ARCADIA, Calif. - Trainer Bill Mott came to the 2023 Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita with a loaded hand that included not only defending champions Elite Power and Cody’s Wish in the Sprint and Dirt Mile but top contenders War Like Goddess and Casa Creed in the Turf and Mile as well.  At least for one day, those four will have to take a back seat to their younger and less fancied stablemate Just F Y I, who parlayed a perfectly orchestrated trip by jockey Junior Alvarado into a well-deserved neck victory over Jody’s Pride in Friday’s $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. Tamara, the 4-5 favorite, finished a very disappointing seventh after setting the pace into the stretch. Although Just F Y I certainly took a backseat to her vastly more experienced and accomplished older mates upon arriving at Santa Anita to complete preparations for the Breeders’ Cup, she did bring some imposing credentials into the mile and one-sixteenth Juvenile Fillies. Just F Y I had won both of her starts, including the Grade 1 Frizette by 3 3/4 lengths over a sloppy track at Aqueduct four weeks earlier. Mott admitted to being a bit concerned when Just F Y I drew post 12 for her two-turn debut in the Juvenile Fillies. But those fears were quickly alleviated after his filly broke alertly and set up shop in perfect position stalking the early pace of Tamara, who set lively fractions of 22.47 seconds for the quarter and 46.60 to the half.  Just F Y I engaged the heavy favorite leaving the final turn. She then dug in bravely to withstand Jody’s Pride’s final surge :: Get Breeders' Cup Clocker Reports from Mike Welsch and the DRF Clocker Team when you purchase a BC VIP Package! Jody’s Pride also began her career in New York with two wins in as many starts, both of those races having been switched from the turf to the dirt. She captured her maiden by 10 1/2 lengths going 5 1/2 furlongs at Saratoga before coming back to win the six-furlong Matron by 3 1/4 lengths despite lunging at the start. She tripped out nicely in the Juvenile Fillies, racing within easy striking distance of the leaders while saving ground. She tipped out to launch her run near the quarter pole and made one last run at the winner in late stretch only to fall just short. Candied, winner of the Grade 1 Alcibiades in her previous outing, had her best chances compromised when stumbling at the break. She then proceeded to weave her way through traffic improving position down the backstretch, swung widest continuing her rally exiting the turn, then hung just a bit at the end while never switching off her left lead through the stretch. Tamara, a daughter of Hall of Famer Beholder, winner of the 2012 Juvenile Fillies, quickly sprinted to command but offered little resistance when challenged by the winner before seven furlongs, and weakened steadily thereafter while suffering her first setback in three starts. Owned by George Krikorian, Just F Y I completed the distance over a fast track in 1:44.58 and paid $16 and getting a 79 Beyer Speed Figure. “I can’t say enough about her performance,” said Mott. “I said before the race you can get a bad trip from a good post and she got a good trip from a bad post. She just broke and put herself in good position. “She was getting a great trip but you always wonder watching the race is she fit enough? Is she going too fast? It was a great run and very professional for a filly who only had two starts.” Mott said Just F Y I winning the Juvenile Fillies took off some of the pressure of what could ultimately prove to be another memorable Breeders’ Cup weekend for the Hall of Fame horseman. “At least we knocked one out,” Mott said with a laugh. “One out of six right? It takes a little of the pressure off anyway.” Like Mott, trainer Todd Pletcher was also somewhat dismayed at the post-position draw when Candied drew the rail. His concerns came to fruition after she bobbled briefly at the start and had only two horses beat after the opening quarter-mile. :: Breeders' Cup Shop: DRF Past Performances available now “I was concerned after she drew the one hole, I knew that could be a little issue,” Pletcher noted. “She got just a little fractious and when they kicked it she stumbled and it cost her some critical position. She was next to last going into the first turn. “He [jockey Luis Saez] was trying to work his way through traffic. She put in a good run, but the post probably cost us a position for sure.” As for Tamara, trainer Richard Mandella said, “we’ll have to back up and give her a little chance to catch up, start over again. We’ll hope everything is fine when she gets back. Mike [jockey Mike Smith] said she was pretty tired.” According to Smith, “she went into the far turn and the energy just wasn’t there today. When I pulled up she made a little noise. But that’s really it.” :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.