Last-out G1 Prix Ganay winner Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) is on course for the G3 Prix Gontaut-Biron at Deauville on Aug. 15 after pleasing connections in a route piece of work on Thursday.
“He did a simple work, as we are accustomed to do,” said trainer Jean-Claude Rouget of Peter Brant’s 4-year-old. “The goal is not to have a hard work; once they have made their seasonal bow, we do maintenance work. They worked over 1,800 metres-all went well. The horse has a good action and he behaves as he does when he is in good form.
“After the Ganay, we left him alone for three weeks. His work picked up for a comeback in mid-August. We didn’t know if he would go to York [for the Juddmonte International] or to Deauville. Apparently, we are going to Deauville. He still had a fairly long break and the York race would be difficult for a semi-return to racing.
The long-term aim for last year’s G1 Prix du Jockey Club winner is the G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on Oct. 4.
“Sottsass will then have several options before running in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe–either the Prix Foy or, if we stay over 2000 metres, the Irish Champion S.,” Rouget said. “The latter test would be more rewarding for his future stallion career. I am not the only deciding voice. There are also his connections–Peter Brant and Coolmore. We will discuss after the Gontaut-Biron.”
The Stronach 5, featuring a $100,000 guaranteed pool and industry-low 12-percent takeout, will begin Friday with the first 2-year-old race run this year in Maryland, a $40,000 maiden special weight event at five furlongs on Laurel Park's main track.
The popular wager will feature three races from Laurel and two from Gulfstream Park. Gulfstream's races will include a five furlong event on the turf and the sequence will conclude with a $45,000 allowance optional claimer at 5 ½ furlongs on Laurel's Dahlia Turf Course.
The opening leg of the Stronach 5 features a field of 10 juvenile colts and geldings. Three of the maidens – San Antone, Don't Dare Me and Alwaysinahurry – come into the race off second-place finishes at Delaware Park against maiden special weight company.
Friday's races and sequence
· Leg One – Laurel Park 6th Race: (10 entries, 5 furlongs) 3:21 ET, 12:21 PT
· Leg Two –Gulfstream Park 8th Race: (11 entries, 5 furlongs turf) 3:40 ET, 12:40 PT
· Leg Three –Laurel Park 7th Race: (12 entries, 1 mile) 3:59 ET, 12:59 PT
· Leg Four –Gulfstream Park 9th Race: (11 entries, 1 mile) 4:14 ET, 1:14 PT
· Leg Five –Laurel Park 8th race: (9 entries, 5 ½ furlongs turf) 4:32 ET, 1:32 PT
Fans can watch and wager on the action at 1/ST.COM/BET as well as stream all the action in English and Spanish at LaurelPark.com, SantaAnita.com, GulfstreamPark.com, and GoldenGateFields.com.
The Stronach 5 In the Money podcast, hosted by Jonathan Kinchen and Peter Thomas Fornatale, will be posted by 2 p.m. Thursday at InTheMoneyPodcast.com and will be available on iTunes and other major podcast distributors
The minimum wager on the multi-race, multi-track Stronach 5 is $1. If there are no tickets with five winners, the entire pool will be carried over to the next Friday.
If a change in racing surface is made after the wagering closes, each selection on any ticket will be considered a winning selection. If a betting interest is scratched, that selection will be substituted with the favorite in the win pool when wagering closes.
The Maryland Jockey Club serves as host of the Stronach 5.
G1 Coronation S. winner Alpine Star (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}), last seen finishing a short-neck second to Fancy Blue (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the G1 Prix de Diane on July 5, could resurface in the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville on Aug. 16 if ground conditions play to her liking.
“If all goes according to plan she could go to Deauville, but we just need to keep an eye on the ground,” said Alan Cooper, racing manager to owner/breeder The Niarchos Family. “There’s very hot weather forecast, but then there could be thunderstorms, so we’ll watch out for that. Her form appears very strong, with Fancy Blue winning again at Goodwood. The 3-year-old fillies appear to be very strong this year which is exciting, it’s good for racing.”
The Niarchos Family could yet have another major player in the division in Albigna (Ire), also from the yard of Jessica Harrington. The daughter of Zoffany went into winter quarters with hopes high off a win in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac, but has only been seen once this year when sixth in the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas.
“Albigna is making steady progress and it’s possible she could have a busy end-of-year programme,” said Cooper. “She could reappear in the Snow Fairy at The Curragh at the end of the month, we’ll just wait and see. But all is well with her.”
Cooper reported that 3-year-old colt Highest Ground (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), who lost his unbeaten record when beaten a neck at third asking in the G2 Dante S. on July 9, will stay in training at four.
“Sir Michael is very happy with him currently, but he’s just waiting a little bit longer before committing to a plan,” said Cooper. “There was a mad rush when racing resumed with all the races crammed together, but it’s not like that now. The long-term plan for him is for next year, he’ll be staying in training as a 4-year-old, so Sir Michael will feel his way and when he’s ready, he’ll take it from there. I would think Highest Ground fits the profile of a typical Sir Michael late-maturing type–I hope so.”
In this continuing series, we take a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this weekend running at Niigata and Sapporo Racecourses:
Saturday, August 8, 2020 1st-NII, ¥9,680,000 ($92k), Maiden, 2yo, 1600mT KITTEN’S WALTZ (f, 2, Air Force Blue–Dances With Kitten, by Kitten’s Joy) was bet down to 6-1 for her 1400-meter debut at Hanshin July 18 and raced well off the early pace before finishing with interest to be fourth, beaten six lengths (video, gate 7). Campaigned in the green-and-white hoops of Carrot Farm, the February foal is out of a winning full-sister to MGISW Divisidero and GSP Kitten’s Kid and should appreciate the added real estate for this second trip to the post. B-Shadai Corporation (KY)
2nd-SAP, ¥9,680,000 ($92k), Maiden, 2yo, 1800mT SHOVELHEAD (c, 2, Curlin–Date to Remember, by Bernardini) made a pair of starts over Tokyo’s metric mile in June, finishing a debut seventh June 6 ahead of an improved fourth-place effort three weeks later (see below, gate 5). The $700K Keeneland September graduate, a half-brother to GSW National Flag (Speightstown) and GISP Bernina Star (Harlan’s Holiday), was produced by a half-sister to GISW Eddington (Unbridled) and G1SP Star Crowned (Kingmambo). Shovelhead is bred on the same cross as recent GI CCA Oaks winner Paris Lights and GSW/MGISP Point of Honor. Owner Yuji Hasegawa was represented by first-time starter winner Vanishing Point (Tapit–Unrivaled Belle) at this venue Aug. 2. B-Siena Farms LLC (KY)
Sunday, August 9, 2020 6th-NII, ¥13,400,000 ($127k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1600mT MALIBU STAR SONG (JPN) (f, 2, Malibu Moon–Emma’s Song, by Unbridled’s Song), a half-sister to MSP Emerald Pond (More Than Ready), was purchased in utero for $300K at the 2017 Fasig-Tipton November Sale. The filly’s second dam was the versatile Advancing Star (Soviet Star), a dual Grade III winner sprinting on turf, victorious in the GIII Rancho Bernardo H. sprinting on the dirt and twice Grade I-placed, including a runner-up effort to Cara Rafaela (Quiet American) in the 1995 GI Hollywood Starlet S. B-Shadai Farm
7th-NII, ¥14,360,000 ($136k), Allowance, 3yo/up, 1200m PRECIOUS GIRL (f, 3, Speightstown–Pressurizing, by Henrythenavigator), a debut second to the very talented Lecce Baroque (Uncle Mo) in February, was well-beaten in two subsequent tries, but found the winning thread to graduate over this track and distance when last seen July 25. The $375K FTKNOV weanling purchase is out of an unraced daughter of Vertigineux (Kris S.), the dam of the once-beaten Horse of the Year and three-time champion older mare Zenyatta (Street Cry {Ire}), MGISW Balance (Thunder Gulch) and SW Where’s Bailey (Aljabr), dam of GSW She’s Not Here (Street Cry {Ire}). B-Gilgai Farm
