Camelot’s Los Angeles Prevails In Thrilling Criterium de Saint-Cloud

Aidan O'Brien had experienced a famine of sorts since annexing 2010's G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud with Recital (Fr) (Montjeu {Ire}), but he was back in the familiar surroundings of Saint-Cloud's winner's circle after Ballydoyle second string Los Angeles (Ire) (Camelot {GB}–Frequential {GB}, by Dansili {GB}) prevailed in a blanket finish to Sunday's latest renewal of the 10-furlong feature.

The 67-10 chance found the necessary gears late on to register an ultimately impressive debut success tackling nine furlongs at Tipperary at the beginning of last month and was well away to track the leaders in fourth through halfway here. Sent wide to the stands' side rail off the home turn, he was bustled along to launch his challenge with 300 metres remaining and stayed on strongly under continued urging to deny Joseph O'Brien trainee and G1 Vincent O'Brien National S. second Islandsinthestream (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) by a neck. The podium was an O'Brien family affair with the winner's stablemate Illinois (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) keeping on well to finish 3/4-of-a-length adrift in third.

“He's a very big horse, I imagine he will be even better next year and we're very happy,” the winning trainer commented after collecting a fifth edition. “He won very well, going left-handed, at Tipperary and Seamus [Heffernan] loved him when he rode him [there]. Christophe [Soumillon] was a bit worried because he wasn't changing his legs throughout the race, but he said he picked up very nicely. He'd only had the one run and this was great experience for him. He's obviously still a bit babyish, but I'm delighted that he won. He could get a mile-and-a-half next year and he's something to look forward to.”

Los Angeles will seek to break an alarming trend set by recent winners. The gold medal has become something of a millstone since Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) prevailed in 2016, with 2020 victor Gear Up (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) the only one of five to have added to his tally, in that quintet's 41 aggregate starts, after claiming a career high in the contest.

Reflecting on the effort of runner-up Islandsinthestream, Joseph O'Brien said, “It was a very good run and I'm proud of the horse's performance. It was a very good ride from Maxime [Guyon], but it's always frustrating when you get beaten in a Group 1. He'll have a holiday now and we'll look forward to some of those 3-year-old Group 1 races next summer. He's a horse we'll probably campaign internationally as well as at home.”

 

Pedigree Notes
Los Angeles, half-brother to a yearling colt by No Nay Never, is one of three winners from as many runners produced by an unraced half-sister to G3 Prix Messidor victor Impulsif (GB) (New Approach {Ire}). The February-foaled dark bay is a full-brother to G3 Ballyroan S. third Hector De Maris (Ire) and this year's G3 Prix Penelope third Be Happy (Ire). His third dam, G3 Prix de Flore victrix Allez Les Trois (Riverman), produced G1 Prix du Jockey Club-winning sire Anabaa Blue (GB) (Anabaa) and is a half-sister to storied blue hen Urban Sea (Miswaki).

Sunday, Saint-Cloud, France
CRITERIUM DE SAINT-CLOUD-G1, €250,000, Saint-Cloud, 10-22, 2yo, c/f, 10fT, 2:15.25, vsf.
1–LOS ANGELES (IRE), 128, c, 2, by Camelot (GB)
1st Dam: Frequential (GB), by Dansili (GB)
2nd Dam: Violante, by Kingmambo
3rd Dam: Allez Les Trois, by Riverman
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN; 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Westerberg, Mrs J Magnier, M Tabor & D Smith; B-Lynch Bages Ltd & Longfield Stud (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Christophe Soumillon. €142,850. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, €151,850. *Full to Be Happy (Ire), GSP-Fr & SP-Ire; and Hector De Maris (Ire), GSP-Ire. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Islandsinthestream (Ire), 128, c, 2, Wootton Bassett (GB)–A Mist Opportunity (Aus), by Foxwedge (Aus). (€135,000 Ylg '22 ARQOCT). O-Islandsinthestream Partnership; B-Haras d'Etreham & Katelanis Bloodstock (IRE); T-Joseph O'Brien. €57,150.
3–Illinois (Ire), 128, c, 2, Galileo (Ire)–Danedrop (Ire), by Danehill. 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O-Derrick Smith, Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €28,575.
Margins: NK, 3/4, NK. Odds: 6.70, 1.90, 1.90.
Also Ran: Ramadan (Fr), Bracken's Laugh (Ire), Shiffrin (Ire), Casapueblo (Ire). Video, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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Shadwell Takes Eighth British Champion Owner Honors

Shadwell Estate Co. Ltd. secured the British Champion Owner title at Ascot on Saturday, two years on from the passing of its founder and seven-time champion owner Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum.

Now overseen by his daughter Sheikha Hissa Bint Hamdan Al Maktoum, Shadwell has achieved outstanding results from a select team of horses in 2023.

Following on from Baaeed last year, Mostahdaf has established himself as one of the world's best with brilliant displays in the Prince Of Wales's Stakes (G1) and Juddmonte International (G1).

Hukum's victory in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes (G1) at Ascot in July was the first leg of a memorable quickfire double, with Al Husn annexing Goodwood's Qatar Nassau Stakes (G1) five days later.

Mutasaabeq and Alflaila secured Group 2 prizes at Newmarket and York respectively, while the juvenile division has been headed by Dewhurst Stakes (G1) runner-up Alyanaabi.

Sheikha Hissa said: “It's great, especially as we have been represented mainly this year in the top-class races with our homebreds. It means even more for the whole team, not just us, in terms of everyone who has worked hard with those homebreds to get to where they are.”

On this season's highlights, she said: “This year, Hukum has been an extreme highlight, seeing him back. As well as Mostahdaf in the Prince of Wales's Stakes, which was great for us all, and in the Juddmonte. So it's been exciting racing. Winning the Nassau was another highlight as we have never won it before, and that was with a homebred as well, so we were very happy.”

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Oct. 22 Insights: Expensive Debuters Assemble at Keeneland Post-Dowager

8th-KEE, $100k, Msw, 2yo, 6 1/2f, 4:44p.m. ET
After the turf marathon mares dazzle the Kentucky crowd in Keeneland's GIII Dowager S. a race prior, the juveniles will take to the main track to open their dockets in this maiden dash led by Pin Oak Stud's PHANTOM SPEED (Arrogate) from the rail. A $700,000 KEESEP purchase, the grey is a half-brother to GSW Biddy Duke (Bayern) who hails from the extended female family of juvenile champion MGISW Forte (Uncle Mo); Japanese Triple Crown winner, three-time champion MG1SW Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}; champion juvenile filly, MGISW Folklore (Tiznow); and two-time champion MGISW Essential Quality (Tapit).

To his immediate inside breaks Legalize (Constitution), a $500,000 OBSAPR purchase this past spring for a large partnership led by Twin Brook Stables, Belladonna Racing, Nice Guys Stables, and West Point Thoroughbreds, et. al, who is a half-brother to SW Workaholic (Sky Mesa); MSP Fouette (Nyquist); and GSP Tomato Bill (More Than Ready). This is the direct female line of GI Kentucky Oaks victress Summerly (Summer Squall).

Call Protection (Good Samaritan), a $340,000 pick up for Klaravich Stables at OBSAPR, will head to post for Chad Brown while the Heiligbrodt and Spendthrift Farm color-bearer Skelly Road (Mitole) will look to get his connections into the same winner's circle that 'TDN Rising Star' Booth (Mitole) did earlier in the meet. Ethan Energy (Uncle Mo), a homebred half-brother to MGSW Royal Charlotte (Cairo Prince) for Stonestreet will head out from the barn of Brad Cox. TJCIS PPs

3rd-GP, $50k, Msw, 2yo, f, 5 1/2f, 1:50p.m. ET
Going to post for MyRacehorse and Mathis Stables, $375,000 OBSAPR grad Here's the Kicker (Liam's Map) will start her career in the sunshine state against a field of seven. Out of a half-sister to GISW Patternrecognition (Adios Charlie) and MSW Florida Fuego (Kantharos), the Todd Pletcher trainee hails from the family of GISW Battle of Midway (Smart Strike) and MSW & MGSP Moretti (Medaglia d'Oro). This is the extended family of champion female sprinter MGISW Musical Romance. TJCIS PPs

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