by Mike Curry

The JP Morgan Chase Jessamine Stakes on Thursday at Keeneland Race Course is the final race of the 2008 Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” series.

The Jessamine Stakes winner earns a starting spot in the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf on October 24 at the Oak Tree meeting at Santa Anita Park.

Abbott Hall and Glamorous Gal are the only two stakes winners among a full field of 12 two-year-old fillies entered for the 1 1/16-mile Jessamine Stakes.

Abbott Hall finished second on the main track in her career debut for trainer Hal Wiggins and owner-breeder Dolphus Morrison. The El Corredor filly powered to a 6 1/4-length romp on August 23 at Ellis Park in her turf debut. She enters off a six-length score in the Happy Ticket Stakes on the turf at Louisiana Downs on September 20.

Glamorous Gal won the Tippett Stakes on July 26 on the grass at Colonial Downs. Trained by Simon Hobson for owner Hickory Tree Stable, the Soto filly enters the Jessamine off a fourth-place finish in the Junior Champion Stakes on the main track at Monmouth Park on August 23.

The Jessamine also drew Kentucky Cup Juvenile Fillies Stakes runner-up Complicity and Arlington-Washington Lassie Stakes (G3) third-place finisher Phola, both of whom will race on grass for the first time.

Hint of Lemon enters off an impressive 1 3/4-length turf score on September 5 at Woodbine for trainer Mark Casse.

War Tigress enters off a one-length debut win on the turf at Kentucky Downs on September 16, and Habaya won a seven-furlong turf race at Belmont Park on September 25 in her debut.

Maybe Baby will try turf in the Jessamine after winning a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight race on the Polytrack surface at Arlington Park in her September 13 debut.

Lake Cook finished third in her first two career starts, both on the Polytrack surface at Arlington. The Boundary filly powered to a 5 3/4-length romp in her first start on grass on September 6 in a five-furlong sprint at Arlington.

Mike Curry is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor

The field, in post-position order, with (sire), jockey, weight, and trainer:

  1. Habaya (Storm Cat), Richard Migliore, 117, Kiaran McLaughlin;

  2. War Tigress (War Chant), B.J. Hernandez Jr., 117, Jeffrey Thornbury;

  3. Glamorous Gal (Soto), Calvin Borel, 117, Simon Hobson;

  4. Complicity (City Zip), Julien Leparoux, 117, Michael Maker;

  5. Maybe Baby (Johar), Jamie Theriot, 117, Michael Stidham;

  6. Hint of Lemon (Lemon Drop Kid), Shaun Bridgmohan, 117, Mark Casse;

  7. Laragh (Tapit), Edgar Prado, 117, John Terranova II;

  8. Never Lie (Alke), Corey Lanerie, 117, George Arnold II;

  9. Lake Cook (Boundary), Kent Desormeaux, 117, Brian Williamson;

10. Phola (Johannesburg), Rene Douglas, 117, Todd Pletcher;

11. Abbott Hall (El Corredor), Robby Albarado, 121, Hal Wiggins;

12. Acting Lady (Theatrical [Ire]), Miguel Mena, 117, John Best;

AE. It's Tiffin Time (Najran), Miguel Mena, 117, Larry Demeritte; and

AE. More of the Best (Langfuhr), Rene Douglas, 117, Bernie Flint.