But it proved to be the perfect springboard for British Idiom, who figures to be in the mix in the Nov. 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Santa Anita Park. British Idiom, a daughter of Flashback Rose and Shine, by Mr. Sekiguchi, bred by the late Hargus Sexton, his wife, Sandra, and Silver Fern Farm, was a $40,000 purchase by bloodstock agent Liz Crow (X-Go Ranch) from Warrendale Sales’ consignment at Fasig-Tipton’s 2018 edition of The October Sale in Lexington. She races for Michael Dubb, Stuart Grant’s The Elkstone Group, Madaket Stables, and Michael Caruso’s Bethlehem Stables.

“She had a lot of the conformation attributes that I look for: good forearm, good hip, good bone, balanced,” Crow said. “I got excited when I saw her because her sire was definitely not popular at the time. She was from Flashback’s second crop. I love buying second-crop sires because I believe some people lose the excitement factor of the first-crop sires. Once you get to the second crop, everyone wants to take a ‘wait and see’ approach.”

Crow liked what she saw. So, too, did trainer Brad Cox when he saw British Idiom going through her early paces at Paul Sharp’s training center near Williston, Fla., this winter. Looking over their young stock was Crow, taking notes, Cox, and co-owner Sol Kumin (Madaket Stables). British Idiom walked past.

“Brad said, ‘That filly looks like Monomoy Girl,'” Crow said. “I was making a list of the horses and where they were going and I definitely made sure she was going to Brad. He was immediately taken by the way she looked.” Liz Crow purchased British Idiom at Fasig-Tipton’s 2018 edition of The October Sale. Monomoy Girl, a Crow-purchased, Cox-trained production, won last year’s Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1), was named champion 3-year-old filly, and was a Horse of the Year finalist.

As British Idiom progressed, she made her way to Keeneland, then later Cox’ summer stable at Ellis Park.

“We liked her at Ellis,” the trainer recalled. “She trained there all summer. She worked a couple of times at Churchill Downs and then we shipped her to Saratoga.”

In her maiden voyage, Aug. 15, she cruised to a 3 1/2-length score going six furlongs in 1:10.01, earning a strong 75 Equibase Speed Figure. The second-place horse, Miss Marissa, would break her maiden by five lengths in her next outing at Belmont Park.

“She ran a big number,” Cox said. “She performed the way we thought she would.

“Our next spot with her was the (Sept. 14) Pocahontas Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs. Her blood work was off a little bit prior to that race.”

The team set sail for Keeneland’s Darley Alcibiades Stakes (G1)—a Breeders’ Cup Challenge event for the Juvenile Fillies.

Cool early while three wide down the backstretch under Javier Castellano, British Idiom made a strong move to take command on the turn of the 1 1/16-mile Alcibiades, and drew off to win by 6 1/2 lengths. Second was Spinaway Stakes (G1) winner Perfect Alibi, whom will square off against British Idiom again at Santa Anita.

In preparation for the Breeders’ Cup, British Idiom worked four furlongs in :48 2/5 Oct. 25 at Churchill Downs. She arrived in Southern California Tuesday with the rest of Cox’s Kentucky-based runners.

The bargain filly will face some top lots in the Juvenile Fillies including two-time grade 1 winner Bast, a $500,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale buy; $800,000 Fasig-Tipton The Gulfstream Sale grad Donna Veloce; and Frizette Stakes (G1) winner Wicked Whisper, a $500,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase.

It won’t matter to British Idiom. She doesn’t know how much she cost.

Courtesy of the Bloodhorse