Stallion News: Kevin Blake And Jack Cantillon Buy Smart Sprinter Bouttemont

Kevin Blake and Jack Cantillon have secured French sprinter Bouttemont (Ire), who they are targeting at a rare Group 1 double in the Flying Five and Prix de l'Abbaye, before standing the highly-rated son of Acclamation (GB) in Ireland. 

Bouttemont will see out his career with current trainer Yann Barberot and will race in the colours of Syndicates.Racing, the successful ownership group which is headed by Cantillon. 

A number of packages that include racing and breeding rights are available in the Group 3 winner with Blake describing the opportunity to invest in Bouttemont as a rare one for prospective investors.

The well-known racing pundit and breeder told TDN Europe, “We're doing things a little bit different in that people can get into Bouttemont for the remainder of his racing career and also secure breeding rights. This is a new partnership between Jack and myself and I really believe that Bouttemont is quite a compelling horse. He has the form, the profile, the looks and the pedigree. You'd like to think he'd be an appealing horse at that level.

“I think it's quite a unique thing that, anyone who gets involved in the horse at this stage, they get to rock up to the Irish Champions Festival in a few weeks' time and then on to Longchamp with a share in a Group 1 runner on Arc day. You don't usually get an opportunity to do this sort of thing without spending an awful lot of money so it's a pretty interesting opportunity.”

Bouttemont landed the Group 3 Barriere Prix de Meautry at Deauville a year ago. He posted an impressive speed figure when landing a listed contest at Chantilly over the minimum trip back in June and Blake says he is confident that the five-year-old has more to offer over five furlongs. 

He explained, “Bouttemont ran to an RPR of 116 when he won the Prix Hampton at Chantilly and that's the performance that I'd be focussing in on because an RPR of 116 would have been good enough to win or finish second in any of the past five Flying Fives or Prix de l'Abbayes. The ability to be good and competitive in those races is there when he gets his conditions.”

Blake added, “Nearly every person we've bounced the idea of the horse to can see the case and have shown a lot of enthusiasm. In most cases, people wouldn't have been familiar with the horse but, when you explain what you're thinking and provide them with the information, they can see it and are quite excited by it. Again, it's the uniqueness of being able to get in on a racing and breeding level which is appealing to a lot of people.”

Bouttemont may represent Blake's first endeavour into standing a stallion but this won't be Cantillon's first rodeo. Far Above (Ire), who stands at Micheál Orlandi's Starfield Stud in County Westmeath, was sourced by Cantillon and covered 142 mares in his first season at stud.

Commenting on his latest stallion acquisition, Cantillon said, “I don't think people should get confused about the fact they could achieve two things that they might otherwise never achieve in their lifetime here. When you pick up the TDN over the next few weeks and months, you will read announcements about horses retiring to stud. This isn't a stallion retiring announcement. This is a stallion prospect being reimagined. 

“What really excites me about this is that, not only do people have the opportunity to own a breeding right in one of the highest-rated sons of Acclamation, but they also have the upside of racing. People can accomplish the lifelong goal of owning a stallion and ultimate life goal of owning a Group 1 runner with a live chance as well.”

He added, “Dealing in cold hard facts, this horse gave a performance in the Prix Hampton which places him on a career higher-rating RPR than Mehmas and Dark Angel, achieved a top speed of 72 kilometers per hour in that race and almost broke the track record. He's an exceptionally-quick horse.

“I have always gotten on very well with Kevin and we have combined what we are good at here; identifying value and being a champion of the breeder, which involves new ways for breeders to get involved in our great game. Hopefully we have unearthed the next great stallion son of Acclamation and, who knows, he could be the last son of Acclamation who ever retires to stud. Even if he doesn't get his ground in his remaining Group 1 dates, he already has the proven credentials of the type of horse that thrives at stud in Ireland.”

Acclamation has already come up trumps with stallion sons Mehmas (Ire), Dark Angel (Ire) and more emerging as leading stallions having embarked on their careers at stud at modest fees initially. 

The prowess of Acclamation as a sire of sires was illustrated by Blake in last month's TDN Europe and the research for that article is said to have convinced him to bring Bouttemont to stud in Ireland.

Blake said, “The origin story is that I was doing a piece on sires of sires for TDN Europe and Acclamation came out with the big double red circle around his name. This purchase was the product of a lot of groundwork as Jack and I have been working on partnering on a stallion for the last number of years. It took time to find the right one but Bouttemont jumped off the page.”

He added, “This part of the world is full of breeders that have had great experiences with Acclamation and his sons Dark Angel and Mehmas. We couldn't be more excited to help bring what might be the last new stallion son of Acclamation back home to Ireland and offer him to breeders at an accessible level.”

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Glass Slippers In Foal To Dubawi

Triple Group 1-winning sprinter Glass Slippers (GB) (Dream Ahead) has been tested in foal to Dubawi (Ire) for her first mating, owner/breeder Bearstone Stud revealed on Twitter on Thursday.

Trained by Kevin Ryan, Glass Slippers won three black-type races culminating in the G1 Prix de l'Abbaye at three. She added the G1 Flying Five S. the following season and, after missing by a neck to Wooded (Fr) in her l'Abbaye title defense, shipped to Keeneland to win the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint. Glass Slippers finished third in three starts last year, including the Flying Five and the l'Abbaye, before finishing eighth in the latest edition of the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar.

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Nunthorpe, Flying Five On The Radar For Golden Pal After Saratoga Win

After returning victorious in Saratoga's Opening Day Quick Call, trainer Wesley Ward said Golden Pal will take his talents overseas for his next engagement.

A winner of his last three starts, Golden Pal was in command throughout the entire 5 ½-furlong journey for sophomores and was wrapped up by jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. in the final sixteenth of a mile, garnering a career-best 95 Beyer for the three-length win.

Ward said he plans on shipping Golden Pal back to Keeneland in the next couple of days to prepare for a possible start in either the Group 1 Nunthorpe on Aug. 20 at York in England or the Group 1 Flying Five on Sept. 12 at the Curragh in Ireland. Both races offer the winner an expenses-paid berth to the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint in November at Del Mar.

“I was planning on going this morning, but he ran such a big effort I'll keep him here for a couple of days,” Ward said. “Right now, when he's this good and you want to try and make him a sire, you have to hook into a Group 1 somewhere.”

Ward said the Nunthorpe might be coming up a little sooner than ideal.

“It's close together, but when you're talking about going over to England and off a layoff, I like to give them some time so I'm not 100 percent certain he'll go to the Nunthorpe,” Ward said. “I would say, looking at his energy and his workouts, that will determine whether it's there or if he'll run in Ireland. I've never run one in Ireland.”

Both the Nunthorpe and the Flying Five are contested at five furlongs, a half-furlong shorter than the Quick Call.

“He's much better going five-eighths,” Ward said.

Golden Pal, owned by Coolmore partners Michael Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier, Derrick Smith and Westerberg, was a dazzling 3 ½-length winner of the Skidmore at Saratoga last summer before capturing the Grade 2 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Keeneland. He arrived at the Quick Call off eight months rest.

Golden Pal's next start will not be his first international endeavor. In his second outing, he was second beaten a neck in the Group 2 Norfolk last June at Royal Ascot.

While Golden Pal takes his show on the road, Ten Broeck Farm's five-time stakes winner Kimari will target the Grade 2, $200,000 Honorable Miss on July 28 at Saratoga.

The daughter of Munnings captured the Grade 1 Madison on April 3 at Keeneland last out, defeating graded stakes-winners Estilo Talentoso, Bell's the One and Sconsin.

The 4-year-old bay filly, who has never finished worse than fourth in 10 career starts, seeks a second stakes victory at the Spa. She earned her first stakes triumph when taking the Bolton Landing in August 2019.

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Nunthorpe Or Flying Five For Golden Pal

Last year's GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint scorer Golden Pal (Uncle Mo) is on course for either the G1 Nunthorpe S. on Aug. 20 or the G1 Flying Five S. at The Curragh on Sept. 12 after an eye-catching seasonal debut in Thursday's GIII Quick Call S. at Saratoga for trainer Wesley Ward. It was Golden Pal's first start for the Coolmore partners and Westerberg since being purchased privately from breeder Randall Lowe.

“[The Quick Call] was five and a half [furlongs], and the competition wasn't at the same level as what he would face in the Nunthorpe, but if you shorten that up [half a furlong], I think he could run with anything I've ever trained,” Ward said.

Golden Pal finished second in last year's G2 Norfolk S. before breaking his maiden at Saratoga and winning at the Breeders' Cup.

“Over five furlongs, he's a killer,” Ward added. “He's just so quick and agile, and mentally he's really coming around, more so this year than last year. He's always been able to run, but now the rider can contain him–and when he asks for that little burst, very few horses I've had have been able to do that.”

“The Nunthorpe has eluded me, but hopefully we'll get it done this year,” Ward added. “We've been having massive rainstorms over here, so there was quite a bit of give in the ground yesterday. He handled the ground well at Ascot last year as well, so he's got no issues with the ground being a little soft. The only issue would be, while he pulled up really good and sound, we'll see how his energy levels are in his works here in the next couple of weeks, and whether it warrants giving him an extra bit of time for the Flying Five. One of those two races is what he'll be in.”

Ward said G1 Commonwealth Cup and G2 Queen Mary S. winner Campanelle (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) remains on course for the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest on Aug. 8.

“We're doing really well with her,” Ward said. “She had a breeze on the dirt for the first time since I've had her last week, and we're asking the powers that be for a breeze on the grass at Keeneland this week. She's on target for the Maurice de Gheest at Deauville and leaves here on July 31. Like Golden Pal, she has no issues with softer ground. In fact, it might be better if it rains a little.”

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