Lawrence Goichman (right) leads his homebred filly Scythian and jockey Junior Alvarado into the winner’s circle after the Miss Grillo. The daughter of Tiz the Law runs next in Friday’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar. Coglianese Photo.
By Paul Halloran
Larry Goichman’s second-generation home-bred Scythian will carry the banner for New York-breds at this year’s Breeders’ Cup World Championships when she takes on 13 foes in Friday’s $1 million, Grade 1 John Deere Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar.
Trained by Bill Mott and ridden by Junior Alvarado, Scythian comes in off an impressive win in the Grade 2 Miss Grillo Stakes, traditionally a productive prep for the Juvenile Fillies Turf.
“The horse has a nice turn of foot,” Goichman said Thursday, shortly after checking into his San Diego hotel. “She can hold her position. (In the Miss Grillo), he didn’t have to touch her and she took off. She moves well. She’s a fluid horse.”
Goichman bred Scythian’s dam, Dean Henry, who is by Empire Maker and out of Baydon Belle, a broodmare he bought in Europe. Dean Henry won three times in a 12-race career from 2008-10. She has produced seven winning offspring, including Dancing Dean, a Constitution filly who has two wins and two seconds in seven starts.
Goichman decided to stay in the Constitution line, sending Dean Henry to Tiz the Law, a son of Constitution who earned more than $2.7 million and was a two-time New York-bred Horse of the Year. Scythian was foaled March 3, 2022 at Stone Bridge Farm in Gansevoort. She is the first U.S. stakes winner out of Dean Henry, though Henry Ride won a Grade 1 in Russia, according to Goichman.
After Scythian ran second in a maiden special weight on the dirt at Saratoga Race Course August 4, Mott told Goichman he wanted to try the horse on turf. She was second in a turf route against the boys August 30, prompting Mott to take a big swing in the Miss Grillo.
“I’ve become a believer,” said Goichman, who knows his filly faces steep competition Friday, led Aidan O’Brien’s two-time Group 1 winner Lake Victoria and Thought Process, a California-based horse coming off a Grade 3 win.
“There are still 14 horses, so you need some luck,” he said. “Fingers crossed.”
Scythian women were warriors who fought alongside men for their tribe during the Iron Age. Goichman, who is looking for his first Breeders’ Cup and first Grade 1 win, is hoping his talented filly proves to be aptly named.
New York-bred Mi Bago runs in the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance on the undercard Friday. Out on Bail was scratched from the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.
