In Profile: She Feels Pretty

By Peter Fornatale 

She Feels Pretty has always been good. Having won on her debut, she landed a Grade 1 at the very first time of asking on her second start, scoring in the Natalma Stakes at Woodbine by 4.25 lengths. Despite a stellar career since, a Breeders’ Cup win has proved elusive – she will look to put that right in this year’s Filly & Mare Turf.

In fairness to She Feels Pretty, she’s only had one shot at the meet, running an excellent third in the 2023 Juvenile Fillies Turf on her next start after the Natalma. Connections may feel that last year was one that got away, though, as she emphatically won Grade 1 races either side of last year’s Filly & Mare Turf, which connections ultimately decided to skip.

The first of those Grade 1 wins came by 6 lengths over George Boughey’s Soprano in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup, an opponent who had been beaten just 1.5 lengths by the mighty Porta Fortuna in the Matron Stakes on her previous start, a hint at just how good She Feels Pretty is. That victory also came in first time blinkers, and the headgear has continued to have a positive effect since.

The daughter of Karakontie notched up another easy win in the Santa Anita Oaks on her final start of 2024 before she was put away for the winter, eventually returning in May of this year in the Modesty Stakes. Sent off slightly odds-on, She Feels Pretty once again ran out a cosy winner, giving weight and a beating to talented South African import Gimme A Nother.

Grade 1 number four soon followed in the New York Stakes at Saratoga where She Feels Pretty overcame a slow start, keenness and a yielding track to hold off another ex-South African in the shape of Beach Bomb.

It was Saratoga up next again for She Feels Pretty as she contested the Diana Stakes five weeks later. Sent off a short-price once more, this time she could only finish in second, but arguably enhanced her reputation in chasing home Excellent Truth. That mare had some very good European form having finish runner up to the very talented Mqse De Sevigne in the Group 1 Prix Rothschild last year and looked to have been trained to fire her very best shot in the Diana.

Given that, there was still plenty of merit in going down by just a head, particularly as she was attempting to give 4lbs away to her conqueror. She emerged as the best horse in the race and the pair came well clear of an excellent yardstick in Dynamic Pricing.

Cherie DeVaux star has bounced back to winning ways in fine style subsequently in the E P Taylor Stakes. Having raced a little keenly early on, She Feels Pretty tanked her way into the lead at the top of the straight with an easy victory looking a formality, but she was made to work quite hard in the end my Diamond Rain, who closed to within a head at the line.

It was maybe a little concerning to see her all out in the end, but I think there are plenty of reasons to look positively on that effort. Once again, she came well clear with the runner up, who I think is improving rapidly and is quite a good horse, and she also ran a career-best Beyer of 104, while she was still in front after the line and may have been idling.

That last point is key, as this year’s Filly & Mare Turf is run over 11 furlongs, a distance She Feels Pretty has yet to tackle. This speedy sort will need to settle better than she has in the past, but a sharp track should play to her strengths and if she can relax early her formidable late pace should make her a huge threat to all.

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