Team Valor International’s Oleksandra (Aus) (Animal Kingdom), who came from last to defeat a field of males in Saturday’s GI Jaipur S. at Belmont, will not return to trainer Neil Drysdale’s Southern California base and will instead remain in New York. The Southern Hemisphere-bred 5-year-old sustained a nick on a lower front limb after eventual runner-up Kanthaka (Jimmy Creed) made contact with her at the break, but is in “good shape” otherwise, according to a release from Team Valor’s Barry Irwin.
Oleksandra, who became the first Australian-bred Grade I winner in the U.S. since the pattern race scheme came into effect in 1974, will train at Belmont Park, with the GIII Troy S. at Saratoga the next objective. According to the release she will have one additional start prior to the GI Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, for which the Jaipur was a ‘Win and You’re In’ qualifier. Oleksandra was not an original nominee to the Breeders’ Cup, but was supplemented last week. She will then be offered at public auction.
“That will be her last race for Team Valor,” Irwin said. “She will be offered for sale after the Breeders’ Cup at an auction in Kentucky with an as-yet undetermined agent.”
Irwin said that Oleksandra has already received an invitation from the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Bill Nader to participate in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint in December and that her new owner could elect to run in that spot or in the 2021 G1 Al Quoz Sprint before sending her off to stud.
Oleksandra received a Beyer Speed Figure of 101 for the Jaipur.
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