France
Above The Curve fifth Group 1 winner for American Pharoah
Named a Thoroughbred Daily News Rising Star earlier this year, Above The Curve (USA) (American Pharoah {USA}) lived up to that title on Sunday with a 1l victory in the G1 St Mark’s Basilica Coolmore Prix Saint-Alary as the fifth Group 1 winner for American Pharoah (USA).
Making her first start at this level and second in a stakes overall, the filly made her move inside the final 400 metres. She had a sizable lead close to the wire though Place du Carrousel (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) shrunk it down to 1l in the end with Queen Trezy (Fr) (Almanzor {Fr}) matching that margin back in third.
“She has entries in all the big fillies' races including the Prix de Royallieu and the Prix de Diane, but her next race is likely to be the Pretty Polly S. at The Curragh,” Coolmore representative Hermine Bastide told Thoroughbred Daily News. “She is a lovely filly and (trainer Joseph O’Brien) is delighted with the performance.”
One of three Group 1-winning fillies for her sire and the fifth at Group level overall for the Triple Crown winner, she is also his 28th stakes winner and one of 50 stakes performers for the Coolmore Australia shuttler. A full sister to the multiple Group-placed Thinking of You (USA), the filly is also a granddaughter of the great Mariah’s Storm (USA) (Rahy {USA}). That mare’s progeny record includes champion Giant’s Causeway (USA) (Storm Cat {USA}) and emerging blue hen You’resothrilling (USA) (Storm Cat {USA}).
You’resothrilling’s descendants have found plenty of success in Australia with her son Taj Mahal (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) winning two G2 Zipping Classics and grandsons Blue Soldier (USA) (War Front {USA}) and Storm The Stars (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) Group-placed in the country.
Dreamloper secures first Group 1 in Prix d’Ispahan
One race after Lope De Vega (Ire) had to settle for a second in the Prix Saint-Alary, Dreamloper (Ire) made sure the sire didn’t leave the card empty-handed with a win in the G1 Prix d’Ispahan by 2l to become his 15th winner at the top level.
Already Group 1-placed before this French invasion, the 5-year-old mare was ready to get that elusive top-level victory and had the lead with over 400 metres left to run. Wally (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) was able to secure second close to the line but was no threat to the winner with Pretty Tiger (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) 0.25l back in third. Trained by Ed Walker for J Fill, Dreamloper secured her second-straight Group victory in the race after starting her season at Newmarket on May 1.
“Kieran said she's improved so much, but I don't know where it's come from,” Walker told Thoroughbred Daily News. “She's taken a lot of figuring out, but is mentally easier on herself these days. A performance like that would give her a chance against most.”
One of 15 Group 1 winners and 30 Group 1 performers for the former shuttler, Dreamloper is the first stakes winner from two foals out of the stakes-winning Livia’s Dream (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}). The mare hails from the family of G1 Epsom Oaks winner Talent (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) and 2017 G1 Melbourne Cup sixth-place finisher Thomas Hobson (GB) (Halling {USA}).
Egot does Australia proud in Prix du Palais-Royal
It was another Northern Hemisphere Group race influenced by an Australian mare on Sunday when Entertains’ (Street Cry {Ire}) son Egot (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) won the G3 Prix du Palais-Royal.
The Godolphin homebred was looking to secure his second stakes victory of the season and did just that with a 1.5l win over Marianafoot (Fr) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}). It’s the fourth stakes victory in his last five starts for the 4-year-old, whose only blip came when fifth in a stakes last out.
Egot’s dam was a Group 3-placed runner in Australia and is out of a familiar name in 2006 Australian Champion 3-Year-Old Filly Serenade Rose (Stravinsky {USA}). Serenade Rose only had three foals, but both her daughters are stakes producers. Entertains' half-sister Outdoor (Redoute’s Choice) is the dam of dual Group 1 winner Trekking (Street Cry {Ire}), stakes winner Winnie Star (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}) and stakes-placed Plymstock (Ribchester {Ire}).
Outdoors has spent her stud career in Australia while Entertains returned to her home country in January 2021, foaling a Masar (Ire) filly on Southern Hemisphere time last season before being bred to Ghaiyyath (Ire) for 2022. After a year off in 2021, Outdoor was bred to Street Boss (USA) in 2021.
United States
American Theorem gives Pharoah Group double
After registering a new Group 1 winner in France early on Sunday, American Pharoah (USA) registered another new Group winner in the evening when American Theorem (USA) outdueled a rival for winning honours in the G2 Triple Bend S. at Santa Anita.
A Grade 1-placed juvenile in 2019, American Theorem had contended with injuries that kept him mostly out of the stakes spotlight over the next two. Putting together a solid stakes campaign in five starts this year, he earned his first ever stakes victory when nosing out Principe Carlo (USA) (Coil {USA}) in Sunday’s 1400-metre affair.
“I think he’s a great horse and like I’ve said, I love this horse,” said trainer George Papaprodromou. “Congrats to my owners, Kretz Racing, they’re the best owners ever. Hopefully, we’ll move forward from this.”
The 5-year-old entire is the 29th stakes winner and 16th Group winner for the Coolmore American shuttler, who has had nine stakes winners in 2022. A US$190,000 (AU$265,500) RNA when breeder Sierra Farm offered him at the 2018 Keeneland September Sale, he is also the fourth stakes winner for his unraced dam Mighty Renee (USA) (Maria’s Mon {USA}). Also the dam of Grade 3 winner Mighty Caroline (USA) (Stormy Atlantic {USA}), Mighty Renee is the granddaughter of dual Grade 1 winner Over All (USA) (Mr Prospector {USA}).
