Gary Capuano used to train Just Philtored, who is named after his three children, Justin, Phillip, and Tori.
After winning her debut by eight lengths on May 23, Just Philtored was purchased privately by Red White and Blue Racing and London Reid Thoroughbreds and has blossomed into one of the region’s top juvenile fillies.
Her success shouldn’t be too surprising considering her pedigree. Just Philtored’s dam, Slow and Steady, has foaled 12 winners from as many runners. Among them are stakes-winners Malibu Beauty, Steady Warrior, and Steady N Love, as well as stakes-placed performers Lucky in Malibu, Hanky Doodle, and Fast Tracked.
Just Philtored has won three of five starts since being transferred to trainer Michael Trombetta, including two stakes victories on dirt, and one on turf. In her most recent start, she captured the restricted Maryland Juvenile Filly Stakes at seven furlongs on Dec. 6.
“You can pretty much put her anywhere,” assistant trainer Tana Aubrey said after the Maryland Juvenile Filly. “She likes to be forwardly-placed, but she kicked on and finished up well.”
Just Philtored, the 6-5 favorite on DeRosa’s line, breaks from the rail with Mychel Sanchez up.
Slewperstitius, the winner of the Maryland Million Lassie on Oct. 11, must prove that Just Philtored doesn’t have her number. The two have squared off three times before, and Just Philtored got the better of Slewperstitus each time.
A homebred owned by Eric Rizer and trained by Robbie Bailes, Slewperstitus wears blinkers for the first time on Saturday. Jevian Toledo, who guided Slam Notion to victory in last week’s Howard and Sondra Bender Memorial Stakes at Laurel for Rizer and Bailes, rides Slewperstitus from the far outside post.
“She’s been a special little filly for us this year,” Bailes said before the Maryland Juvenile Filly. “She tries every time we put her out there. From Day One, she’s just been all racehorse.”
Brittany Russell, who will win the year-end Maryland training title for the third consecutive season, entered two fillies.
Dazzling Dame, owned by Respect the Valleys LLC, is already a multiple stakes winner, having garnered Monmouth’s Sorority on Aug. 17 and Delaware’s White Clay Creek on Oct. 11, both at a two-turn mile distance. She has won three of four starts, with the only defeat coming against tough Grade 3 competition at Churchill Downs two races back.
Peach Tie, campaigned by the Estate of Brereton C. Jones, finished third in the Presque Isle Debutante Stakes over synthetic footing on Sept. 19. She is perfect from three dirt starts, however, including a 4 ¼-length victory in a first-level allowance at Laurel on Nov. 14.
C’est Chouette, a Gun Runner homebred owned by Caroline and Gregory Bentley’s Runnymoore Racing, finished second last month in the restricted Shamrock Rose Stakes at Parx for trainer Cal Lynch.
David Heaton’s Midnight Ginny makes her first start since winning her debut in gate-to-wire fashion at Monmouth Park on Sept. 14.
Gin Talking was named Maryland’s 2-year-old filly champion in 1999 after a perfect season that included three stakes wins. She won three more stakes in 2000, including the Grade 3 Anne Arundel, to earn both champion 3-year-old filly and Horse of the Year honors.
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