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Champagne and acorns at Belmont Park
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| Champagne d'Oro earned her first stakes win in style
(Debra Kral/Horsephotos.com) |
Southern Equine Stables' CHAMPAGNE D'ORO (Medaglia d'Oro), far back
in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) behind Blind Luck (Pollard's Vision)
in her most recent start, rebounded in Saturday's $300,000
Acorn S. (G1) at Belmont Park to lead all the way home. Ridden by
jockey Martin Garcia, who three weeks ago captured his first classic
when guiding Lookin at Lucky (Smart Strike) to victory in the Preakness
S. (G1), Champagne d'Oro earned an improbable half-length win in the
Acorn as the 39-1 second longest shot on the board in the 13-filly
field.
Champagne d'Oro utilized her outside 12 post to move up and take
command as the field entered the backstretch. Setting splits of :23 3/5,
:45 4/5 and 1:12, the Eric Guillot-trained sophomore was tracked by a
contingent comprised of Buckleupbuttercup (Najran), Much Rejoicing (Distorted Humor)
and Dances With Ashley (Wildcat Heir). Rounding the turn, Amen Hallelujah (Montbrook)
broke free from midpack and began her run five wide while closely
followed by Tanda (Sweetsouthernsaint).
Champagne d'Oro maintained her momentum in the stretch but Amen
Hallelujah appeared ready at any moment to sweep on by. It wasn't to be,
though, as the bay filly dug deep and managed to hold that rival as well
as Tanda and the rallying Quiet Temper (Quiet American) on the rail.
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Champagne d'Oro was worth $81, $29.40 and $12 while keying the $474 exacta
and $3,518 trifecta for finishing up one mile on the fast main track in 1:37
2/5. Amen Hallelujah was game in defeat, finishing one length in front of Tanda
to return $4.30 and $3.20 as the near 5-2 favorite. Tanda had a last-minute
jockey switch to Mike Smith after named rider Alex Solis went to the hospital
due to high-blood pressure. The lass gave back $4.80 at 5-1, and it was another
2 1/4 lengths back to 18-1 Quiet Temper, who completed the 12-6-2-7 superfecta
that totaled a lucrative $31,463.
Buckleupbuttercup, Seeking the Title (Seeking the Gold), Tidal Pool (Yankee Gentleman), Crisp (El Corredor), Indian Burn (Indian Charlie),
Much Rejoicing, Dances With Ashley and Streaker (Forest Wildcat) finished the
order under the wire after Hot Trip (Trippi) was withdrawn.
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| Champagne d'Oro (rail) just held from two tough opponents
(Lauren J. Pomeroy/Horsephotos.com) |
Champagne d'Oro's only other victory came in a six-furlong maiden at
Fair Grounds on February 20. Though the bay miss captured a maiden at
Del Mar last August, she was disqualified from that score and placed
10th. Prior to that, she ran third in the Cinderella S. and fourth in
the Landaluce S. Champagne d'Oro tried to lead all the way home in the Fair
Grounds Oaks (G2), but was just caught on the line and had to settle for
second. Last out, the three-year-old never got untracked in the Kentucky
Oaks and wound up 11th on the wire after a troubled trip. This victory
more than doubled her earnings to $293,465 and her record now reads
10-2-2-1.
"She runs better up front," said Richard Baltas, assistant to
Guillot. "When she ran second in the Fair Grounds Oaks, coming out of
the six-furlong maiden race, she wasn't quite fit enough and she still
dug in. Today, everything was right. I told Martin 'if she breaks well,
let her place herself.' If she got loose on the lead, they might not go
after her and they didn't. She got an easy pace and had something left.
"She is going to Saratoga. Eric is going to take 15-20 horses to
Saratoga, and she will be one of them." |
Bred in Kentucky by Liberation Farm, Champagne d'Oro was purchased by her
current connections for $210,000 as a Keeneland September yearling. She is out
of stakes victress Champagne Glow (Saratoga Six), who ran second in the 1990
Frizette S. (G1) and has recently produced an unraced juvenile colt named Ruler
on Ice (Roman Ruler) and a 2010 filly by A. P. Warrior. Champagne Glow is
herself a daughter of Grade 3 winner Champagne Ginny (L'enjoleur) and a
half-sister to Group 1 scorer Jurado (Alleged) and Grand Canyon (Fappiano), hero
of the 1989 Hollywood Futurity (G1) and Norfolk S. (G1) and second in the
Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1).
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