Leroidesanimaux’s 2-year-old filly Always a Princess showed her quality by finishing a game second in her stakes debut in the $300,000 Oak Leaf (G1) on Oct. 4th at Santa Anita, setting her up for a run in next month’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies S. (G1) at that track.

Fresh off an impressive maiden score at first asking, Always a Princess broke from the rail and was forced to show early speed, dictating quick early fractions in her first start around two turns. At the top of the stretch, the bay filly kicked on nicely and showed good resolve by turning back third-place finisher Bickersons. She would finish a good second at the wire to race winner Blind Luck, who benefitted by the strong pace to rallied to win.

"She's very talented," said jockey Garrett Gomez, who rode Always a Princess for trainer Bob Baffert. "I'm excited about her. I liked the way she did everything. She didn't throw in the towel."

The improving Always a Princess will look to turn the tables on Blind Luck in the Breeders’ Cup, which will be just the third start for the promising daughter from the first crop of Leroidesanimaux (Brz). She is out of the Ashkalani (Ire) mare Gabriellina Giof (GB), making her a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Gabby’s Golden Gal. She is a product of Stonewall’s breeding incentives program and was conceived on a complimentary stud fee due to her graded stakes-winning dam.