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Royal Highness streaks to win in The Very One Monceaux Stable's ROYAL HIGHNESS (Ger) (Monsun) swept to the lead turning for home while four wide and kept a stubborn Safari Queen (Arg) (Lode) at bay late in taking the $100,000 The Very One H. (G3) at Gulfstream Park on Sunday. The bay mare tracked in midpack early under Edgar Prado before putting in a devastating move, taking a short lead while reaching 10 furlongs in 2:00 3/5 en route to completing the 1 3/8-mile firm turf affair in 2:12 3/5. Conditioned by Christophe Clement, the 9-5 favorite rewarded backers with payouts of $5.60, $3 and $2.20 while two lengths clear at the finish. Safari Queen ran gamely in defeat but could not hold off the classy winner. The second placer paid $3.20 and $2.40 and completed the $6.70 exacta ($1) at 2-1. Barancella (Fr) (Acatenango) was never in contention for the win but closed with energy to finish off the paltry $15.60 trifecta ($1) as the 7-2 third choice. Show returned $2.60. Moon Berry (Brz) (Burooj) was another 5 1/4 lengths back in fourth, sitting on the bottom of the $136.80 superfecta ($1) (5-1-4-2) at 40-1, and was followed by Jinni (A.P. Indy), Marchonin (Dixieland Band), Bend a Little (Benny the Dip), Cursora (Arg) (Candy Stripes) and Baleriana (Per) (Keseff). The race was marred when Bend a Little broke down on the gallop out and was vanned off the track. "Preliminary evaluation was that both sesamoids in the front left were fractured," track veterinarian Dr. Mary Scollay said. "Career-ending, possibly life threatening." Royal Highness, who was last seen running second to Safari Queen in the Long Island H. (G2), turned the tables on that foe in bagging her second Group/Graded win. The five-year-old was victorious in the 2005 Prix de Malleret (Fr-G2), and owns placings in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational S. (G1), Prix Ganay (Fr-G1), and the last two editions of the Prix Vermeille (Fr-G1). The bay boosted her bankroll to $491,710 from a 12-3-5-2 career mark. Bred in Germany by Gestut Etzean, the winner is out of the Nashwan mare Reem Dubai and was preceded in stakes glory by her half-brother Royal Dubai (Dashing Blade), who captured a German Group 3. Royal Highness hails from the same female family as the late Electrocutionist, winner of the Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1), Juddmonte International S. (Eng-G1) and Gran Premio di Milano (Ity-G1), as well as St. Leger S. (Eng-G1) and Grand Prix de Paris (Fr-G1) hero Scorpion (Ire) (Montjeu [Ire]). Royal Highness brought a bid of $144,417 at the 2003 BBA September sale, and has an unraced three-year-old full brother named Royal Major and a two-year-old half-sister named Rose of Dubai (Sholokov).
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