With Polar River now officially out of the Longines Kentucky Oaks (USA-G1) picture no matter what she does in the UAE Derby (UAE-G2), Songbird appears to be down to just one serious challenger for the lilies in Florida-based Cathryn Sophia. Or is she? With her 6-1/2 length romp in the Honeybee Stakes (USA-G3), Terra Promessa now has three solid wins around two turns and appears to be a filly who's improving at the right time.
To be sure, Terra Promessa didn't look as effortless in taking down her Honeybee rivals as either of the Big Two were in their most recent victories. Some of that may be laid to the muddy track at Oaklawn, which like Churchill Downs, can have about the consistency of peanut butter when there's too much water for sealing the track to be effective. There's also Terra Promessa's personal style; compared to her peers, she still seems a little on the gawky side, and her low-headed mode of running can give you the impression that she's leveled out and is busting her gut when that isn't quite the case.
Nonetheless, this is a filly who appears to have a lot of as yet untapped potential. A deep-shouldered, deep-girthed individual rather reminiscent of old photos of Imp or Miss Woodford, she gives the impression of having excellent leverage behind, powering a long, low stride. As a daughter of Curlin, she should have no problems with nine furlongs and quite possibly more, even though the distaff side of her pedigree is tilted more toward speed, and she should continue progressing as she matures. That progress probably won't be enough to make her an Oaks winner, but it should make her an interesting filly to keep an eye on during the coming summer.
To be sure, Terra Promessa didn't look as effortless in taking down her Honeybee rivals as either of the Big Two were in their most recent victories. Some of that may be laid to the muddy track at Oaklawn, which like Churchill Downs, can have about the consistency of peanut butter when there's too much water for sealing the track to be effective. There's also Terra Promessa's personal style; compared to her peers, she still seems a little on the gawky side, and her low-headed mode of running can give you the impression that she's leveled out and is busting her gut when that isn't quite the case.
Nonetheless, this is a filly who appears to have a lot of as yet untapped potential. A deep-shouldered, deep-girthed individual rather reminiscent of old photos of Imp or Miss Woodford, she gives the impression of having excellent leverage behind, powering a long, low stride. As a daughter of Curlin, she should have no problems with nine furlongs and quite possibly more, even though the distaff side of her pedigree is tilted more toward speed, and she should continue progressing as she matures. That progress probably won't be enough to make her an Oaks winner, but it should make her an interesting filly to keep an eye on during the coming summer.
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