Europe
St Mark's Basilica's first stakes winner has Group 1 target
By Tom Frary, TDN Europe
One of the early flagbearers for his first-crop sire St Mark's Basilica (Fr), 2-year-old colt Thesecretadversary (Ire) became the landmark first black-type winner for Ballydoyle's former brilliant runner on Friday when breaking his maiden in the Listed Coolmore Stud Churchill Stakes. Expected to shed that tag when long odds-on at Ayr last month, Cayton Park Stud and Susan Magnier's Chesham runner-up put that blip firmly behind him with a length verdict over Ballydoyle's Brussels (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) in the Tipperary feature.
“I'm glad I got another chance after getting beaten at Ayr last time and he's a nice horse who is still a bit weak,” Seamie Heffernan said of the Fozzy Stack-trained 3-1 second favourite, who had also run second to Ballydoyle's subsequent Superlative runner-up Italy on debut at Leopardstown in May. “The head went down today, but he's just not a 2-year-old. He'll definitely make a mile-and-a-quarter horse–you could make him keen and a quick runner, but we'd be cautious about keeping the revs down and making him a middle-distance horse instead.”
Stack added, “His run at Ayr was a mess-up and while maybe the winner isn't too bad, they went no gallop and the ground was soft. He had run well in Ascot and backed that up today. It might be worth taking our chance in those big races now and there's a Grade One (the September 14 Summer Stakes) for him in Canada on the same day as the National Stakes, which might be an option.
“The horse's family has been lucky for me and thanks to the Rupert and Magnier families for sending them all to me,” he added. “My association goes back to Scream Blue Murder and I have an older sister to Thesecretadversary in training as well.”
Thesecretadversary winning Listed Coolmore Stud Churchill Stakes | Image courtesy of Coolmore Stud
The winner is the second foal out of the Listed Victor McCalmont Memorial Stakes winner and G2 Ridgewood Pearl Stakes-placed Too Soon To Panic (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) after the modest maiden 3-year-old filly A Call Too Soon (Calyx) that Stack was referring to in his post-race interview. The second dam is Oratorio (Ire)'s aforementioned G3 Phoenix Sprint Stakes winner Scream Blue Murder (Ire) who also produced Galileo's Wargrave who was third in this race and G3 Flame of Tara Stakes-placed Ahandfulofsummers.
Also related to the multiple Group-winning South African mare Gibraltar Blue (Rock Of Gibraltar), Too Soon To Panic's yearling is a full-sister to the winner while she also has a colt foal by the all-conquering Wootton Bassett.
Yulong’s pricey Evolutionist off the mark
By Tom Frary, TDN Europe
Yulong’s 2-year-old filly Evolutionist (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), a €600,000 (AU$1 million) Goffs Orby Book 1 purchase who was too green on debut when fourth at Haydock last month, was an entirely different proposition this time breaking smartly to lead.
Staying on powerfully up the rising ground to the line, the 13-8 favourite held Lyrics Of Life (Pinatubo) by a length, with that well-regarded Sangster & Babington-Meehan project in turn 4.25 lengths in front of Juddmonte's newcomer Legacy Link (Dubawi), the immediate relative of Frankel and Noble Mission from the Gosdens.
The G3 Sweet Solera Stakes-placed dam, Modest Guest (GB) (Showcasing {GB}), whose yearling full-brother to the winner is catalogued in the upcoming Tattersalls October Book 1, hails from the family of Danehill Dancer's G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud-placed Feels All Right and G3 C. L. Weld Park Stakes scorer Venturi. She also has a filly foal by Ghaiyyath.
America
Ozara wins G2 Ballston Spa Stakes
By TDN
A horse for course at Saratoga is a good thing to have, and that's exactly what the Miguel Clement stable has as Ozara (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) cruised home to collect the GII Ballston Spa Stakes.
While her three wins from as many starts at the New York mecca will be a popular point, Ozara entered into the race with three victories already to her name this year alone.
Sent off here carrying 7-2 odds as the betting dollars drifted the way of Deep Satin (American Pharoah) at 5-2 favoritism, she broke well but was eased off the pace to track from fourth as Edict (Arg) (Il Campione {Chi}) was sent out to set the tempo through :23, :46.69, and 1:10.33 splits. Saving ground as she inched closer to that early leader, she was asked for more outside the quarter pole but had to muscle the betting choice over to nudging her way to clear running as they entered upper stretch. Wrestling command away passing the sixteenth pole, she strolled home with ears pricked to win by 1.5 lengths over Deep Satin, who valiantly held on to second in a photo with No Mo Candy (Uncle Mo).
“She's based here, and she got into a great momentum here and was able to raise it to another level,” said Clement afterwards. “…I guess Saratoga suits her by having so much tactical speed. Today, they were rolling–46 and change–and she was always traveling strong on the bridle. Short stretch, a bit speed-favoring and that's her type of game.”
“She's (Ozara) based here, and she got into a great momentum here and was able to raise it to another level,…I guess Saratoga suits her by having so much tactical speed.” - Miguel Clement
When asked about a potential start in the GI First Lady Stakes Oct. 4 at Keeneland, Clement said, “You have to think about it. You have the Grade I at Keeneland potentially–or at the end of the year the (GI) Matriarch (Stakes, at Del Mar). Look at the historical stats of what De La Rose winners have done in the Matriarch recently. It's food for thought. Let's just enjoy it and see how she comes out of it.”
Miguel Clement | Image courtesy of Clement Racing Stable
Ozara is heiress apparent to a fabulous female line as her dam is a half-sister to not only the mighty multiple Group 1 winner Golden Horn (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}), but also to stakes winner Eastern Belle (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}). The aforementioned sister has gained fame via the exploits of her sons–multiple Group winner Megallan (GB) (Kingman {GB}) and stakes winner Glittering Legend (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}). Dam Cercle d'Or (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) has produced one other winner before Ozara, a 5-year-old gelding named Laser Guided (Ire) (Kingman {GB}). After the victress, she has an unraced 3-year-old filly in Australia named Kalgoorlie Girl (Frankel {GB}) as well as a juvenile colt by Maurice (Jpn). Her most recent on the ground is a 2025 full-sister to Ozara.
The second dam Fleche d'Or (Dubai Destination) claims her fair share of successful siblings as the half-sister to English Group 1 winner Rebecca Sharp (GB) (Machiavellian); English Group winner Mystic Knight (GB) (Caerleon); and Listed winner and multiple Group-placed Hidden Hope (GB) (Daylami {Ire}).
