Horse-by-horse-guide: Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf

By Peter Fornatale

We close out Breeders’ Cup 2025 at 00.25 on Sunday morning with a memorable running of the Filly and Mare Turf, live on Sky Sports Racing. It is a race that invaders have had success in each of the last six years, with the last US-based winner being Sistercharlie back in 2018. 

The race did stay North America last year with Moira capturing the spoils. This year the international flare continues with the various members of the field having made their starts in an amazing seven different countries (US, Canada, France, England, Ireland, Japan, and Peru). This is truly the Olympics of horse racing.

#1 MISSION OF JOY

Umberto Rispoli | Phil D’Amato

Lost her way somewhat for her previous yard but seems to be working her way back to the level that saw her place in Grade 1 company on two occasions. Was behind Gimme A Nother two back but probably didn’t have the right flow of things and she appeared to enjoy the 10-furlong trip when winning the Grade 2 Rodeo Drive with a late rally. Best career Beyer of 98 gives her some hope of hitting the board here, but ran just an 88 in victory last time out and needs a huge leap up.

#2 STELLIFY

Florent Geroux | Brad Cox

Took three starts to get off the mark but hasn’t looked back since, storming through the grades and taking the rise to Grade 3 company in her stride in the Ladies Marathon Invitational last time out, storming clear from the front. Didn’t beat a lot that day and had the run of the race, but wasn’t doing a lot in front and the Beyer, 95, was good with plenty more to come. This might be a bit much for her at this stage of her career, but she has some nice tactical speed which should stand her in good stead and the talent is there. Possible divisional player next season.

#3 ATSILA

Gavin Ryan | Donnacha O’Brien

Behind Cinderella’s Dream a couple of times this season and didn’t build on her fine third in the Matron in the Sun Chariot last time out. Needs plenty more and stamina looks a big concern.

#4 VILLAGE VOICE

Flavien Prat | Chad Brown

Group 3 winner for Jessica Harrington in 2023 and has only had one start for this yard having moved to Chad Brown following a fine fourth in the 2024 Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes. Got the job done at the first time of asking in the Waya Stakes, running down the talented Beach Bomb, who had run She Feels Pretty close earlier in the year. Not much to go on with just that run to her name this year, but she is fresh and the 95 Beyer wasn’t bad if you figure she will improve for the run. Could be telling that Brown, who has dominated this division in recent years and won this race four times, fields her as his only runner.

#5 GEZORA

Mickael Barzalona | Francis-Henri Graffard

French Oaks winner who ran a fine Arc trial in the Vermeille (Bedtime Story behind in both races), running some good splits against a very talented horse in Aventure. Didn’t cut much ice in the Arc itself but likely had little chance from her draw and that run looks an easy enough toss. Very solid chance on form but has to prove herself going left-handed and on very firm ground – her trainer has spoken of her love for soft and her dam was below par in two runs in the US, including when bombing out badly in the 2006 renewal of this race.

#6 DIAMOND RAIN

Billy Loughnane | Charlie Appleby

Lightly-raced filly who was highly tried as a three-year-old following a promising start to her career. Has returned this year as an improved model, winning a listed race on her seasonal bow before landing the Group 3 Hoppings on the tapeta at Newcastle, running some fine splits in the process. Excelled herself in the E.P Taylor Stakes at Woodbine last time out, where she came from further back than She Feels Pretty off steady fractions, running the fastest final two furlongs and just missing at the line. Shaped as though an extra furlong would suit her there and the time was fast with the Beyer coming back at 104 (Moira ran 100 when winning the F&M Turf last year), so comes here with a big shout with the prospect of more to come.

#7 BE YOUR BEST

Irad Ortiz Jr. | Saffie Joseph Jr.

Exposed five-year-old who broke through at Grade 1 level this season when landing the Gamely in front-running style. Probably needed the run off a short break when flattening out late in the Beverly D next time out and set sharp enough fractions on her most recent start when overwhelmed late in the Flower Bowl, with the first two having raced off the speed as the last pair. Potential pace angle, but a career-best 98 Beyer suggests she may have to settle for minor honours.

#8 CATHEDRAL

David Egan | Kevin Philippart de Foy

Connections of this filly will already feel like winners as they’ve managed to draw into this field from a seemingly impossible position. She has some good form, having finished fourth in both the Coronation Stakes and the Matron, finishing one spot behind Atsila in the latter. She reversed that form next time out when finishing a place ahead of that rival in the Sun Chariot, but she was also 1.5 lengths behind Cinderella’s Dream there despite a better position through the race. Needs this extra ground to bring out major improvement, and striding and pedigree do not give cause for optimism in that regard.

#9 CINDERELLA'S DREAM

William Buick | Charlie Appleby

Looked most unlucky not to win this contest last year and, on ratings at least, has improved as a four-year-old. Was devastating in the Dahlia Stakes before winning the Falmouth either side of a fine run at Royal Ascot. Probably unsuited by the flow when a place in front of Bedtime Story in the Prix Jean Romanet prior to running only OK in the Sun Chariot on her most recent start. Clearly a filly with talent and a return to this track might be just what she needs, but I’d have like to have seen a little more sparkle last time out but that may have been all about the ground. She’s still an obvious contender.

#10 LA KIKA 

Mirco Demuro | Doug O’Neill

Leading light on turf back in Peru but beaten out of sight on her only start in the US, finishing last in the Zenyatta on her first start on dirt. Impossible to make a cogent case for this one.

#11 BEDTIME STORY

Christophe Soumillon | Aidan O’Brien

Crack two-year-old who looked a superstar when storming clear in the Chesham, but lost her way subsequently and ended last season on a relatively dull note. Hasn’t managed to get her head in front this season but she has basically had excuses in every start as she has frequently been held up off slow paces in top class events, including at Ascot in the Group 1 Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes. She stayed on well late into fourth there and she will get ground that has firm in the description for the first time since her Royal Ascot romp – has a big effort in her when things fall right and I’ve been waiting a long time to see what she can accomplish in the US. She’s on my radar for sure.

#12 BELLEZZA

Tyler Gaffalione | Miguel Clement

Moyglare Stud-owned filly who was a listed winner at Dundalk for Ger Lyons at the end of 2024 prior to moving to the US. Has won two of her four starts for team Clement, taking the Grade 3 Sheepshead Bay on her American bow and, most recently, winning the Grade 2 Flower Bowl at Saratoga. She was beaten twice in between those efforts but both of those runs came on yielding going and it might be smart to infer that the decision to switch her to America was because of a preference for better ground. Will definitely get that here and there was a lot to like about the Flower Bowl win, although she needs to improve again on that 97 Beyer and is beholden to a fast pace.

#13 SHE FEELS PRETTY

John Velazquez | Cherie DeVaux

Has emerged as the dominant force amongst turf distaffers since the blinkers went on, winning all but one of her starts since the headgear was applied. Her only defeat came in the Diana where you could argue she was the best horse at the weights and her victory over Diamond Rain most recently saw her record a 104 Beyer, which would be very close to good enough to win a regular Filly & Mare Turf. Ran a strange race there, flashing her tail while cruising around and looking like she was going to win impressively, only to be barely holding on at the line. I’m inclined to think she was idling and that would be a small concern for a horse going up in distance and she is definitely a horse with quirks. With that said, she is also a horse with immense ability, perhaps the most in this field, and it’ll take a good one to beat her.

#14 SEE THE FIRE

Oisin Murphy | Andrew Balding

Devastating against inferior rivals in the Group 2 Middleton at York back in May and hasn’t really had things drop right at all since. No shame in chasing home Ombudsman and Anmaat in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot having maybe challenged a bit closer to the inside than ideal, and lost all chance at the start at Goodwood next time but still ran a mighty race. The International at York was an odd contest and she was trapped wide throughout there, but she still beat Arc winner Daryz and didn’t run at all badly in the circumstances. Ran an excellent race to go down by a short-neck to the improving Barnavara last time out, particularly as she was probably a little pace compromised there. This intermediate distance should suit her and has a very good chance on form and ratings. The draw is very tricky given the three turns of this race and the fact that they start on a bend.