The success of the colt, who was also runner-up to the great Sea-Bird in the Derby and went on to give Lester Piggott his first success in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S., prompted his legendary trainer Paddy Prendergast to rename his stables in his honour. The property at Maddenstown, on the Curragh, subsequently passed into the hands of John and Eimear Mulhern, before being sold in 2016 to Abu Dhabi's Sheikha Fatima bint Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

The experienced equestrian is the eldest daughter of Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the younger brother of the current president of the United Arab Emirates and the son of the founder and inaugural president of the UAE, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Beyond the sheikha's equine interests she has recently launched the Fatima bint Hazza Academic Scholarship Fund, aimed at encouraging and enabling Emirati women to take advantage of higher education.

The Thoroughbred arm of Sheikha Fatima's global equine operation known as Al Shira'aa is managed by Lalor, who returned home to Ireland after a long stint in the Bluegrass at Ashford, Castleton Lyons and WinStar, and has overseen significant investment and development at the storied farm over the last six years.

A nod to the multi-national ties of the property is provided by the welcome signs at the entrance, which are printed in Arabic, Gaelic and English. Once inside, a glance at the newly constructed stable yards and offices confirms the blending of styles: plenty of stylish modern glass melded with the grey native stone of Ireland.

At a time when Sheikha Hissa has stepped modestly into the limelight in her aim to continue the Thoroughbred breeding tradition of her late father Sheikh Hamdan at Shadwell, it is heartening to find another Arab woman at the helm of a relatively new enterprise with horses in training in Ireland, France and America. The seeds of Sheikha Fatima's equine interests were sown first in the sport horse world and Al Shira'aa has been the title sponsor of show jumping's iconic Hickstead Derby since 2017, as well as backing the British Young Horse Championships at Bolesworth.

It is a name which is gradually seeping into the consciousness of the racing world. Lalor has been busy on behalf of “The boss” through recent yearling sale seasons, buying selectively with an eye very much on the long-term future of the farm.

Half-sisters to Classic winners Mother Earth (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) and Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}), and to Arc winner Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) were recruited in 2021. The first of that trio, Ocean Jewel (Ire), was one of the first-crop winners for Sioux Nation when striking for Willie McCreery last September before adding some black type to her name with a runner-up spot in the Listed Ballyhane Blenheim S.

“It's easier to go to a sale, and you're seeing the select drafts of all these top breeders are putting on the market, but our ultimate goal is to breed our own Group 1 horses. We try and breed everything to be a racehorse first and foremost,” Lalor says.

“We want those Classic types, the mile-and-a-quarter, mile-and-a-half horse, that's our ultimate goal. Now, we do go and buy some speed, like the Sioux Nation filly Ocean Jewel, but with the background of Mother Earth being a top-class, sound filly that ran in so many Group 1s and never threw in the towel. But the ultimate goal with her is to come to back to the broodmare band to be bred to try and produce a miler or a mile-and-a-quarter type of horse.”

Kieren Lalor | Zuzanna Lupa

He adds of Sheikha Fatima, “She's very passionate about all breeds of horses. She was very successful at show jumping and dressage herself, and she has a big show jumping team competing all around Europe and the UAE.”

Her black-and-red racing silks have already been carried with some distinction in the Thoroughbred world, with Al Shira'aa celebrating its first top-level success in 2021 with Mutamakina (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) in the GI EP Taylor S. at Woodbine.

“She's going to Wootton Bassett. We're very excited, she's a fabulous filly,” says Lalor of the 7-year-old mare who started out in training with Carlos Laffon-Parias, for whom she won a listed race in Vichy, before being transferred to Christophe Clement and winning four graded stakes in North America.

Laffon Parias, who, along with Pascal Bary, trains the French-based horses for Al Shira'aa, also oversaw the racing career of Rumi (Fr) (Frankel {GB}), a Group 2 and Group 3 winner who heads this year to be covered by Kingman (GB). Also heading to the Juddmonte covering shed is Jannah Flower (Ire), runner-up in the G1 Prix de Royallieu last year for Pascal Bary and, like Rumi and Mutamakina, bought by Shawn Dugan.

“She was twice a listed winner, second in a Group 2 and second in a Group 1 on the day before the Arc, and she's going to Frankel,” Lalor adds of Jannah Flower.

The prefix of Jannah, which translates to paradise, is likely to be seen more widely in the coming years. This season, Sheikha Fatima and her team at Al Shira'aa will have high hopes for Jannah Rose (Ire), a Frankel filly bred by John Hayes and bought for €650,000, who has raced just once and won at Chantilly. She now holds entries for the French Classics, as does Saadiyat (Ire), a Lope De Vega (Ire) half-sister to Broome (Ire) and Point Lonsdale (Ire).

“Jannah Rose was quite possibly one of the nicest yearlings I've ever seen at a sale,” Lalor recalls. “She was a fantastic-looking individual, and she moved great. She was one horse I said to the boss, 'We just have to own her, whatever it takes.' In her debut victory, she had to overcome quite a bit in that race to get out into the open. She was very green but when she engaged that run before the finish line, it really got the heart going. That was only a maiden win, but it was quite an emotional win, because she was a very expensive filly. A lot of things can go wrong, but she's one we'll be very excited about.”

He adds, “Our main focus has always been France. They have a great system, that really rewards breeders and owners.”

The operation currently boards a group of mares in France with Julian Ince at Haras du Logis, which includes Celestial Beast, a full-sister to the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint winner and sire Bobby's Kitten. Three of them are booked to Logis resident Victor Ludorum (Ire) and another three to Galiway (GB).

In America, the mares are entrusted to Gainesway, and the four being covered there this year are booked to the smart names of Uncle Mo, Into Mischief, American Pharoah and Justify.

“[Gainesway manager] Brian Graves has been a good friend of mine for a long time. They are part-owner in Miss Jessica J (Empire Maker), and so it was just an organic kind of relationship that started there. We've tried to have one every year from Europe go over there [to race]. Geoff and Sandra Mulcahy do all of our lay-ups over there and they do a great job, and once they go into the breeding arena they go to Gainesway.”

He adds, “The two Triple Crown winners have both started well. American Pharoah has had some good winners here as well. I'd be all for them, and the boss, thankfully, feels the same. She jumped at the chance of using Justify.”

While Al Shira'aa is very much an owner-breeder operation, all breeders have to sell some stock to keep the numbers at a reasonable level, and David Cox of Baroda Stud is called upon when required to offer youngsters for sale.

“Everybody has that decision, and it's a very difficult decision to make because inevitably you're going to sell a really good horse, but our limit is 30 mares,” Lalor says.

“Until we expand to the level where we could have more flexibility we try to stay strictly to that number. The grand scheme is to improve on all this, so we have 28 [mares] at the moment, and when one comes in, one goes out.

“Obviously we do want to grow and expand, but that comes with time. We can't just go and buy a broodmare band in one or two years. We've obviously a lot of families in the racing stable and most of them will come into the breeding operation, but we have some flexibility in that regard because if they are doing well and they are healthy and enjoying it they will continue racing. The boss likes to keep them in training, so we race as 4- or 5-year-olds. Mutamakina was six when she retired.”

Mares and foals at Meadow Court Stud | Al Shira'aa

Classic relations loom large on the lists of horses of various ages on the walls of Lalor's office. Lady In Lights (Ire), a Dansili (GB) half-sister to the Guineas winners Magna Grecia (Ire) and St Mark's Basilica (Fr), was bought in December 2020 carrying to No Nay Never, and her resultant foal, now two and named Spirit Lady (Ire), is one of an illustrious group of 12 juveniles currently being broken in by Ian McCarthy. Also among that intake is the Siyouni (Fr) half-sister to Native Trail (GB), named Native Pearl (Fr); Jannah Pearl (Fr), a Galileo (Ire) sister to Rumi; and Crimson Tide (Fr), a full-sister to Glycon (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}), all of whom were purchased at Arqana last August.

“The first thing we do when we buy a yearling, they come back here, and they go out together in the field for three months,” Lalor notes. “So they detox from the sales, all of that prepping at such a young age can be quite a lot for them. We try to let them go back to being a horse, as opposed to going straight to a breaker or pre-trainer and then getting turned out in January for a month or so. And our first instruction to Ian is to let them do it in their own time, as individuals.”

He continues, “It's the same with all the trainers. There's no pressure to push them.

“Like with Caelestis, the Dubawi [half-sister to Waldgeist], there was probably a lot of expectation for her to come out last year. But she was immature and green, and Pascal [Bary] said, 'No, she's not going to be ready until next year.'”

For someone who has cut their teeth with sport horses, as Sheikha Fatima has, waiting an extra year between a youngster's 2- and 3-year-old season clearly doesn't rankle. And, after all, with the earlier purchases now embarking on their broodmare careers, and the early drafts of homebreds in the paddocks, there is much to occupy the team's thoughts at all levels.

“Sheikha Fatima is very much involved,” says Lalor. “We spent hours on the phone in December going over matings. I go and short-list at the sales, but she sees everything and makes the final decisions. She loves coming to the farm and seeing the foals, the development, how they grow. She has a really good eye for a horse, and with the matings, as I say, we spend hours going over them.”

He adds, “Sometimes I wonder whether we are raising horses or trees. We've planted more than 2,000 trees on the farm and it's an organic farm, so we don't spray with chemicals, we use seaweed. It's going to be fabulous in 10 or 20 years when all these trees grow. Everything on the farm is done with the wildlife in mind.

“The boss is really passionate about it, and it's more fun when they're as involved as Sheikha Fatima is. That kind of makes it all worthwhile, and when you get to work with horses like this, trying to develop our own product.”

At a time when the demise of the owner-breeder is much rued, it is indeed encouraging to see an historic farm rejuvenated, from the paddocks to the stock therein.

“I remember the first time we met the boss, and we spoke about what she wanted out of this,” says Lalor. “We looked about, at all those Classic breeders. Coolmore are probably the best in the business, they're just exceptional, and Juddmonte, too. And so with the same goals and mindset, we dove into this. Hopefully I think we're on the right path, but we will keep trying to improve and try to keep moving in the right direction.”

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“It feels great. Obviously, I couldn't have done this without the horses, my agent Mike Migliore, and my supporters–countless trainers and owners to get me here,” Davis said. “It feels really special. I love doing this and I love the game. I wasn't really keeping track of the number I was at,” Davis added, with a laugh.

The son of accomplished jockey and current NYRA circuit trainer Robbie Davis, Dylan Davis began his riding career in 2012 at Saratoga Race Course. In 2021, he amassed record earnings of $9,493,444 when he visited the winner's circle 130 times from 927 starts.

Davis' first Grade I triumph came aboard Mutamakina in the E.P. Taylor in Oct. 2021, also trained by Clement.

“Christophe is a trainer that really pushed me along through the tougher circuit here,” Davis said. “He gave me a lot of opportunities. What I needed is someone with the support like him to help get the job done.”

This year, Davis earned his first riding title when he posted 63 wins at the 2021-22 Aqueduct winter meet, finishing nine clear of Trevor McCarthy. The meet included three four-win days for Davis and victories in six stakes races for total purse earnings of $3,411,574.

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The 5-year-old daughter of Nathaniel defended her title in the Long Island, which she won last year when collaring stablemate Traipsing up the rail in the final strides. Mutamakina saw some added ground in this year's Long Island which was moved from 11 to 12 furlongs.

“I'm still enjoying the win,” Clement said. “I'm very grateful for the owner and hopefully we can be lucky again.”

Previously trained in France by Carlos Laffon-Parias, Mutamakina achieved modest success overseas, including a Group 2 placing behind subsequent Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Sottsass at Longchamp in Paris, France. She finished a distant eighth to eventual Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf winner Audarya in her final start in France in August 2020.

Her career reached new heights when transferred to Clement in New York, finishing a troubled third in last year's Zagora at Belmont over yielding turf en route to her first Long Island score to close out her 4-year-old campaign.

Following three losses at Belmont at stakes level to launch her 2021 season, including a second in the G2 Sheepshead Bay and a third in the River Memories, Mutamakina went on a three-race tear, traveling to Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario, to capture the G2 Dance Smartly and G1 E.P. Taylor ahead of this year's Long Island.

“She had a real career in the States. It was a great decision on their part to send her here because she improved her resume by coming here,” Clement said. “When things work out with staying fillies like her, these things happen. She's talented and an above-average horse and, like most horses, she got better as she got older.”

Dylan Davis, undefeated aboard Mutamakina, piloted the mare to all four of her triumphs in North America. She provided Davis with his first Grade 1 win by besting stablemate La Dragontea by a neck in the E.P. Taylor in October.

“I got aboard her because Kieran Lalor, the racing manager for Al Shira'aa Stud, really wanted me to ride her after I rode her in last year's Long Island,” Davis said. “She had different riders in between then, but once I got back up on her this summer, we hooked back up. She was my first Grade 1 winner, I went 4-for-4 on her. How much better can you get than that? I'm going to get a nice big picture of her and put it in my house.

“She's pretty straightforward,” Davis continued. “She was actually a little more on edge at Woodbine. She'd be more on it those first couple of jumps out of the gate. After that, she would settle down, but over here she was more relaxed.”

Mutamakina is slated to ship to Ireland for a broodmare career, where she will be bred to Dubawi.

Bred in Great Britain by Widgham Stud, Mutamakina is out of the Danehill broodmare Joshua's Princess. Her fourth dam is 1995 European Horse of the Year Ridgewood Pearl, who captured that year's G1 Breeders' Cup Mile at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Mutamakina closed out her career with a record of 17-6-3-3 with purse earnings of $854,066.

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In the 1 1/2-mile stakes over firm turf, the daughter of Nathaniel (IRE) lingered toward the back of the pack, with Candy Flower running easily on the lead a length ahead of Sorrel and Harajuku. For the first mile, Mutamakina saved ground, running in fifth behind fellow Christophe Clement trainee La Dragontea. Through fractions of :24.20, :50.02, and 1:15, Candy Flower looked poised to take the field all the way, her lead 1 1/2 lengths as they hit the stretch at the Ozone Park, N.Y. track.

Entering the stretch, Mutamakina had traffic in front of her, so Davis tipped her out four-wide from the rail to find a clear lane. Running on the outside of La Dragontea, Mutamakina quickly made up ground, her late surge in the final furlong shortening Candy Flower's lead and then catching her just before the wire to win by a half-length. La Dragontea was third, with Luck Money fourth.

The final time for the 1 1/2 miles was 2:28.08. Find this race's chart here.

Mutamakina paid $6.60, $4.10, and $2.90. Candy Flower paid $15.60 and $6.80. La Dragontea paid $2.60.

Bred in England by Widgham Stud, Mutamakina is out of the Danehill mare Joshua's Princess (GB). She is owned by Al Shira'aa Farms. She was consigned by New England Stud and purchased by Shawn Dugan, agent, for $137,225 at the 2017 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. With her win in the G3 Long Island, Mutamakina has three wins in six starts in 2021, for a lifetime record of six wins in 17 starts and career earnings of $854,509. Her win gives trainer Christophe Clement his fourth win in this graded stakes.

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Clement, a three-time winner of the 12-furlong inner test for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up, notched the exacta last year when Mutamakina slid up the rail and collared pacesetting stablemate Traipsing in the last strides to the wire.

En route to Saturday's engagement, Mutamakina captured a pair of graded stakes triumphs at Woodbine Racetrack in Canada going 10 furlongs.

Following a prominent score in the Grade 2 Dance Smartly on September 24 over firm ground, Mutamakina squared off against La Dragontea in the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor on October 17 fending off a late confrontation from her stablemate to win by a neck.

Mutamakina has been training forwardly since her last victory according to Clement, logging a four-furlong move in 50.10 seconds Saturday over the Belmont turf.

“She's been training very well. I'm very happy with her,” Clement said. “She's a top-class mare. She's never trained so well than when she came back from Canada. Her last couple of works have been remarkable and I'm excited to run her back.”

Owned by Al Shira'aa Farms, Mutamakina is out of the Danehill mare Joshua's Princess whose second dam was 1995 European Horse of the Year and Breeders Cup Mile winner Ridgewood Pearl.

Dylan Davis is 3-for-3 aboard the 5-year-old Nathaniel bay mare, who will break from post 7.

Since finishing second to Mutamakina in the E.P. Taylor, La Dragontea was sold to Rosemont Stud at the Keeneland November Sale for $1,375,000 but has remained in Clement's barn. She is slated to shuttle to Australia next year.

“I'm delighted that she's back in the barn. She'll go to Australia for next year we'll try to do the best we can with her,” Clement said.

La Dragontea made up considerable ground in the E.P. Taylor, where she was last at the top of the stretch before weaving her way through traffic and coming up just shy of victory. Prior to her last start, the 4-year-old Lope de Vega dark bay filly shipped to Woodbine and displayed stalking tactics when capturing her first stakes win in the Grade 2 Canadian on September 18 over good going.

A two-time winner on the NYRA circuit this season, La Dragontea made her North American debut a winning one in a 1 ¼-mile Belmont allowance on May 7, leading through every point of call under little urging in the stretch drive. She was a troubled sixth in her next effort cutting back to 1 1/16 miles five weeks later at Belmont.

“She was very impressive in her debut in America winning her allowance at Belmont,” Clement said. “We were very unlucky the time after that getting boxed in. She's a very good filly and she never stops improving.”

Hall of Famer Javier Castellano will ride from post 4.

Rounding out Clement's contingent is Sorrel, who makes her first start since a troubled third to subsequent Grade 1 winner War Like Goddess in the Grade 3 Orchid on March 27 at Gulfstream Park.

Owned by George Strawbridge, Jr.'s Augustin Stable and James Wigan, the 4-year-old Dansili dark bay secured three straight victories for English conditioner Sir Michael Stoute overseas prior to transferring to Clement.

“She ran very well that day, she could have won with a better trip,” Clement said of her Orchid effort. “We gave her plenty of time and she's come back well.”

Breaking from post 8, Sorrel will be ridden by Manny Franco.

Trainer Chad Brown will send out Orglandes, who recaptured her winning form last out when taking the Zagora on November 7 at Belmont. The 5-year-old daughter of Le Havre ended 2020 on a winning note when making up a dozen lengths to win the Grade 3 Red Carpet last November at Del Mar.

Brown eyes his third Long Island score, having previously saddled Goldy Espony [2015] and Lady Paname [2018].

Eric Cancel will ride Orglandes from post 2.

Four-time Long Island winning trainer Graham Motion sends out Flaxman Holdings' Harajuku, who will seek redemption following a seventh-place finish in the Grade 2 Sands Point at nine furlongs on October 16. The effort was the first under Motion's tutelage for the daughter of Deep Impact, who previously raced in France for trainer Andre Fabre. She made her North American debut when third in the 11-furlong Jockey Club Oaks Invitational in September at Belmont.

“She just got run off her feet a bit,” Motion said of her last effort. “I had questioned shortening her up a bit and obviously the result wasn't what we were looking for. This distance is more of what she wants to do.”

Harajuku will leave from post 3 under Junior Alvarado.

Completing the competitive field is Summer In Saratoga [post 1, Luis Saez] – a last out winner of the Grade 3 Dowager at Keeneland, stakes-placed Candy Flower [post 5, Kendrick Carmouche], and multiple graded-stakes paced Luck Money [post 6, Trevor McCarthy].

The Long Island is slated as Race 9 on Saturday's 10-race program, which also features the $150,000 Discovery, the $150,000 Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship, and the $100,000 Central Park. First post is 11:50 a.m. Eastern.

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Owned and bred by celebrity chef Bobby Flay, Pizza Bianca arrived at the Juvenile Fillies Turf off a good second in the G1 Natalma on September 19 at Woodbine.

The daughter of Fastnet Rock, expertly piloted by Jose Ortiz in the Juvenile Fillies Turf, found a seam in between horses in upper stretch and collared European invader Cachet in the final furlong to win by a neck over late-rallying Malavath.

Clement said Pizza Bianca will be freshened with an eye towards NYRA's filly division of the Turf Triple series, which kicks off with the G1 Belmont Oaks Invitational.

“It was very nice,” Clement said of the Breeders' Cup victory. “She's having a break at the moment, and we'll bring her back next year. She could be one that will eventually be a candidate for the Turf Triple series.”

The following day, Clement saddled Otter Band Stables' Gufo to a 10th-place finish in the G1 Breeders' Cup Turf, which was won by Jockey Club Derby Invitational winner Yibir.

The effort was a first off-the-board finish for the 4-year-old Declaration of War chestnut, who captured the G1 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer Invitational in August at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Clement mentioned the possibility of shipping Gufo to the Middle East, targeting races like the Neom Turf Cup at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Saudi Arabia and the Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai.

“He's at Payson Park having a break at the moment,” Clement said. “There are races in Saudi and Dubai or the [Grade 1] Man o' War [at Belmont Park]. They're all great choices.”

Clement said Gufo, who was headstrong in his third-place finish in the G1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic last month at Belmont, could remove blinkers for his next start.

“The main question is whether or not we keep the blinkers on him,” Clement said. “He was a bit aggressive in the middle of the race here and I thought about taking the blinkers off for the Breeders' Cup. Because the Breeders' Cup was in California, I felt that I would be better off to have him a touch more on the bridle than off the bridle. If the Breeders' Cup were elsewhere with a more kinder turf course I would probably have taken them off. We'll just have to think about it.”

Gufo brags a consistent record of 14-7-2-4 with earnings in excess of $1.2 million. In addition to the Sword Dancer, Gufo also captured the G1 Belmont Derby Invitational last year as well as three other stakes races.

On Sunday morning, Al Shira'aa Farms' Mutamakina breezed an easy half-mile in :52.22 over the Belmont inner turf in preparation for the $400,000 G3 Long Island on November 27 at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

The 5-year-old Nathaniel mare defeated stablemate La Dragontea last out in the G1 E.P. Taylor at Woodbine Racetrack, following a triumph in the G2 Dance Smarty on August 22 at the Toronto oval.

“She had a nice work. She'll work once more next week,” Clement said.

Clement said La Dragontea, winner of the G2 Canadian on September 18 at Woodbine, and graded stakes-placed Sorrel are also possible candidates for the 12-furlong stamina test.

“Mutamakina for sure will run. The other two, we'll see how they train next week and go from there,” Clement said.

Sorrel, an Augustin Stable and James Wigan homebred, was last seen finishing third in her North American debut to War Like Goddess in the G3 Orchid in March at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla. The daughter of Dansili went a half-mile in :52.34 over the Belmont inner turf on Sunday morning.

“If the ground is on the firmer side, I'll run her in the Long Island. If it's too soft, I don't think I will,” Clement said.

Manzanita Stables' Tap the Faith, who broke her maiden at first asking on Sunday going a one-turn mile at Belmont, is a possible candidate for the $250,000 G2 Demoiselle on December 4 at Aqueduct.

“Today was her first day back galloping and she looks great,” Clement said. “We'll work her next weekend and decide what to do with her. I really like the filly, and if she's training great and doing great, we'll go for it.”

By Tapit, Tap the Faith is out of Grade 1 winner Embellish the Lace.

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Clement said Gufo, a 4-year-old son of Declaration of War, is likely to make his next start in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf on November 6 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif., while City Man will target the $200,000 Mohawk at Belmont on Empire Showcase Day October 30.

“It was a good work. City Man in front; Gufo further back and finished very willing,” Clement said. “Gufo looked great. He will work back next week and then probably go to the Breeders' Cup. I'll speak to the owner today to make sure, but as long he's on board that's the plan.”

Gufo captured the Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational last October and added the Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer to his ledger this summer at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Last out, the handsome chestnut settled for third in the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic on October 9 over firm Belmont turf.

“He's one of the leading older horses on the grass in the country and I'm very happy with him,” Clement said.

Clement said the versatile City Man, a stakes-winner on dirt and turf, would prefer firmer footing in the 1 1/16-mile Mohawk.

Jump Sucker Stable's last-out Grade 3 Futurity-winner Slipstream [:51.14] breezed a half-mile in company with West Point Thoroughbreds', Chris Larsen, and Titletown Racing Stables' last-out Grade 3 Matron runner-up Gal in a Rush [:51.02].

“It was a good work. They both worked well and finished up very willingly,” Clement said.

Slipstream, by More Than Ready, captured the six-furlong Futurity on October 10 and is targeting the one-mile Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf on November 5 at Del Mar, while Gal in a Rush, by Ghostzapper, will point to the six-furlong $100,000 Stewart Manor for juvenile fillies here November 6.

Slipstream, who graduated at third asking sprinting seven furlongs over the Belmont turf in September, has seen his Beyer figures improve in each start, registering an 80 for his Futurity score.

“He's improving as he gets older and more mature. He's a nice horse,” Clement said.

Clement noted that last Sunday's Floral Park-winner Too Sexy, Slipstream's 4-year-old half-sister by Quality Road out of the Stormy Atlantic mare Cake Baby, will target the $150,000 Autumn Days at six furlongs on the turf at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y., on November 28.

Oak Bluff Stables' Therapist worked a half-mile solo in :50.40 in preparation for either the seven-furlong $100,000 Oyster Bay against open company on Friday or the Mohawk versus fellow state-breds on Saturday.

The 6-year-old Freud gelding, bred by Clement with Oak Bluff Stables, boasts a record of 27-9-3-6 with purse earnings of $715,865.

“He tries very hard. He's a great horse to own because you know he will always try his best,” Clement said.

Therapist ran second to Somelikeithotbrown in last year's Mohawk.

Moyglare Stud Farm's Beautiful Lover [:51.06] went a half-mile in company with Michael Dubb and Michael J. Caruso's New York-bred stakes-winner Classic Lady [:51.02].

The multiple graded-stakes placed Beautiful Lover is on target for the 12-furlong $150,000 Zagora on October 31, while Classic Lady will enter the Ticonderoga on Empire Showcase Day.

Last Sunday, Clement sent out the one-two finishers in the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario, with Al Shira'aa Farms' Mutamakina edging Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Rebecca Hillen's La Dragontea in the 10-furlong turf test.

“They both ran great. It was a big deal – the E.P. Taylor is a major race,” Clement said.

Mutamakina captured the Grade 2 Dance Smartly at Woodbine in August and Clement said the 5-year-old Nathaniel mare, who provided jockey Dylan Davis his first Grade 1 win, would make her next start in the 12-furlong $400,000 Grade 3 Long Island on November 27 at the Big A.

La Dragontea, a 4-year-old daughter of Lope De Vega, won the nine-furlong Grade 2 Canadian at Woodbine in September. She was recently supplemented to the Fasig-Tipton November Sale.

Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Darlene Bilinski's Senbei sprinted to a four-length score in the six-furlong New York Breeders' Futurity on October 18 at Finger Lakes Race Track in Farmington, N.Y.

Bred in the Empire State by Dr. Jerry Bilinski, the Candy Ride chestnut graduated at first asking in July at Saratoga and followed with a front-running win in the 6 ½-furlong Funny Cide in August at the same track.

Clement said he's enjoying the ride with the 2-year-old who has won 3-of-4 career starts and will now target the $100,000 Notebook at six-furlongs for state-breds on November 21 at the Big A.

“He won well. He's fun. He just keeps winning,” said Clement with a laugh.

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Riding for trainer Christophe Clement, Davis was aboard Mutamakina (GB) in the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes, a 1-1/4 mile turf test for fillies and mares three-years-old and up and part of the Ladies of the Lawn series. Davis was riding Mutamakina (GB) for the third time including a win in the Grade 2 Dance Smartly in August, the second leg of the Ladies of the Lawn series. Despite the gutsy win in her last start, Mutamakina (GB) went off as the 8-1 sixth choice in the field of 10.

Mutamakina (GB) stalked a slow pace on the yielding turf, and sat off the leader, Kalifornia Queen. Those two battled for the lead into the stretch with Mutamakina (GB) taking the lead at the sixteenth pole, holding off stablemate, La Dragontea (GB) to win by a neck in 2:09.14. Kalifornia Queen finished third.

“She ran well here about a month ago,” Davis recalled. “We saw an opportunity to bring her up. Christophe did a great job getting her here. I've been breezing her, setting her up for this race. We knew she would be tough coming here.”

Davis, 27, the son of retired jockey Robbie Davis, has been riding since 2012. He tied a NYRA record with a six-win day on Feb. 18, 2018 at Aqueduct finishing in-the-money in all nine of his mounts that day. His sisters, Jacqueline and Katie are also jockeys. He currently sits in 4th place of the Belmont Park standings with 19 wins and nearly $1.4 million in purses.

Davis' weekly statistics were 22-4-2-0 and $449,894 in total purses.

Other nominees for Jockey of the Week included Tyler Gaffalione with 12 wins during the week, Juan J. Hernandez who won two stakes races at Santa Anita, Flavien Prat who won the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth Challenge and Evin Roman who also won 12 races during the week.

The Jockey of the Week panel would also like to recognize the remarkable achievement of Arnaldo Bocachica on Oct. 9 when he set a single card Charles Town record of eight stakes wins during the West Virginia Breeders' Classic card. Bocachica now sits in a 10-way tie for second for most jockey victories in a single day.

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Kalifornia Queen took the lead from the break of the 1 1/4-mile stakes, slowing the pace down to :27.26 for the first quarter and :54.46 for the first half. Running in second was Mutamakina, with Dylan Davis, staying to Kalifornia Queen's outside until the far turn.

As they rounded the final bend, Mutamakina pulled even with Kalifornia Queen, the two battling for the lead into the stretch. Kalifornia Queen stayed with Mutamakina until late stretch, tiring as the Clement trainee eked out a short lead. Behind them, La Dragontea, winner of the Grade 2 Canadian Stakes, the second leg of the Ladies of the Lawn series, surged after being last early, trapped behind horses until Joel Rosario tipped her outside of Mutamakina to bid for the lead. The Clement mare held on for the win, finishing a neck in front of La Dragontea. Kalifornia Queen held on for third, and Waliyak, in her first start since shipping over from Europe, was fourth.

The final time for the 1 1/4-mile E. P. Taylor Stakes was 2:09.14. Find this race's chart here.

Mutamakina paid $19.80, $8.20, and $5.80. La Dragontea paid $5.90 and $4.40. Kalifornia Queen paid $4.00.

Bred in England by Widgham Stud, Mutamakina is a 5-year-old mare by Nathaniel (IRE) out of the Danehill mare Joshua's Princess (GB). She is owned by Al Shira'aa Farms. Consigned by New England Stud, she was purchased by Shawn Dugan, agent, for $137,225 at the 2017 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. With her win in the G1 E. P. Taylor, Mutamakina has a record of two wins in five starts in 2021, for a lifetime record of 16-5-3-3 and career earnings of $634,509.

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“She ran well over here about a month ago and we saw an opportunity again to bring her out here,” said winning rider Dylan Davis. “Christophe, first off, did a great job of getting her here. I've been breezing her, setting up for this race, and she's been breezing well and maintained herself and we knew that she would be tough coming here.”

Dylan continued, “She handled everything great. Last time she put herself in a great position laying second. Today, again, she got her nerves going a little bit more than previously, but she put herself in a great position putting herself second. We slowed down the pace and she was handling it well for me and I just needed her to finish strong. Once she got a head in front there at eighth pole she was digging in nicely. She handled the turf well today.”

Launched in 2019, Woodbine's Ladies of the Lawn series is a points-based bonus series which began with the Aug. 22 Dance Smartly S. and was followed by the Sept. 18 GII Canadian S. won by La Dragontea. Mutamakina's two wins in the series earned her own a $50,000 bonus.

Mutamakina, twice group-placed in France in 2019, shipped stateside last autumn and was third in the 1 1/2-mile Zagora S. at Belmont Oct. 31 before concluding the season with a win in the 1 3/8-mile GIII Long Island S. She opened 2021 with a runner-up effort in the May 1 GII Sheepshead Bay S. She bested E.P. Taylor favorite Etoile (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) by a half-length in the Dance Smartly last time out.

Pedigree Notes:

Mutamakina's third dam is champion Ridgewood Pearl (GB), who won the 1995 GI Breeders' Cup Mile at Belmont Park. Her dam, Joshua's Princess, produced a colt by Camelot (Ire) this year. Her 2-year-old full-brother sold for 16,000gns at last year's Tattersalls October sale.

Mutamakina joins Steel Prince (Ire) and Precious Ramotswe (GB) as group winners by Nathaniel out of Danehill mares. Nathaniel is also the sire of Group 1 winners Enable (GB)–two-time winner of the Arc–God Given (GB), Lady Bowthorpe (GB) and Channel (Ire).

Sunday, Woodbine

E. P. TAYLOR S.-GI, C$602,000, Woodbine, 10-17, 3yo/up, f/m,
1 1/4mT, 2:09.14, yl.
1–MUTAMAKINA (GB), 124, m, 5, by Nathaniel (Ire)
                1st Dam: Joshua's Princess (GB), by Danehill
                2nd Dam: Josh's Pearl (Ire), by Sadler's Wells
                3rd Dam: Ridgewood Pearl (GB), by Indian Ridge (Ire)
   1ST GRADE I WIN. (100,000gns Ylg '17 TAOCT). O-Al Shira'aa
Farms; B-Widgham Stud (GB); T-Christophe Clement; J-Dylan
Davis. C$360,000. Lifetime Record: SW & MGSP-Fr, 16-5-3-3,
$634,509. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–La Dragontea (GB), 124, f, 4, by Lope de Vega (Ire)
                1st Dam: La Concorde (Fr), by Sadler's Wells
                2nd Dam: La Leuze (Ire), by Caerleon
                3rd Dam: Floripedes, by Top Ville (Ire)
(67,000gns 3yo '20 TATMA). O-Reeves Thoroughbred Racing
& Rebecca Hillen; B-Bartisan Racing Ltd (GB); T-Christophe
Clement. C$120,000.
3–Kalifornia Queen (Ger), 124, f, 4, by Lope de Vega (Ire)
                1st Dam: Kaldera (Ger), by Sinndar (Ire)
                2nd Dam: Konigstochter (Ger), by Dai Jin (GB)
                3rd Dam: Karenina (Ger), by Second Set (Ire)
(€70,000 Ylg '18 BBAGO; €260,000 3yo '20 ARARC).
O-Madaket Stables LLC, Michael Dubb & First Row Partners;
B-Stall Torjager (GER); T-Chad C. Brown. C$60,000.
Margins: NK, NK, 1. Odds: 8.90, 5.85, 2.85.
Also Ran: Waliyak (Fr), Great Island, Keyflower (Fr), Family Way, Court Return, Etoile (Fr), Merveilleux. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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