer believes the race's pace may have affected her performance.
“I thought she ran well in the Beverly D., but it kind of became a tricky race pace-wise,” Joseph said. “We took back and let the other horse go, and that horse kept going. We didn’t think that other filly could go the distance, but she did. I think we compromised our horse a little bit by giving up the lead.”
Joseph chose to bring Be Your Best back quickly due to the Flower Bowl’s significance as a 'Win and You’re In' event. She worked three-eighths in 38 seconds flat on August 24 over the Saratoga main track, showing she is ready for the challenge.
Be Your Best has had a strong season, beginning with a neck victory in the Grade 2 Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational in January at Gulfstream Park. She followed this with a Grade 1 win in the Gamely in May at Santa Anita Park.
The consistent mare started her career under trainer Horacio De Paz and moved to Joseph’s barn last fall. She earned her first graded victory at second asking when she won the Grade 3 Long Island at Aqueduct Racetrack.
This will be Be Your Best’s first Saratoga start under Joseph, though she previously performed well there for De Paz. She has shown a preference for firm turf, which is crucial for her performance.
Edgard Zayas, who guided her to victory in the Pegasus, will ride from post 7. His experience with the mare adds confidence to her chances.
Other Contenders in the Flower Bowl
Miguel Clement, who recently took over his late father’s stable, has several strong entries in the race. La Mehana, a dual graded stakes winner, enters from an impressive victory in the Glens Falls, where she recorded a career-best 104 Beyer Speed Figure.
La Mehana, a 6-year-old daughter of Al Wukair, has had success both in Europe and the U.S. She has shown an affinity for soft turf and is expected to perform well on firm ground.
Moyglare Stud Farm’s Bellezza, a 4-year-old Siyouni bay, also has a strong record. She won the Grade 3 Sheepshead Bay at 10-1 odds and has placed in several graded races. Trainer Clement hopes for firmer turf conditions to showcase her full potential.
In Time, a 6-year-old Zarak mare, makes her return to stakes company after a recent win. She has a solid record at the race’s distance and has been training well at Belmont Park.
Steep Competition Ahead
Marksman Queen, a graded stakes-winning homebred trained by Graham Motion, presents a significant challenge. She secured her first graded victory in the Robert G. Dick Memorial and has a strong pedigree, being a half-sister to multiple Group 1 winners.
Other notable entrants include Long Ago, Amber Cascade, and Madame Mischief, each with their own accomplishments and strengths. Amanda's Folly is entered for the main track-only, adding another layer of competition.
With such a competitive field, the Flower Bowl promises to be a thrilling race, offering a chance for Be Your Best and others to secure their spot in the Breeders’ Cup.