Grade I
Six furlongs
Firm Turf
$1,000,000
3 years old fillies

PP Horse Owner Jockey Odds 1 GOSSIPER(KY) legacy B Schardein 11/1
2 KING'S HALO(ARG) mindblower P Harzheim 27/1
3 LET CORD(KY) adzam Q Cassell 14/1
4 SEATTLE APPLES(KY) imatiger2 A Reed 17/1
5 MIRROR LADY(IRE) clk2007 Pa Carrier 26/1
6 PUNCH THE TICKET(KY) stelplas H Harzheim 6/1
7 STARRAHY EYED(KY) pegasus K Ledwith 12/1
8 FIT TO ROMP(KY) desimster5 T Loesch 25/1
9 FAIR GO(NZ) thematrix J Stivers 12/1
10 JOELINE(MD) dendro R Harzheim 19/1
11 ONE EYE JACKIE(KY) bigtate03 S Weller 33/1
12 PIVOTAL MATCH(ENG) irt1 A Craig 21/1
13 INSULA(KY) limpid L Denney 13/1
14 COTE BONNEVILLE(KY) super6 B Ball 9/1
15 JOCKEY HASABUZZER(KY) sjmeola5 D Evans 22/1
16 VIXEN VALLEY(KY) focusforce T Small 10/1
17 UNFABULOUS(KY) fairhaven2 Z Kentucky 5/1
18 PAUL'S BOUTIQUE(AUS) crawf68 P Bangs 15/1

It is this reporter's distinct pleasure to be on assignment in Beijing to cover The Pheasants Forever for the Black Type Bugler. Many thanks to Lady's Secret and everyone else who works so hard for so long every two years to put together this world class extravaganza.

Pheasants Forever may not have the name recognition of Red Cross or evoke the emotions of Breast Cancer or Make a Wish, but it was selected as the charity of choice by the folks of Great Plains for a reason. They're good eatin'! And if pheasants become extinct, what excuse can we find to buy guns and escape with our buddies for the weekend? We must preserve them!

Pheasants Forever is dedicated to the conservation of pheasants, quail and other wildlife through habitat improvements, public awareness, education and land management policies and programs. Believe it or not, there are more than 650 Pheasants Forever chapters across the U.S. and Canada, accounting for 115,000 current members, and more than 100 Quail Forever chapters in the U.S. accounting for 5,000 members. Go figure.

I could encourage you to visit the Pheasants Forever website and contribute to the cause, as many of my colleagues are doing with the charities sponsoring the races they are covering, but c'mon, dying children, poverty stricken third world nations, breast cancer research or game bird hunters?

Before you write out your check, I encourage you to do what I do before every major life decision. Ask yourself, "What would TBGifted do?"

On to the race! Let's take a look at this extremely deep and talented field of three year old turf sprinting fillies in post position order.

When I looked at the filly breaking from the hedge I asked myself, why was she even bred? Her dam, L A Talkin, earned less than a thousand dollars per start for seven different owners. Trainer Legacy, after haltering L A Talkin for ten grand out of a maiden claimer, had her for only two races, a fourth and a sixth, seven years ago. L A Talkin's first three foals were bad, worse, and oh my gosh, what do I do with this thing? Despite her abysmal racing career and worse production record, Legacy decided to breed her again for some reason. Andromeda's Hero was the stallion of choice this time. And the result was the Benelux representative, Gossiper(Ky). Can you say lightning in a bottle? The amazing Gossiper has won three stakes in a row coming into Equinics and has never missed the board in twelve lifetime starts. She is living proof of the saying that there are no sure things in racing.

I have no idea why this filly is 27-1. She is almost perfect. As in eight victories and a second in nine starts. That's King's Halo(Arg). The pride and joy of the Snyder Stable will proudly represent Vermont in The Pheasants. Perhaps the most impressive part of the big gray's domination of her rivals is the ease with which she dispatches her foes. Get the lead, thwart any attacks, draw clear late. And she makes it look effortless. Although I dutifully report speed figures for the many fans who want to know, this reporter has never really put much stock in them as handicapping tools. King's Halo has a career best speed rating of 94 taken in her last win. But it appeared as if she could have gone faster had she been pressed. She will be this week. It will be fun seeing how she responds.

Like mother like daughter. Let Cord(Ky) is out of the fabulous graded winning race mare Rope Blush (A. P. Indy x Caerleon $842,330). And so far, she's doing both trainer Irisharse and her mom proud. The speedy Powerscourt filly has never missed the board in six tries and has already earned a stakes placed designation by virtue of her sharp (SP 103) runner-up effort behind Exotic Film(Eng) in the Again With Jo Ann Special. The C R Racers hope her lack of experience is offset by her speed and heart.

Alpine Turf Club has designated Seattle Apples(Ky) to start in The Pheasants Forever. The daughter of Royal Academy and Seattle Cindy (Seattle Slew) has had quite a bit of success swooping allowance fields with her big worst to first moves. Apples has shared twice in three career stakes tries but has never seen foes anything like these. It would be my pleasure to interview the lovely and talented Delta Tiger in the winners circle. But I think I better catch her in the owners lounge if I want to chat.

Mirror Lady(Ire) is a nice filly. Problem is, nice fillies don't win Equinics races. Great ones do. The Rash lass needs much, much easier company than the monsters she'll face Saturday. Hopefully Clk2007's Noverre filly will emerge unhurt and can resume beating up allowance foes.

Fabman Farms, representing Great Plains, presents his star filly Punch The Ticket(Ky) for his residency's sponsored race. PTK comes off an eye opening victory (SP 104) in Delaware's Arctic Bingo Stakes. Although that tally was on the main course, the slick Suave x Green Desert lass also shows a stakes victory on the grass three back in Arkansas. Tabbed by odds maker Won Hung Lo as the second betting choice at 6-1, Fab's filly handles both surfaces with aplomb and is certain to be a big factor in this event.

Minnesota's Starrahy Eyed(Ky) loves to win. As in eight of twelve career starts. As in three graded wins including a pair of GI's. As in kick ass and take names. The pretty chestnut daughter of Rahy and the graded placed Danzig mare, Star Out Of Men, may not look like a cold blooded assassin, but you do NOT want to get between her and the finish line. Trainer Pegasus (Citation Stables) has the filly all cranked up for this tilt after a dismal Smackdown performance at a mile. Cuts back to six furlongs where she is four out of five on the grass. Major player.

Blazing Saddles sends out multiple stakes winner Fit To Romp(Ky) for The Pheasants. Shamrock Stables' flashy chestnut is both fast and versatile. The daughter of Cryptoclearance comes off the perfect tuneup, a fast closing second in a Pennsylvania turf sprint. Prior to that, she had raced on dirt twice, winning a listed stake and failing in graded company. Her turf resume includes four stakes wins and that makes her a big threat on Saturday.

Ohio Thoroughbred Racing will be represented by Big Kev and B J Bandit's fast and consistent New Zealand bred, Fair Go(NZ). The rangy Zabeel filly has finished first or second in ten of eleven lifetime starts and has never missed the board. She sports five stakes wins and arrives off a neck loss to Silver Splendor(Ky) in Queensland's Grade II Barrier Reef Stakes. Will have the services of the hottest rider on the planet in Frenchman Jacques Stivers and is certain to be a factor on Saturday.

I'm not quite sure what to make of Whisper Stables' Joeline(Md). On one hand, the Two Punch filly has won only two races in her life and hasn't won at all in over six months. On the other hand, she is improving her speeds each race and got beat only a head in a turf stake two back. Last time out, the EAAA Racing rep posted a 97 while finishing a fast closing third in a Florida stake. My guess is that she will continue to improve, but not enough to handle this very deep field.

New Orleans Racing Inc trains the Northwest Racing Circuit representative, One Eye Jackie(Ky). The Flower Alley sophomore has been doing her best work against easier over a distance of ground. The 96 she posted two back when capturing a 2X Michigan allowance was a career best. Nice filly but in too tough against these Amazons.

Iant sends out Pivotal Match(Eng) for The Kentucky Horsemen. Her speed figures are steadily improving. Last time out she posted a career high 98 while a sharp runner up in a Swedish allowance. Prior to that, the Pivotal lass emerged victorious from a pair of allowance sprints. Hard to ignore this fast and consistent runner entirely. But the leap from allowances to graded company is likely a bit much for now. We'll find out soon enough.

Insula(Ky) will attempt to carry Rafa Stables' familiar green and red colors to victory on Saturday. The Hispano Parlante standard bearer arrives following a pair of strong Michigan wins. The more recent one resulted in a lifetime best speed rating of 100. If the daughter of Flower Alley and stakes winning Zaragoza (Fusaichi Pegasus x Storm Cat) can take another step forward, anything is possible. Buena suerte, amigos!

Niedermeyer Cup Champion Cote Bonneville(Ky) is the DelPenn entrant. The Super Stables' star bounced badly in the Grade II Barrier Reef just two weeks after her spectacular Niedermeyer score. Has had only three weeks off to recover since then so a quick return to form by the deep closer is needed. If the splendidly bred (El Prado x Machiavellian x Roberto) lass can overcome her busy schedule, she certainly rates a big chance. Your call.

Here's the "now" horse, East-West Connection's rapidly improving Jockey Hasabuzzer(Ky). The impeccably bred (Unbridled's Song x Northern Dancer x Secretariat) gray arrives in Beijing off a career best effort. Last time out, S. J. Meola's speedy homebred opened up a huge lead and coasted to victory in a Rhode Island stake in a brisk 1:22.2 for seven panels on the grass. That translates to a 100 speed figure. Any improvement off that effort means a potential medal for one of the best trainers and nicest guys around.

Queensland proudly presents their representative, Valley Vixen(Ky) from the Focusforce stable. The five time stakes winner comes off an eight week break following a rigorous spring campaign. The lightning quick daughter of Orientate and the fabulous sprint mare, Vixen Prospector, would prefer a wet track as she inherited her mom's propensity to dominate over the off going. But she is good enough on firm footing to give these a test. Must respect.

I wanted to get a close up look at the race favorite. So I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the track at zero dark thirty to watch her work. The dark gray filly was not yet visible through the early morning mist when I heard her tapping out a faint yet familiar rhythm. Da da dump, da da dump, da da dump. Her hoof beats became louder and louder. And when the shadowy figure finally emerged from the fog, she was flattened out, ears pinned back, and looking very much like a champion. The inappropriately named Unfabulous(Ky) will represent the defending Equinics champion G R Simsters in the Pheasants Forever. The brilliant daughter of Borrego has amassed career earnings in excess of $300,000 and her only off the board finish was a close up fourth in the Grade II Niedermeyer Cup. Fairhaven2 has tabbed uber talented Zach Kentucky to ride the big filly. Obviously the one to beat.

What happened to the luck of the Irish? Last but not least comes not so lucky number eighteen. Ireland has tabbed the Aussie bred Paul's Boutique(Aus) as their 3YO filly turf sprinter. The multiple stakes winner arrives in Beijing fresh off a career best speed figure (97) taken in a Wisconsin Downs stakes win. She is the first and only stakes winner sired by Kempinsky. Crawford Incorporated will have their familiar black, white and blue colors worn by top Aussie jock Paul Bangs.

Good luck to all the fillies and their connections. Have a safe trip and may the best horse win!