Sistercharlie ($8.60) stated her case for a divisional Eclipse Award, as she was up in the final strides to win the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf by a neck on Saturday afternoon at Churchill Downs.

Wild Illusion was second, three-quarters of a length ahead of A Raving Beauty.

This was the fourth Grade 1 victory of the season for Sistercharlie, who was one of five starters in the race for trainer Chad Brown. The filly also won the Jenny Wiley Stakes at Keeneland, Diana Stakes at Saratoga, and Beverly D Stakes at Arlington Park this season.

By making a North American start in the Breeders' Cup Turf later today, two-time Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine Enable will become eligible for the Eclipse Awards, and is a virtual certainty to be one of the three finalists should she win. However, voters may prefer Sistercharlie's more complete body of work on this continent.

A Raving Beauty, also a multiple Grade 1 winner trained by Brown, got a perfect trip under Javier Castellano, as he nursed the mare, for whom distance was a major concern, along through tepid early fractions of 51.81 seconds for the half, 1:18.56 for six furlongs, and 1:43.98 for the mile. Meanwhile, Sistercharlie sat midpack under John Velazquez after breaking slightly slowly, as the field was forced to wait while post-time favorite Wild Illusion balked extensively during the loading process.

A Raving Beauty kicked on when straightened away into the lane, but was confronted by Wild Illusion rallying up the middle and finally, Sistercharlie widest of all, who prevailed over Wild Illusion in the final yards as A Raving Beauty grudgingly gave way.

The final time for the 1 3/8 miles on a course officially rated good was 2:20.96.

More to follow at DRF.com