Summer Romance | Horse Racing Free Tips

Another Godolphin 1-2 in the Diana

In a virtual repeat of last month's GI Just A Game S. going Belmont's one-mile turf configuration, Godolphin's Althiqa (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and Summer Romance (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) proved too strong for their American counterparts, this time in the nine-furlong GI Diana S. at Saratoga.

As she did downstate, Summer Romance cut out the running Saturday afternoon, tracked closest by GIII Eatontown S. victress Vigilantes Way (Medaglia d'Oro) through a solid opening couple of furlongs in :23.57 as Althiqa raced with just two rivals behind turning up the backstretch. Luis Saez was able to back the pace down some during the Diana's middle furlongs–the half-mile was posted in :48.17–and Summer Romance continued to hold Vigilantes Way at bay as they raced into the second turn. Harvey's Lil Goil (American Pharoah) caught the eye with a three-wide sweep leaving the three-eighths pole, but Althiqa was drafting in behind and following that one's move into the stretch. Produced off the heels of her fellow gray rival with about a furlong and a half to race, Althiqa grabbed Summer Romance at the sixteenth pole and was punched out by Manny Franco to score comfortably. La Signare (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) rallied to just touch Harvey's Lil Goil out of third.

“I just wanted to wait as long as I could, because I knew the distance was further than the last race,” said Franco, whose 2020 Spa season included Grade I wins aboard Tiz the Law (Consitution) in the GI Runhappy Travers S. and Channel Maker (English Channel) in the GI Sword Dancer S. “That was the question, but she did it. They didn't tell me much. They just told me to cover her [up] and follow somebody until I made my move. I think that was the key; that she was so relaxed behind horses and then she gave me a nice move and nice kick.”

A listed winner at Deauville and placed at group level at that venue, at Goodwood and at Doncaster last year, Althiqa returned from a September layoff to post a stylish victory–with Summer Romance fifth–in the G2 Cape Verdi S. at Meydan Jan. 28 before finishing third to her stable companion in the G2 Balanchine S. three weeks hence. Racing first-up for 3 1/2 months in the Just A Game, Althiqa settled well off pacesetting Summer Romance and rallied at the rail in the final eighth of a mile beneath Mike Smith to score by 3/4 of a length.

Pedigree Notes:

Althiqa is one of eight top-level winners, and–remarkably–three of those have achieved those victories in the U.S., Raging Bull (Fr) and Hunt (Ire) being the others. Dark Angel is the sire of one of the world's fleetest turf horses, Battaash (Ire), who could face an American challenge in the form of Golden Pal (Uncle Mo) in next month's G1 Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe S. over a straight five furlongs at York. The Yeomanstown Stud inmate is also the sire of Godolphin's 4-year-old colt Real World (Ire), impressive winner of the Listed Steventon S. at Newbury Saturday.

Mistrusting is the dam of Althiqa's 2-year-old full-sister Before Dawn (Ire), second on Newmarket debut in May and a narrowly beaten runner-up over the Kempton all-weather when last seen June 30. She produced a Dark Angel colt last year and a filly by Kodiac (GB) this term.

Saturday, Saratoga
DIANA S.-GI, $500,000, Saratoga, 7-17, 4yo/up, f/m, 1 1/8mT, 1:47.65, gd.
1--ALTHIQA (GB), 122, f, 4, by Dark Angel (Ire)
                1st Dam: Mistrusting (Ire) (SW-Eng, $120,206),
                                by Shamardal
                2nd Dam: Misheer (GB), by Oasis Dream (GB)
                3rd Dam: All For Laura (GB), by Cadeaux Genereux (GB)
O/B-Godolphin (GB); T-Charles Appleby; J-Manuel Franco.
$275,000. Lifetime Record: GSW-UAE, MGSP-Eng, SW &
GSP-Fr, 11-6-2-3, $741,213. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Summer Romance (Ire), 120, f, 4, by Kingman (GB)
                1st Dam: Serena's Storm (Ire), by Statue of Liberty
                2nd Dam: Princess Serena, by Unbridled's Song
                3rd Dam: Serena's Sister, by Rahy
(300,000gns Ylg '18 TATOCT; €800,000 2yo '19 ARQMA).
O-Godolphin, LLC; B-Round Hill Stud (IRE); T-Charles Appleby.
$100,000.
3–La Signare (Fr), 118, m, 6, by Siyouni (Fr)
                1st Dam: La Teranga (Fr), by Beat Hollow (GB)
                2nd Dam: Adrastea (Ire), by Monsun (Ger)
                3rd Dam: Akasma (Ger), by Windwurf (Ger)
O-Madaket Stables LLC, Tim & Anna Cambron & Bradley
Thoroughbreds; B-Moussa Mbacke (FR); T-Brendan P. Walsh.
$60,000.
Margins: 3/4, 1 3/4, NK. Odds: 3.95, 2.70, 16.40.
Also Ran: Harvey's Lil Goil, Pocket Square (GB), Magic Attitude (GB), Vigilantes Way, Lemista (Ire).
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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Althiqa, Summer Romance Prepare For Diana Stakes At Saratoga

Trainer Charlie Appleby sent out Althiqa and Summer Romance to a one-two finish in the $500,000 Grade 1 Longines Just a Game on June 5 going one mile on turf for fillies and mares at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

On Sunday, the 4-year-old fillies breezed a half-mile in company in :52.55 over the Belmont inner turf rated good. Althiqa started out in front of her stablemate with Summer Romance making up ground through the stretch run, galloping out in front.

Appleby's traveling assistant Sophie Chretien said Summer Romance benefits from having a target.

“She relaxes more from behind and it's better for her to develop,” said Chretien. “They're both doing very well. With the way the weather has been lately, I'm glad we were able to do the gallop today.”

Both fillies are preparing for a start in the nine-furlong $500,000 Grade 1 Diana on July 17 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

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Appleby To Start Althiqa, Summer Romance In Diana Stakes At Saratoga

Trainer Charlie Appleby enjoyed a one-two finish with Althiqa and Summer Romance in the $500,000 Grade 1 Longines Just a Game Stakes on June 5 going one mile on turf for fillies and mares at Belmont Park in Elmont, Ny.

On Saturday, the 4-year-old fillies breezed solo on the Belmont inner turf with Althiqa covering the distance in :48.66 and Summer Romance in :49.45 in preparation for the nine-furlong $500,000 Grade 1 Diana Stakes on July 17 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, Ny.

“They went solo yesterday just to get back on the grass and give them a little blowout,” said traveling assistant Sophie Chretien. “They both went very well and they're very happy.”

Summer Romance, with Luis Saez up, set a sharp pace in the Just a Game, but could not stay off the late run of Althiqa, under Hall of Famer Mike Smith.

“They ran one-two. You can't do better unless you dead heat,” said Chretien, with a laugh.

Chretien said Summer Romance may have had the tougher assignment last out and will benefit from the added distance at Saratoga.

“Althiqa came from behind and the other was in front, and Althiqa is a pure miler,” said Chretien. “Maybe Summer was a bit too fresh, but that's racing. Longer might be better for Summer.”

Two more Appleby-trained Godolphin runners will arrive at Belmont next Sunday with Secret Protector to target the $1 million Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational and Creative Flair on point for the $700,000 Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational. The 10-furlong first legs of the Turf Triple series are slated for July 10.

Creative Flair, by Dubawi, won the 10-furlong Abingdon Stakes on June 10 at Newbury Racecourse in Newbury, England, while Secret Protector, by War Front, arrives from a third to Mohaafeth in the Group 3 Hampton Court Stakes on June 17 at Ascot Racecourse, also in England.

“The colt was with me in Dubai. He came into the year in February with a win at Meydan and was promising,” said Chretien. “He's a lovely colt and he just finished third in a good Ascot race and the one that won was really nice.”

Chretien said if Secret Protector can handle the quick turnaround and travel time, he should be a factor.

“If he travels well, and he should as he's quite a relaxed horse, then it should be fine,” said Chretien. “I believe he came back well from his race and he's a genuine horse. Ten furlongs will be perfect for him.”

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Althiqa Completes Godolphin, Appleby Exacta In Just A Game Stakes

It was clear in the stretch of the Grade 1 Just A Game Stakes that a gray horse under the Godolphin blue from the yard of trainer Charlie Appleby was going to end up in the winner's circle. After slipping past her stablemate through a tight rail seam, Althiqa took the honors over pacesetter Summer Romance.

Althiqua, a 4-year-old British-bred daughter of Dark Angel, was tucked in near the back of the pack by jockey Mike Smith during the opening jumps, while Summer Romance shot out to a multi-length lead. Zofelle followed Summer Romance from the inside post, along with New York Girl, but the leader was ahead by several lengths after the opening quarter in :23.43 seconds.

Summer Romance remained unchallenged through the next quarter-mile, and she set an opening half in :46.90 seconds as she led the field into the turn. In the meantime, Smith still sat chilly on the rail with Althiqa in eighth.

Summer Romance was still comfortably in the lead heading into the stretch, but many of the horses that had kept Althiqa tucked in through the early goings of the race fanned out wide, leaving the inside path wide open. Althiqa in the mid-stretch, and split between Zofelle and Always Shopping to take aim on her stablemate.

Jockey Luis Saez kept Summer Romance to task, but he left the rail open for Althiqa to slip through with about a sixteenth to go. Althiqa took advantage of the opening, and kicked away to win by three-quarters of a length over Summer Romance. Daddy Is a Legend ran evenly to finish third, 1 3/4 lengths behind the runner-up.

Althiqa finished the one-mile race in 1:33.90 over a turf course labeled as good, and she paid $16.80 to win.

Saturday's win improved Althiqa's lifetime record to five wins in 10 starts for earnings of $466,213.

The Just A Game was the first North American start for the Godolphin homebred, who was bred in Great Britain, out of the Shamardal mare Mistrusting. She spent the spring in Dubai, winning the Group 2 Cape Verdi Stakes over Summer Romance and finishing third to her stablemate in the G2 Balanchine prior to the Just A Game. She raced in Great Britain and France in 2020, earning Group 3 placings in both countries.

Summer Romance, an Irish-bred Kingman filly, also made her first North American start in the Just A Game. She raced primarily in England last year, highlighted by a win in the Group 3 Princess Elizabeth Stakes.

To view the Equibase chart, click here.

G1 Longines Just a Game Quotes, Courtesy of the NYRA Press Office

Charlie Appleby, winning trainer of Althiqa (No. 8, $16.80) and runner-up Summer Romance (No. 9): “We're obviously delighted with it and we knew we had two competitive fillies. It's one of those days when we prepped well, I was confident they would run a big race and they justified it. They are two fillies who ran well over the winter in Dubai in Group 2s—one won the Balanchine and the other won the Cape Verdi—and they came out there to America and put it to the sword again. It's a great effort by the team there and we might think about leaving them there for Saratoga. Althiqa hit the line strong enough and she wasn't stopping. It was an opportunity to get a Group 1, and luckily we did.

“Mike [Smith, aboard Althiqa] gave us our first Grade 1 in the Breeders' Cup with Outstrip, so it's great to team up again. With Rebel's Romance [developed an infection and had to drop out of consideration for the G1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets] earlier this week and this, it's just the ups and downs of it all. We've seen it here in the UK and you just have to roll with the punches.

“We'll definitely consider the Diana [Grade 1, $500,000 on July 17 at Saratoga Race Course] for both of our fillies.”

Sophie Chretien, traveling assistant to Charlie Appleby: “Things were not easy the last couple of weeks [after Rebel's Romance's situation] and we had to stay focused on our two fillies. They both have big hearts and I know they had a chance to run big. Everything turned out great. Sometime after the bad, you have the good, and here it is.”

Mike Smith, winning jockey aboard Althiqa (No. 8): “We laid midpack. She's got a big heart and she's very, very honest, so she's going to run good. You're just going to have to make a trip when it's time to move on. I was actually going to tip out, but she kind of leaned in like she wanted to drop to the fence, so I just let her. It was a small hole but [Appleby] told me she had a big heart, and she got on through there. She might suit American racing really well. We might want to keep her here.”

Luis Saez, jockey aboard runner-up Summer Romance (No. 9): “She ran pretty hard. I thought we were going to win. She never gave up. She came into the stretch running, and then Mike Smith came really fast. We just got caught. She never gave up and she tried to the wire.”

Manny Franco, jockey aboard third-place finisher Daddy is a Legend (No. 3): “I had a great trip; we never got stopped. I got the trip I wanted. I wanted to wait a little longer to make my move and that's what I did. The two fillies who beat me are nice and she made a good run.”

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