Vinery sire More Than Ready began the two-day Breeders’ Cup program on a winning note when his filly More Than Real won the G2 BC Juvenile Fillies Turf over 1600m on Friday.  

More Than Real (2f  More Than Ready – Miss Seffens by Dehere) settled midfield under Garrett Gomez and then opened up in the straight to a convincing victory at Churchill Downs.

The Vinery champion sired the Breeders’ Cup winner from multiple stakes winner Miss Seffens.  She won 11 races up to a mile and was fourth home in the 2000 Kentucky Oaks.  The victory gave More Than Ready his first Breeders’ Cup success.  He came close in 2009 when Ready’s Echo was runner-up in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.  

More Than Real was bred by Santucket Stables in Kentucky and she was passed-in for $140,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Florida 2YO Sale as part of the Vinery consignment.  She broke her maiden first time out at Saratoga in August and was subsequently purchased by celebrity chef Bobby Flay and his actress-wife Stephanie March.  

Trainer Todd Pletcher sent More Than Real to Canada second-up and she booked a ticket to the Breeders’ Cup when runner-up in the G3 Natalma Stakes at Woodbine on September 18.

“We really like this filly,” Pletcher said at Churchill Downs.  “We probably got her a little too far off the pace in the Natalma but it was a good learning experience for her.  We got her covered up and it taught her something and that paid dividends here.”

More Than Ready was Australia’s Champion sire for the seasons ending 2008 and 2009 courtesy of his Golden Slipper winners Sebring and Phelan Ready.  His most recent feature winner in Australia was John Singleton’s homebred More Joyous in the G1 Toorak Handicap at Caulfield on October 9.