Vermillion Stakes
The highlight race for this weekend in Paris is the Group I Vermillion Stakes which will be going off this Saturday at a post time of 3:00 pm EST. The mile and a half turf race will be open to fillies and mares, three years of age and up and will offer a total purse of $750,000. This year, the race has drawn a total of ten fillies and mares. The competition this year looks like it will be very close, so let’s take a look through the contenders.
- Ring Of Redemption (IRE) – hershal127 – H. Harzheim – 7/1
The first of two fillies to go to the gate this Saturday sired by the late Galileo (IRE), this four-year-old brown filly is seeking her first graded win. The most recent start for the filly was in a listed stakes race over eleven furlongs in Deauville. The filly was well off the pace at the start of this route but started to pick up the pace midway through the race and go on to win by two lengths while setting a speed figure of one hundred sixteen, which is a lifetime best for the filly. The filly has made two prior starts with graded company in The Landshark Oaks (G2) and Sheephearder Beach Handicap (G2), where she finished sixth and fifth respectively.
2. Shepouredpurenard (IRE) – billeex – P. Harzheim – 4/1
In the second slot will be the second filly by Galileo (IRE) in the race. The bay four-year-old filly is trying to seek out her third consecutive win with the Vermillion Stakes (G1) this weekend. The most recent start for the filly was in England during The Friendly Wager (G1) over a mile and a quarter this past July. The filly was sent out of the gate towards the middle of the field in this race, made her move midway through the ten furlongs, and went on to win by three-quarter lengths with a speed figure of one hundred thirteen. She had also previously won The Noble Spirit (G3) over a mile and a half in June, equaling the same speed figure.
3. Love And Form (JPN) – newastinz – H. Artack – 9/1
Taking a step up in class to Group I company, this Japanese-bred filly is lightly raced with eleven career starts coming into this weekends’ race. The brown filly most recently started in The Landshark Oaks (G2) in Newmarket over a mile and a half. She was well off the pace at the start of the race but would quickly pick off other runners early on before going on to win the race by two and a quarter lengths with a speed figure of one hundred thirteen. Prior to this start the filly came home second in the Tabitha Bewitched Stakes (G3) over the same distance.
4. Black Swan Events (ENG) – asrfrankel2 – D. Evans – 6/1
The first of two fillies to go to the gate sired by Frankel (GB) will be going into gate four. This four-year-old bay filly most recently started in the Rich And Famous Handicap (G2) over a mile and one quarter in the United States. The filly, making her fifteenth lifetime start, was held off the pace towards the middle of the pack at the start of the race but quickly began to overtake other runners In the early furlongs of the race. She would go on to win the race by one and a quarter lengths with a speed figure of one hundred thirteen. This was only the fourth group start for the filly, and her second win in group company. Her only other start against Group I company was in May during the Ugly Breeders Bowl Distaff (G1) over a mile and one-eighth where she crossed the wire ninth.
5. Manacat (SAF) – nwo4life13 – P. McCarthey – 48/1
Midway through our field for Saturday we come to our longshot of the field. The South African bred chestnut filly is the only three-year-old to be going to the gate on Saturday. By Vercingetorix (SAF), the three-year-old will be making her first start against Group company this weekend. The most recent start for the filly came over the dirt in India during an allowance race over twelve furlongs. This was the fillies second start over the dirt. She was held just off the pace in second at the start of the race and by the midway point the filly had overtaken the front runner to lead the field home to win by three and a quarter lengths, setting a speed figure of ninety-six. Prior to this race, the filly won two other allowance races on the turf over the same distance. One of these, her start in Paris this past June, brought her her lifetime best speed figure of one hundred one.
6. Mantis Skin (AUS) – giventime – Q. Cassell – 7/1
Coming off of two consecutive wins before coming into the race this weekend, this Australian-bred filly will be making her first Group I start this Saturday. The four-year-old brown filly made her most recent start in The Pamona (G2) over a mile and five-eighths in Deauville. The filly came out of the gate towards the middle of the field and started to make her move midway through the thirteen-furlong race. The filly would cross the wire first, winning by a head, with a speed figure of one hundred eleven. She also won her prior start, a listed stakes race over the same distance in the United States.
7. Hist Whisperer (IRE) – simsters6 – P. Jones – 6/1
In the seventh slot, this five-year-old mare is seeking her first group win, despite coming close and being group placed in her group debut. By Shamardal, the male will be making her eighteenth lifetime start this weekend. The most recent start for the brown mare came in Ireland during The Giving Thanks (G3) over a mile and a half. The mare was held just off the pace in second at the start of the race. At the midway point of the race the mare and moved up to take the lead but was overtaken in the finial furlongs of the race and crossed the wire second, setting a speed figure of one hundred fourteen. The most recent win for the mare was this past April during a listed stakes race over eleven and a half furlongs.
8. Prospering Frank (ENG) – mfsuburban – R. Truitt – 6/1
The second of our starters by Frankel (GB), this five-year-old mare is coming off her first group win, which took place this past August in The Stutenpreis (G3) over a mile and three-eighths in Germany. The mare was held just off the pace of the front runner at the start of the pace, stalking closely in second. She took control of the lead midway through the race and went on to win the race by half a length, recording a speed figure of one hundred ten. Prior to this the mare would finish second in The Epicenter (G2) at a mile and a quarter.
9. Eingangspunkt – givenstamina – Z. Edwards – 9/1
Nearing the end of the field for our race this Saturday, this Kentucky-bred filly by Point Of Entry will be making her Group debut in this race. The most recent start for this bay filly was a listed stakes race in Belgium over ten and a half furlongs. The filly was sent straight to the lead in the race and held on to this position until the final furlongs of the race where she was overtaken by late closers who shuffled her back to fourth at the wire. She would set a speed figure of one hundred eleven for this race. Her start prior to this, another listed stakes race, this one coming in Newmarket over eleven and a half furlongs, would see a similar performance from the filly as she took the field from gate to wire to win by three-quarters of a length and set a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred sixteen.
10. Seven West (IRE) – sandee – T. Small – 5/1
The last horse to go to the gate this Saturday, the five-year-old bay mare by Australia will be making her eighteenth lifetime start. The most recent start for the mare came in Ireland during The Giving Thanks (G3) over a mile and a half. The mare was well off the pace out of the gate and trailed most of the field early on, though she began to pick up the pace midway through the race and went on to win the race by two and three-quarter lengths while setting a speed figure of one hundred sixteen. Prior to this, the mare would finish third in The Noble Spirit (G3) over the same distance.
Flrancho’s Picks:
Win: Shepouredpurenard (IRE)
Place: Black Swan Events (ENG)
Show: Love And Form (JPN)