Baby Jaycee Scrapes Into Maturity Mix

Timing is everything – certainly in sport – and there's a sense of destiny surrounding Baby Jaycee ahead of the Group 1 KCR Pet Transport Maturity Classic after the superstar snuck into the series.

Being a New Year's Day ‘baby' and the deadline for Maturity eligibility on January 1, 2021, Baby Jaycee met the criteria by the barest of margins.

As such, the five-time Group 1 finalist and winner of the G1 Sapphire Crown heads into Saturday night's heats of the age-restricted series at The Meadows with what could be a decisive advantage in experience.

FIELDS AND FORM THE MEADOWS SATURDAY NIGHT

"She was born right on the cut-off!" veteran Heathcote trainer Bob Douglas laughed.

"She was bred by Paul Bartolo, so I'm not sure what time of day she was whelped, but they usually go at night.

"She comes into this race at the top of her game in experience and top of her game in age. 

"If you want to compare it to boxing; she's the main event!"

With the imposing record of 26 wins from 44 starts – a 59 per cent strike rate – the daughter of Bernardo and Leprechaun Storm is the second most experienced sprinter in the Maturity series, behind only Trending Zari (48 starts).

It's exactly one year ago this Sunday that Baby Jaycee started her career, running third to kennelmate Call Me Marley at Bendigo, and for the majority of that twelve months she's competed against the best of the best.

‘Baby', she is brilliant

BABY JAYCEE dashed out of the boxes and claimed her sixth victory from her last seven starts in smart time at @MelbourneGreys.

BABY JAYCEE has recorded 25 wins and 11 minor placings from 43 races.#GreyhoundRacing #PremierRacing pic.twitter.com/rMkLSgV3hL

— WatchDog Racing (@WatchDogRacing) June 24, 2023

Baby Jaycee is firing on all cylinders ahead of her Maturity mission, having won seven of her last eight, the defeat coming when third, beaten less than a length, in the Listed Pink Diamond Rookie Sprinter Final at Warragul.

She tuned up for the Maturity by leading all-the-way at The Meadows in her past two victories, clocking 29.88sec (BON) and 29.96sec.

Drawn in box seven in the fifth of eight ‘must win' heats (race 9, 9.07pm), Baby Jaycee is Sportsbet's $1.65 favourite, while she's the $5.50 second elect in the ‘All In' market, behind Launch Code at $5.

Betting suggests WA visitor Custard Monelli (box 1 – $3.70) is the main threat to Baby Jaycee on Saturday, with the pair having clashed in the G1 Golden Easter Egg Final in April, where Baby Jaycee was runner-up and Custard Monelli finished third.

"The draw hasn't done her any favours, but she's been in the war zone. She's been on the frontline in five or six Group 1s," Douglas said.

"She's won seven of her last eight and that's the second time she's been able to do that.

"She was stiff in the Pink Diamond Final (Rookie Sprinter), but I placed her in the right race. She couldn't have won the Champion Sprinter Final against the top grade horse-shoe dogs.

"I backed off her a bit after her last win (July 1 at The Meadows), so I just hope she isn't too fired up on Saturday. She's been beginning good recently."

Douglas ran third in the 1986 Maturity with Camona Kid, which was beaten by Pharaoh's Mask.

Baby Jaycee is striving to become the third consecutive female Maturity winner, with Qwara Bale and champion Wow She's Fast victorious in 2021 and 2022 respectively.

"What she lacks in sheer ability like a Wow She's Fast, she makes up for in grit and experience," Douglas said.

"I really don't think she's hit her straps yet either.

"I've always thought that two-and-a-half to three-and-a-half is when they really hit their peak and barring injury, I think she's got a lot of good racing left in her."