Loup Breton escapes trap in San Marcos

By this point, Loup Breton had improved his position behind the leaders and

was clearly full of run. Unfortunately for his prospects, no seam opened up in

front of him, and fellow closer Riviera Cocktail (Giant's Causeway) had already

taken the outside route, keeping the favorite locked up on all sides. Gomez

refused to sit and suffer, however. Managing to find a glimmer of room next to

Riviera Cocktail, he drove through, and a willing Loup Breton did the rest. The

six-year-old's massive class edge told as he pushed Riviera Cocktail out of his

way, exploded in the final yards, and ultimately crossed the wire a handy winner

over High Court Drama.

Canani commented on the stretch run suspense.

"I told him (Gomez) next time I was bringing in Sandy Hawley," Canani

quipped. "It looked like I was in Deadwood.

"If the horse had been on the outside the other day (when a close second,

beaten a neck in the December 27 San Gabriel H. [G2]), he would have won. I

preferred to be three-wide, and I would have had no problem."

Gomez did not sound unduly worried afterward.

"He's getting better adapted to our American style of racing with each

start," the rider offered. "He was very handy with me today and he did his job.

Around the (far) turn, there was nowhere to go. I was just in a little pocket

and it seemed like nothing would develop. On the turf, somebody's going to stop

and somebody's going to kick on, and you wait for that moment when they separate

themselves and take advantage of it. He was loaded for bear, but I just had to

wait."

High Court Drama, the third choice at 7-1, paid $4.80 and $3.60 for nearly

pulling off the upset. Riviera Cocktail checked in another 1 3/4 lengths back in

third, returning $4.80 at 12-1. The $1 exotics totaled $7.20 (exacta), $36.50

(trifecta) and $90.90 (6-8-9-7 superfecta) with Dynamic Range (Dynaformer) in

fourth. Pearl Fisher (Smart Strike), Aggie Engineer, Porfido and Muhannak (Ire)

(Chester House) completed the order of finish. Zappa (Afternoon Deelites) and

Deal Breaker (GB) (Night Shift) were withdrawn.

Loup Breton's third career stakes victory improved his record to 21-5-4-2,

$677,614. Originally based in France with Elie Lellouche, the bay captured the

2007 Prix Daphnis (Fr-G3) at three and placed in that season's Prix Dollar

(Fr-G2) and Prix Guillaume d'Ornano (Fr-G2). Loup Breton kicked off his

four-year-old campaign with a victory in the 2008 Prix d'Harcourt (Fr-G2),

defeating eventual Arlington Million (G1) winner Spirit One (Fr). Although he

did not manage to win again for Lellouche, he placed in such notable events as

the Prix D'Ispahan (Fr-G1) and Prix Dollar in 2008 and the Prix Ganay (Fr-G1) in

2009, beaten just three-quarters of a length by the world-class Vision d'Etat (Chichicastenango)

in the latter.

Since joining Canani in Southern California, Loup Breton has won two of

three. After a sharp allowance score at Hollywood Park in his American debut, he

rallied up the rail in the aforementioned San Gabriel and narrowly missed to

Proudinsky (Ger) (Silvano [Ger]).

Bred by Dayton Investments in Ireland, Loup Breton is out of French Group 3

queen Louve (Irish River [Fr]), who is also responsible for multiple stakes

winner and Grade 3-placed Louve Royale (Ire) (Peintre Celebre), the French

stakes-placed duo of Louve des Reves (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) and L'Ile Aux Loups

(Rock of Gibraltar [Ire]), and three-year-old filly Louve Rare (Rock of

Gibraltar [Ire]), the winner of her only start at two.

Louve is herself a three-quarter sister to Loup Sauvage (Riverman), a French

highweight, Group 1 hero and dual classic-placed sire. She is also a half-sister

to Loup Solitaire (Lear Fan), a French highweight juvenile, Group 1 victor and

sire. They were all produced by French Group 3 heroine and classic-placed

Louveterie (Nureyev).

Loup Breton's third dam is English champion *Lupe II (Primera), winner of the

1970 Oaks S. and the 1971 Coronation Cup (Eng-G1).

Canani's plans remain fluid for the rising turf star.

"I don't know (what race might be next). I play by ear everything. This is a

very nice horse. I really thank Mr. Wildenstein for giving me the chance to

train him."