Madone first Northern Hemisphere stakes winner for Vancouver
Vancouver reached another milestone on Saturday when his debut winner Madone (USA) added another star to his sire record with a Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf S. win.
Racing over 1600 metres on Del Mar’s turf course, Madone was among the back markers for most of the race with only two horses beat as the race favourite. With 100 metres to go, Madone grabbed the lead and never looked back for a 0.5l victory over Ivy League (USA) (Medaglia D'Oro {USA}), who was promoted to second when Nimbostratus (Fr) (Wootton Basset {GB}) was disqualified to third.
The first Northern Hemisphere stakes winner for Vancouver, following on quickly from his first Southern Hemisphere stakes winner on Saturday, Madone was a US$125,000 (AU$171,609) 2-year-old purchase in March for Kaleem Shah. The filly is out of a half-sister to stakes-winning Allegre (USA) (Orientate {USA}) from the family of Grade 1 winner Boisterous (USA) (Distorted Humor {USA}) and G3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude winner Perast (Snitzel) among others.
Not This Time filly impresses in Debutante
The US$1.35 million (AU$1,853,377) 2-year-old Princess Noor (USA) (Not This Time {USA}) added another romping victory to her record on Sunday night with a win in the G1 Del Mar Debutante for Bob Baffert.
The filly broke inward in the 1400 metre race but was quickly among the leaders, running just behind the pacemaker in the early stages. Taking control in the final 400 metres, Princess Noor never felt the whip as jockey Victor Espinoza geared down the Bob Baffert-trainee in the final furlong for an easy 6.5l victory over Forest Caraway (USA) (Bodemeister {USA}).
From the first crop of Not This Time (USA), Princess Noor is one of two winners out of Grade 3 winner Sheza Smoke Show (USA) (Wilko {USA}) and ninth generation of her female line to win or place in a stakes race.
Persian King Rules in G1 Prix du Moulin
Persian King (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) proved to be the best of a loaded G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp field on Saturday for Godolphin SNC and Ballymore Thoroughbreds.
Facing five other Group 1 winners, he raced just behind the leading Circus Maximus (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) for much of the 1600 metre race open lengths in front of the rest of the field. The 4-year-old easily took over in the final 400 metres with the only threat in the closing stage coming from a fast closing Pinatubo (Ire) (Shamardal {USA}).
Persian King secured his third career Group 1 by 1.75l with Circus Maximus a further 6l back in third.
“Persian King’s victory was expected, to be fair. I don’t want to play the genius, but I was very confident because I could train him properly for the first time,” Andre Fabre told Thoroughbred Daily News. “The surfaces were better than in August and it was less warm, so I could train him harder.”
The victory was one of two Group victories at Longchamp by Kingman (GB) sons on Sunday with Chachnak (Fr) the winner of the Group 3 La Coupe de Maisons-Laffitte.
Persian King is out of the winning Dylan Thomas (Ire) mare Pretty Please (Ire), a three-quarter sister to Group 1 winner Planteur (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and a half-sister to Listed Ballarat Cup winner Pilote D’Essai (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}).
Persian King’s fourth dam is also the granddam of champion racehorse and successful sire Peintre Celebre (USA).
Vequist gives Nyquist first graded stakes winner
On the day after the 2020 Kentucky Derby, the 2016 Kentucky Derby sired his first Grade 1 winner when Nyquist (USA)’s 2-year-old Vequist (USA) led home a first and third finish for her sire in the G1 Spinaway S. over 1400 metres at Saratoga.
Vequist raced at the leader’s hip from the start, just waiting for the time to pounce. That time came with 500 metres left to run when Vequist had to enter a small duel before pulling away to win by 9.5l.
Esplanande (USA) (Daredevil {USA}) split the Nyquist fillies in second while Lady Lilly (USA) finished 11.25l ahead of fourth.
“That race got a very good number and we knew she was a quality racehorse,” said trainer Robert Reid Jnr. “That horse was in and out in front of her and she never hesitated, never balked and just kept on running."
From the first crop of her sire, Vequist is one of two winners out of the Grade 2-placed Vero Amore (USA) (Mineshaft {USA}). The filly hails from the extended family of US Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Storm Song (USA) (Summer Squall {USA}), the granddam of dual G1 Irish St Leger winner Order Of St George (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).
Glycon latest Group winner for Zelding
Part of a family that gets updates nearly weekly, Glycon (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) secured his first stakes victory in the G3 La Coupe de Maisons-Laffitte.
Racing with just one horse beat early on in the 2000 metre affair as OTI Racing’s Mr Satchmo (Fr) (Mr Sidney {USA}) set the pace, Glycon made a late run and struck the lead just a few strides before the wire. The 4-year-old gelding by a short neck over Villa Rosa (Fr) (Doctor Dino {Fr}) with Les Vertus (Fr) (Shakespearean {Ire}) third by a head.
Glycon is a grandson of top broodmare Zelding (Ire) (Warning {GB}) out of her Listed winning and multiple Group 1-placed daughter Glorious Sight (Ire) (Singspiel {Ire}). That mare is a half-sister to Beauty Is Truth (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}).
Among Beauty Is Truth’s four Group winners is G1 Ranvet S. winner The United States (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and two other Group 1 winners.
Called To The Bar wins Prix Gladiateur
Henrythenavigator (USA) gelding Called To The Bar (Ire) returned to the winner’s enclosure on Sunday with a victory in the G3 Prix Gladiateur over 3100 metres.
Racing near the back of the pack for most of the race, the gelding made his presence known in the final 400 metres. He secured the lead soon after for an easy 1.25l win over So You Think’s (NZ) Think Of Me (Ger) with Sublimis (Ire) (Shamardal {USA}) third.
Owned by breeder Fair Salinia, Called To The Bar is a half-brother to stakes placed Defrost My Heart (Ire) (Fastnet Rock) who spent two years racing in Australia before returning to Ireland in 2016. Their dam Perfect Hedge (GB) (Unfuwain {USA}) has her own sibling connection to Australia as well with half-brother He’s Your Man (Fr) (Cape Cross {Ire}) winning the 2014 G1 Epsom H. and finishing third in the G1 Chipping Norton.
