|
|
Champagne d'Oro passes Saratoga's Test Southern Equine Stable and Mike Smith's CHAMPAGNE D'ORO (Medaglia d'Oro) kept the pressure on pacesetter Pica Slew (Pico Central [Brz]) throughout Saturday's $250,000 Test S. (G1) at Saratoga, took over as she pleased when that one began fading and easily pulled away to post a 4 1/2-length victory under jockey Miguel Mena. Adding a second Grade 1 win to her resume following the June 5 Acorn S. (G1) at Belmont Park, the Eric Guillot runner took full advantage of the absence of her Prioress S. (G1) conqueror Franny Freud (Freud) to finish up seven furlongs on the fast main track in 1:22 3/5. Franny Freud was entered in the Test, but her connections retired the sophomore miss on Thursday when they discovered she had a ligament injury. "She doesn't rate, but she can get headed and finish," Guillot said. "If she doesn't get grabbed, she's fine. She has a real sensitive mouth and doesn't like to be grabbed. I think she's going to be a really good filly as a four-year-old if she stays sound -- a really good filly at a mile to a mile and a sixteenth. I want to keep her at seven-eighths and stretch her out after the Breeders' Cup. "We're going to follow the same route as Maryfield (who won the Ballerina [G1] prior to taking the inaugural Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint), whom we bought for our broodmare band. With the way she won easily, she could come back (August 28) Ballerina)." With Franny Freud out, Pica Slew immediately rushed up to take command of the race from her rail post. Champagne d'Oro wasn't far behind to the outside, and the pair settled down on the lead while chased by Lovely Lil (Tiznow) and Bonnie Blue Flag (Mineshaft) through an opening quarter in :22 2/5. A swift :44 2/5 half followed, as Christine Daae (Giant's Causeway) ranged up to briefly take over the show spot. Pica Slew couldn't sustain her run and gave way rounding the turn. That was the moment Champagne d'Oro was waiting for, and the bay filly took off while chased by a very game Bonnie Blue Flag. That rival could never reach the winner, but held a rallying Belle of the Hall (Graeme Hall) to third by a half-length. It was another half-length back to Lovely Lil and Ash Zee (Exchange Rate), who dead-heated for fourth. "In her last race, I got her into a little trouble before the quarter-pole, and she wound up second," Mena said. "I am very happy the connections gave me the chance to ride her back. Today, I had a great trip. She broke sharply, was right there on the lead with the No. 1 horse (Pica Slew), switched leads around the turn and came through in the end. Today, there were no problems, and she got the money." Champagne d'Oro wasn't given much respect for her Acorn victory, sent off at 5-1 here. She rewarded her faithful backers with payouts of $12.40, $6.40 and $4.30 while keying the $74 exacta and $462.50 trifecta. Bonnie Blue Flag was worth $6 and $4 as the 9-2 second choice, and Belle of the Hall gave back $5 at 6-1. The 3-4-7-6 superfecta that included Lovely Lil returned $2,212, while Ash Zee concluded the 3-4-7-8 superfecta that totaled $1,323. Christine Daae, Buckleupbuttercup (Najran), Pica Slew and Tidal Pool (Yankee Gentleman) rounded out the order under the wire. "I was very confident in this horse. She didn't finish for me," said Manoel Cruz, who rode Pica Slew. Champagne d'Oro began her career in California -- running second against maiden rivals, third in the Cinderella S. and fourth in the Landaluce S., all at Hollywood Park. Guillot sent her to Del Mar when that meet opened and the bay lass finally finished first in a maiden special weight only to have the victory stripped when she was disqualified to last. Off-the-board runs followed in the Del Mar Futurity (G1) against the boys and the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), which concluded Champagne d'Oro's two-year-old season She opened her sophomore campaign with the first official win on her career line, scoring by a nose in a maiden special weight at Fair Grounds, and next out 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. The three-year-old never got untracked in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) and wound up 11th on the wire after a troubled trip, but finally got that elusive first stakes victory in style when taking the Acorn. She tried to duplicate in the Prioress last out, but was boxed in at the turn and was all out to take second. This return to the winner's circle boosted her earnings to $493,4654 and her record now reads 12-3-3-1. 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 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).
 Send this article to a friend
|
|
