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Siyouni’s Sottsass Prevails In the Arc

It was a home success in Sunday’s G1 Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe as Peter Brant’s Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) realised his owner’s longtime dream when providing him and Jean-Claude Rouget with a first renewal of the showpiece as Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) failed to fire in sixth. Third in 2019, last year’s G1 Prix du Jockey Club hero had stayed slightly under the radar as he was geared towards his second attempt but there were signs that he was nearing a peak when fourth in the G1 Irish Champion S. at Leopardstown Sept. 12. In an ideal spot throughout racing in a close-up third on the rail as Persian King (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) held the lead setting a moderate gallop, the 7-1 shot was delivered by Cristian Demuro to take control with a furlong remaining. Staying on strongly as In Swoop (Ire) (Adlerflug {Ger}) emerged on his inner, the chestnut held on by a neck as Persian King ended up 1 3/4 lengths away in third. “Just after the race last year, I stated that this was his race,” Rouget commented. “I’ve been waiting to win this for such a long time. I always thought he was a horse made for this and it was his only target. The result is there today.”

Only 1 1/4 lengths behind Enable in this last year, Sottsass had started his 4-year-old campaign with an uninspiring fourth in the G2 Prix d’Harcourt over a mile and a quarter May 11 before narrowly denying Way To Paris (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) in the 10 1/2-furlong G1 Prix Ganay at Chantilly June 14. Failing by a neck to give six pounds to the high-class Skalleti (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) in Deauville’s G2 Prix Gontaut-Biron back over 10 furlongs on heavy ground Aug. 15, he was shaping like a true mile-and-a-half performer when closing steadily on Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Ghaiyyath (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and the surprise package Armory (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the Irish Champion.

With the expected pace having disappeared with the absent Ballydoyle contingent, it was left to PC to make the running on the G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp winner Persian King but he was never going to over-do things on a proven mile star. With Olivier Peslier opting to ride a race on Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) and slot back alongside Frankie on Enable, there was a real possibility that this Arc would favour those closest to the pace and so Demuro deserved credit for keeping Sottsass so prominent. Little changed until the two-furlong pole, when the previous dual winner and 9-10 favourite looked to be going well enough as Frankie started to move.

Instead of spurting forward, Enable laboured and there was a melee involving her and Stradivarius soon after with neither able to take the gap as the 33-1 shot Gold Trip (Fr) (Outstrip {GB}) loomed on the outside and Sottsass switched to the left of Persian King. Leading the sprint for home, the White Birch Farm colour-bearer had slipped out of reach of the G1 Deutsches Derby hero In Swoop, whose forward momentum ultimately made it a closer call than it looked destined to be moments earlier. An inquiry was called into the scrimmaging, which in the older days of French stewarding may have seen a change in the outcome but which resulted in no altering to the placings.

“With the pandemic, his preparation had been far from ideal and the race in Ireland did him a lot of good,” Rouget added. “When we ran in Deauville he was a bit fat and Skalleti is a very good horse. He is a group one horse on soft ground, but we had to run in that race instead of going to York [for the Juddmonte International]. The choice to go to Leopardstown was tough, too, but we chose to run him over a shorter distance to give him speed. I think that was a good choice. He had given us the right signs lately that he was back to his best and at least at the same level as last season. He’s fulfilled those expectations and was a very nice winner. Sottsass is owned in association with Coolmore. I do not know if he will run again, but it is not the question for today. Whether the horse retires is not my decision.” Peter Brant’s racing manager Michel Zerolo said, “We’re all very proud and hopefully he’ll come out of this well and got to the [GI] Breeders’ Cup Turf. Whether he’ll stay in training is a question I can’t answer now.”

In Swoop’s trainer Francis-Henri Graffard said, “Nobody ever remembers the second, but he’s run a very good race. The pace was not very strong and it didn’t suit, as he travelled really nicely compared to usual but like he did in the Grand Prix de Paris he finished strongly in the last 200 metres. He is an improving horse and is proving one of the best 3-year-olds in Europe, so he’s had a good season and we look forward to next year. He has a lot of class.” Fabrice Chappet said of Gold Trip, “He has run a great race, but I feel that on this heavy ground a mile and a half is a shade too far. He made a big move and hung at the end, but it was a great performance.”

Teddy Grimthorpe said of Enable, “Frankie said the ground was too deep. Anyway, she’s given so much to the sport and to Juddmonte and who could have any complaints? We’ll see how she comes out of this and discuss with Prince Khalid whether she can run one more time in the Breeders’ Cup Turf.” John Gosden added, “It turned out be a French-style dash in the straight and it didn’t work out for us and neither horse liked the deep, holding ground. They didn’t have a hard race and they weren’t blowing, so it was like an elaborate journey to go for a nice piece of work up the Longchamp straight! Mr Nielsen is keen to go for a fourth Gold Cup and Prince Khalid will make the decision on Enable. Frankie never touched her with the stick and both were looked after in that ground, so they are looking bright after the race which is extremely good news. Enable’s been amazingly consistent and has been extraordinary in her mental lstrength, so it’s a pity it wasn’t good-to-soft ground and an even gallop today. We were lucky to have that in the other Arcs we ran in and today’s race didn’t play to her strengths at all.”

Sottsass is one of three group winners from as many foals for Starlet’s Sister (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and one of two at the highest level after the four-times grade I-winning Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf heroine Sistercharlie (Ire) (Myboycharlie {Ire}). The second dam is the G3 Prix Chloe runner-up Premiere Creation (Fr) (Green Tune), who also produced the G3 Prix Cleopatre winner Leo’s Starlet (Ire) and the Listed Prix Isonomy winner and GI Clement L. Hirsch S. runner-up Anabaa’s Creation (Ire) (Anabaa). She is in turn the dam of the stakes winner Create a Dream (Oasis Dream {GB}), while the third dam Allwaki (Miswaki) is also the ancestress of the G3 Prix de Lieurey scorer Sandy’s Charm (Fr) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) from the family of the G1 Sussex S.-winning champion miler and sire Noalcoholic (Fr) (Nonoalco). Starlet’s Sister’s as-yet unraced 3-year-old colt by Charm Spirit (Ire) is named Radiant Child (Ire), while she also has an unraced 2-year-old colt by Fastnet Rock (Aus) named Parliament (GB). Her yearling filly by Dubawi (Ire) topped the Arqana Deauville September Yearling Sale when selling to Oliver St Lawrence for €2.5million.

Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France
QATAR PRIX DE L’ARC DE TRIOMPHE-G1, €3,000,000, ParisLongchamp, 10-4, 3yo/up, c/f, 12fT, 2:39.30, hy.
1–SOTTSASS (FR), 131, c, 4, by Siyouni (Fr)
1st Dam: Starlet’s Sister (Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Premiere Creation (Fr), by Green Tune
3rd Dam: Allwaki, by Miswaki
(€340,000 Ylg ’17 ARAUG). O-White Birch Farm; B-Ecurie des Monceaux (FR); T-Jean-Claude Rouget; J-Cristian Demuro. €1,714,200. Lifetime Record: 13-7-1-1, €3,422,452. *1/2 to Sistercharlie (Ire) (Myboycharlie {Ire}), Ch. Turf Female-US, MGISW-US, GSW & G1SP-Fr, $3,746,003; and My Sister Nat (Fr) (Acclamation {GB}), GSW-Fr & US, $381,672. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–In Swoop (Ire), 125, c, 3, Adlerflug (Ger)–Iota (Ger), by Tiger Hill (Ire). O-Gestut Schlenderhan; B-Stall Ullmann (IRE); T-Francis-Henri Graffard. €685,800.
3–Persian King (Ire), 131, c, 4, Kingman (GB)–Pretty Please (Ire), by Dylan Thomas (Ire). O-Ballymore Thoroughbred Ltd & Godolphin; B-Dayton Investments (Breeding) Ltd (IRE); T-Andre Fabre. €342,900.
Margins: NK, 1 3/4, HD. Odds: 7.30, 10.00, 6.30.
Also Ran: Gold Trip (Fr), Raabihah, Enable (GB), Stradivarius (Ire), Deirdre (Jpn), Way To Paris (GB), Royal Julius (Ire), Chachnak (Fr). Scratched: Japan (GB), Sovereign (Ire), Mogul (GB), Serpentine (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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‘More Than Just Winning A Race’: Lewis Enjoying Success From Brant-Owned Payson Park

Trainer Lisa Lewis derived personal satisfaction from Brewmeister's optional claiming allowance victory Sunday at Gulfstream Park, where Peter Brant's 3-year-old gelding continued to realize the potential he showed his trainer well before he embarked on his racing career last year.

Lewis has saddled several graded-stakes winners during her career, but Brewmeister's second straight victory was particularly gratifying, considering that she had helped to break the son of Point of Entry last year at Brant's newly purchased Payson Park, a 405-acre training center in Indiantown, FL.

“The horse trains like a good horse. We've been excited about him. I had him last year as a 2-year-old, because I help break Peter's babies. I liked him last year. I thought he was a nice horse. Maybe he didn't come into himself at 2, but when he started training this year, I was really excited about him,” Lewis said. “Mr. Brant wanted to leave some horses here because he owns Payson Park and he wants to support Florida racing. He left a handful of horses, and this is the first one.”

Brewmeister ran twice last year without success for trainer Chad Brown, finishing fifth on turf at Saratoga in August and fourth after setting the pace at Belmont Park in September. The Kentucky-bred gelding, who was purchased for $300,000 at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale, was reunited with Lewis at Payson Park to prepare for his 3-year-old campaign. After encountering bumping at the start of his June 13 return to action at Gulfstream, he closed from last to finish second. He graduated in style by 4 ½ lengths in a 6 ½-furlong race July 4. Brewmeister settled well off the pace in Sunday's 6 ½-furlong race before launching a five-wide drive that carried him to victory by three-quarters of a length over favored Man of Honor, who had defeated him in his first start back this year.

“Brewmeister was out of that first crop we did. He started at Mr. Brant's farm in Connecticut and then came to Payson,” Lewis said. “It's exciting for everyone in the whole program. That makes it more than just winning a race – it's great for the whole program.”

Lewis has helped break 16-20 horses each of her first two seasons working for Brant, not including a few horses coming off layoffs, while training a manageable number of active racehorses at Payson Park.

“The breaking, as far as the initial learning, is all done at his farm in Connecticut called White Birch Farm in Greenwich, Connecticut. He's got people there that have worked for him for a long time,” said Lewis, noting that Brant also sends young horses to Niall Brennan and Stonestreet. “They start doing all the handling and start breaking them to the tack. Once they're going well and they feel confident that they're ready to go, they come to me usually at the end of October. We bring them to the racetrack, start training them, and get them ready to go to New York in the spring,”

Brewmeister came out of Sunday's victory in good order.

“I'd like to stretch him out a little bit, but that might be a mistake the way he's running,” said Lewis with a chuckle.

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Sottsass Pleases In Gallop; Gontaut-Biron Next

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.”

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Raven’s Pass’s Lemista Takes the Kilboy Estate

Ger Lyons had suffered a rare downturn at The Curragh’s weekend meeting when Frenetic (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) was overturned in the G2 Airlie Stud S., but the Irish Oaks-winning trainer was straight back in the game with Peter Brant’s Lemista (Ire) (Raven’s Pass) in Sunday’s G2 Kilboy Estate S. Causing an upset when upstaging Saturday’s Classic heroine Even So (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) in the G3 Park Express S. over a mile at Naas Mar. 23, the bay had confirmed her class when adding the Listed Victor McCalmont Memorial S. to her tally over an extended nine furlongs at Gowran Park June 19 and fortunately knew nothing of the new expectations racing in these colours for the first time. If Colin Keane was aware of the pressure, he gave little away as he reserved the 3-1 second favourite towards the back before launching her to take control 150 yards from the post. At the line, she had 3/4 of a length to spare over Lovelier (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), with Kiss For a Jewel (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) half a length behind in third.

“There is no question she’s a good filly and she proved that Naas wasn’t a fluke,” Lyons said.”At home she doesn’t show this and nor does the filly yesterday. She wants soft ground and has been doing it on conditions which don’t suit her. I always thought at this stage she’d be running over 12 furlongs and it’s testament to her ability that she is winning this over nine. She has oodles of class and the same sort of profile as Even So and Yaxeni. They are three fillies I’m looking forward to as 4-year-olds. We took the view there was no point in having three in the Oaks yesterday when she had a nice chance today.”
Lyons is looking at Champions Day for his star duo and added, “My advice to her new owners would be that she should stay here and enjoy the fillies’ programme until at least the end of next year, as she will get her conditions here. Even So will probably have a prep after a break and then go for the Ascot race [the G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares S.] and this filly could go for the same race. At that time of the year the ground could be heavy and this one will handle it as will Yaxeni.”

Lemista’s dam Shortmile Lady (Ire) (Arcano {Ire}) is a half to the G3 Prix de Meautry winner Indian Maiden (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}), in turn responsible for the G3 World Trophy winner Maid In India (Ire) (Bated Breath {GB}) and the dual listed scorer and G3 Prix de Ris-Orangis runner-up Love Spirit (GB) (Elusive City). From the family of the Listed Surrey S. winner and G3 Sirenia S.-placed Lake Volta (Ire) also by Raven’s Pass, Lemista descends from All Rainbows (Bold Hour) who produced the GI Kentucky Derby heroine Winning Colors (Caro {Ire}) and is a half-sister to the US Fillies’ Triple Crown-winning champion Chris Evert (Swoon Son). She in turn is the ancestress of the eight-times grade I-winning champion sire Chief’s Crown and the GI Kentucky Oaks heroine Hometown Queen (Pleasant Colony). Shortmile Lady also has the unraced Richard Hannon-trained 2-year-old filly Mummy Bear (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}), a yearling colt by Australia (GB) purchased by JC Bloodstock for 58,000gns at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale and a colt foal by Zoffany (Ire).

Sunday, Curragh, Ireland
KILBOY ESTATE S.-G2, €94,400, Curragh, 7-19, 3yo/up, f, 9fT, 1:58.76, gd.
1–LEMISTA (IRE), 128, f, 3, by Raven’s Pass
1st Dam: Shortmile Lady (Ire), by Arcano (Ire)
2nd Dam: Jinsiyah, by Housebuster
3rd Dam: Minifah, by Nureyev
(€16,000 Wlg ’17 GOFNOV). O-Peter M Brant; B-Drumlin Bloodstock (IRE); T-Ger Lyons; J-Colin Keane. €48,000. Lifetime Record: 6-4-0-0, $144,740. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Lovelier (Ire), 128, f, 3, Galileo (Ire)–Laddies Poker Two (Ire), by Choisir (Aus). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan O’Brien. €16,000.
3–Kiss For A Jewel (Ire), 137, f, 4, Kingman (GB)–Sapphire (Ire), by Medicean (GB). O/B-Moyglare Stud Farm Ltd (IRE); T-Dermot Weld. €8,000.
Margins: 3/4, HF, HF. Odds: 3.00, 4.00, 22.00.
Also Ran: Crotchet (GB), One Voice (Ire), Snapraeceps (Ire), Cerro Bayo (Ire), Ridenza (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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