The Group I Prix Rothschild was run at Deauville on Sunday. Deauville is the Saratoga of France. It is France’s summer racing headquarters. There are two tracks in Deauville. There is a turf course and there is a fibersand track. The Rothschild is a straight 1600-metre race. Seven ran in the prestigious race and three of the runners were part of an entry that was the 3/10 favorite on the PMU which stands for Pari Mutuel Urbain. Goldikova headed the entry and the wonder mare was seeking her tenth win in Group I races, a record held by Miesque. Freddie Head, rider of Miesque, trains Goldikova who is owned by the Weirtheimer Brothers. Olivier Peslier has been the partner for the dual Breeders’ Cup Mile winning Goldikova. It must be pointed out that Miesque won two consecutive Breeders’ Cup races. What we call ‘Pattern’ races were introduced about 40 years ago.
Only Green, Goldikova’s stablemate, set a fast pace. Goldikova was held up but not far too back. Davy Bonilla, riding Only Green, was repeatedly looking back to where Goldikova lay. With 400 metres to go, Goldikova moved between horses and cruised past Music Show who was coming off a smart win in Newmarket’s Falmouth Stakes. The winning margin was three lengths and the five year-old Anabaa mare timed 1 37.5 seconds on firm turf. Music Show kept the runner-up berth and Elusive Wave was able to salvage third.
The Rothschild was worth 151,699 pounds to the winner. Goldikova is out of Born Gold, a Blushing Groom mare. A mouth-watering clash with Canford Cliffs is on Goldikova’s agenda. The race is the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville on August 15. A run in the Prix de la Foret over the Arc weekend in early October is in the cards. The 2010 campaign will end at Churchill Downs in Kentucky when Goldikova will go for her third consecutive Breeders’ Cup Mile.
Trainer Head, who speaks excellent English, commented. “The race went exceptionally well. The pace was sensible. She has so much class she was cruising. There were pointed ears inside the final furlong.”
Jockey Peslier, fresh off a romp in the King George on Harbinger, was effusive in his praise. “It is magnificent to win the tenth Group I in such style. She is a totally exceptional filly. She has kept her form so well. We wrapped up the race 500 metres out. She is calmer now and entered the stalls directly. She is a real lady.”
Do you remember Gloria de Campeao? The Brazilian-bred seven year-old has been retired because of a tendon injury. Gloria de Campeao is the winner of the world’s richest race, the 10-million dollar Dubai World Cup at the Meydan in March. The Pascal Bary-trained Gloria de Campeao ran in three consecutive World Cups. He won the 2009 edition of the Singapore Airlines International Cup at Kranji when lasting over the fast-finishing Presvis, ridden by Ryan Moore. Lizard’s Desire reversed the World Cup result (second in the 2010 World Cup) with Gloria de Campeao in Singapore this year. Incidentally, Lizard’s Desire is fighting laminitis, a life-threatening ailment. T J Pereira was the regular rider of Gloria de Campeao. . By Impression, (a Brazilian sire) Gloria de Campeao earned six million dollars.
Trainer Pascal Bary was emotional.” I will miss him. It happened last Tuesday. He has been travelling a lot. It was because of accumulated fatigue.”
Here is a result from Greyville in South Africa. On Saturday, trainer Mike de Kock and jockey Anthony Delpech combined to land the Grade I Durban July Handicap, a 11-furlong race on the grass. Bold Silvano, a 76/10 chance on the South African tote, ran the distance in 2 minutes and 13.03 seconds. Mike de Kock has a world wide operation and has had a great deal of success in England and America.
We will turn our attention to the Group I Henkel Preis der Diana run at Dusseldorf on Sunday. Sixteen sophomore girls ran in the 2200-metre turf race. The 203,539-pound winner’s purse went to Enora. The grass was soft and the winner clocked 2 14.68 seconds. Enora won by one half length over Elle Shadow, ridden by Andrew Starke. Hibayeeb, the Godolphin flagbearer and the 6-4 favorite, finished seventh in the hands of Frankie Dettori.
Enora was a 152/10 chance in the German tote. When there are Group I races in other countries, British bookmaking companies offer fixed odds. Enora is trained by T Mundry, a well known retired German jockey. Enora was steered to a well-judged win by T Hellier.
Why is Enora’s win significant? She is by Noverre out of Enrica who is by Niniski. Noverre is standing at stud in India. Music Show is by Noverre. Though he is in India, Noverre has left behind some promising kids in Europe.
Here is an item from Del Mar. I saw the Grade III Cougar Handicap on closed circuit TV at Maywood Park (where there was harness racing Friday evening) and Temple City made it all. The 2400-metre Cougar Handicap was run late Friday afternoon at Del Mar and California is two hours behind Illinois. At Maywood Park, there are 14 races on Fridays and the card gets under way at 7 10 P M and goes until 11 45 PM.
Temple City, Joe Talamo up and trained by Carla Gaines, led the five-horse field. The fractions were painfully slow. Unusual Suspect tracked the pacesetter and Richard’s Kid, the 2009 Pacific Classic winner and the even money favorite, raced third. Jockey Talamo had a lot left turning for home and Temple City had no difficulty clinging to the lead. The margin was three and one quarter lengths and the time was 2 30.46 seconds. Temple City, a five year-old Dynaformer horse, was the 11/10 second choice. Curriculum (by Danzig) is Temple City’s mother. The Cougar Handicap was run on Del Mar’s polytrack.
Saturday’s racing at Deauville saw the unveiling of new talent. Zagora, a Green Tune three year-old filly and the even money favorite, came through in the Group III Prix de Psyche. It was a grass race over 2000 metres. On good turf, Zagora ran the 2000 metres in 2 minutes 5 seconds. Ioritz Mendizabal rode the winner. Jean Claude Rouget trains.
There were two races of some consequence at Saratoga on Saturday. Proviso, by Dansili out of Binche by Woodman, made it three consecutive wins in Grade I races in the $500,000 Diana. It was on the grass over 1800 metres. Proviso, one of the top freshmen in France in 2008, returned $6.40 on a $2.00 wager. Share Account ran second and Forever Together, the favorite, managed third. Mike Smith rode Proviso who is trained by Bill Mott.
The other big race at Saratoga was the Grade II $500,000 Jim Dandy for three year-olds. Eight ran and Miner’s Reserve set a strong gallop. A Little Warm tracked the leader and went ahead in the lane to win by a length and three quarters. The time was 1 47.98 for the 1800-metre race on the (fast) main track. Anthony Dutrow trains A Little Warm and John Velasquez was the winning jockey.
By Stormin Fever out of Minidar who is by Alydar, A Little Warm got his first graded stakes win and is now headed to the Travers Stakes on August 28. Fly Down, the 195/100 favorite, was in the rear and was a non-threatening fifth. Steinbeck came from Ireland to carry the Ballydoyle banner and took sixth.
Trainer Tony Dutrow spoke. “I felt strongly he was going to run a terrific race. We work so hard with these animals and when you achieve a race like this, it is bigger than life.”
Winning jockey John Velasquez is on a roll. “You can place him wherever you want and let the speed go. When you ask him, he’s there for you. That is what I like about him. I don’t think he will have a problem with a mile and a quarter,” Velasquez said.
Lookin at Lucky had all kinds of problems in the Kentucky Derby from post one. Martin Garcia was summoned to ride the Bob Baffert trainee in Pimlico’s Preakness. When the dust settled, jockey Garcia had won his first Triple Crown race. Sunday at Monmouth Park, Lookin At Lucky was the 12/10 favorite in the million-dollar Haskell Invitational. Staying outside and staying away from trouble, Lookin At Lucky ran away in the stretch from his foes. It was a four-length victory in a time of 1 49.4 over 1800 metres. Trappe Shot took second over First Dude who set a lively pace. Super Saver was in striking range and produced little when asked. Lookin At Lucky trains on a synthetic surface but has been a terror on conventional surfaces.
I have received several emails about the Suraj Narredu story. I am thankful.
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