The Deauville
The feature race this weekend in France is The Deauville (G2), to be run at a mile and five-eighths this Saturday. The Group II race is open to three-years-old and up. There was some rain earlier in the week leaving us with some residual dampness on the track. The race should be going off over a course rated as good at post time. There will be a total of nine to go to the starting gate this year. Let’s take a look through this year’s contenders.
- Frankly Musical (GB) – kingswood0 – K. Bedwell – 5/1
Sired by Stradivarius and out of a dam by the great Frankel (GB), the four-year-old chestnut colt is the one of only two horses to go to the gate on Saturday to have not yet won a listed stakes. Making his twentieth career start on Saturday, this will also be the horse’s group stakes debut. The most recent start for the colt was in a starter allowance race over thirteen furlongs in Italy last month. Facing a seven-horse field, the colt was out of the gate in fifth and had worked his way up into third by the midway point of the race. He would go on to win by six and three-quarter lengths, equalling a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred fourteen. He did mae a lone listed stakes race in October of last year in New Zealand in which he would cross the wire in sixth.
2. Mad Llama (GB) – verymole – E. Lannoo – 4/1
Seeking his first Group win with the race this weekend, the five-year-old gelding has come close to getting that Group victory in his last few starts. The bay gelding’s most recents tart was last month in Denmark during the Copenhagen Marathon (G3) at a mile and fifteen-sixteenths. Facing a smaller field in the race, the gelding was out of the gate and stalking the pace in second early. While he would not lose position, he would lose ground as he would cross the wire where he started in second, setting a speed figure of two and a quarter lengths. Prior to this he would also finish second in The Gold Glass (G1) in June at two miles. His most recent win came in the start prior to this, which was at the allowance level over fifteen and a half furlongs in England. The gelding lead the field from gate to wire, winning the polytrac race an impressive thirty and a quarter lengths.
3. Borrowman (KY) – spinround – S. Ayers – 8/1
The only horse bred in the United States to draw into the race on Saturday, the five-year-old bay horse by War Front and out of Group II winner A City Inside, the horse is group placed himself but is looking for his first win against this caliber of contender. His most recent start came in Hong Kong on the dirt last month at two miles in The Big Show (G2). Last out of the gate in the six-horse field, he started to pick up the pace midway through the race but would come up a well-beaten third while setting a speed figure of ninety-eight. This was only the second dirt start of his career, the first being held on a track rated as good which yielded much better results for the colt. His most recent win came on the turf in a listed stakes race over fourteen furlongs in India. Facing another small field and again the last out of the gate, the colt would steadily work his way to the front of the pack and would go on to win the race by half a length.
4. Schwartz D’Haus (IRE) – amoled – S. Dunlap – 7/1
Lightly raced with fourteen career starts, the four-year-old colt is making just his second start against group company. The most recent start for the colt came on the dirt during an allowance race at twelve furlongs in Ireland. Facing a short five-horse field, the colt was last out of the gate though he quickly strated to pick up the pace and he would go on to win the race by three and a quarter lengths while setting a speed figure of one hundred four. His most recent start on the turf, and his only group start to date was in May of this year during The Brigadier (G3) at a mile and a quarter in England. He was towards the back of the field here to, breaking seventh out of the gate and wouldn’t start challenging other runners until later in the race. He would cross the wire in fourth, just missing the board, despite setting a speed figure of one hundred ten.
5. Living Without You (ENG) – coolmorebarg – C. Byrne – 9/1
A late entry into Saturday’s field and the morning line long shot, the four-year-old gelding will be making his fifteenth career start. Bred in England, the gelding’s most recent start was in late June in South Africa during The Greatest Show On Turf (G1) at a mile and three-eighths. Exiting the gate in ninth, the gelding started to fall back midway through the race and would ultimately cross the wire in ninth with a speed figure of one hundred two. His most recent win came in Germany during an allowance race over twelve furlongs. In fifth early with a seven-horse field, the gelding would start to pick up the pace halfway through the race before going on to win by an impressive eight length margin. He is seeking his first win against Group company this weekend.
6. Highland Dynasty (JPN) – snappa – J. Bryant – 6/1
By Highland Reel, the four-year-old is a local bred champion in Japan and a group placed runner who is seeking out his first win again this weekend in group company. Last racing last month in England during The Princess of Whales (G2) over a mile and a half, he was sent out trailing the field early in the six horse field. The colt didn’t dig in to make his move until the field entered the stretch where he showed a nice turn of foot but came up short to cross the wire in third, setting a speed figure of one hundred nine. The most recent win for the colt was in February of this year during a listed local bred championship stakes. Again he was the last leaving the gate and was held back trailing the entire field until they reached the stretch. Showcasing his turn of foot once again, the colt would go on to win the race by one and a quarter lengths.
7. Pengazzi (FR) – pjlstables – S. Ledwith – 7/1
Bred locally here in France, this five-year-old by Persian King is seeking out his first group stakes win in what will be his twentieth career start. The most recent start for the bay horse was this past month in Paris during an allowance race over thirteen furlongs. Sixth out of the gate in the seven-horse field, the horse started to challenge others midway through the race and would win the contest by four and three-quarter lengths with a speed figure of one hundred eleven, equalling a lifetime best speed figure. His most recent group start was in late April in Belgium during the Destination Moon Cup (G3) at a mile and seven-eighths. Fourth out of the gate in the four-horse field, the horse would cross the wire where he started with a speed figure of one hundred three.
8. Outback Gentry (IRE) – yozgeld06 – J. Stivers – 9/2
The five-year-old gelding has career earnings approaching half a million dollars and will be making his eighteenth career start this Saturday. Foaled in Ireland, the bay gelding most recently started here in Deauville in early June during The Saint Cloud Grand Prix (G1) at a mile and a half. Facing a nine-horse field the gelding was out of the gates towards the middle of the pack in fifth. He never seemed to find his stride in the race and crossed the wire in fifth while setting a speed figure of one hundred ten. His most recent victory was in March in Japan during The Nikki Show (G2) at a mile and five-eighths. The gelding was closer to the pace in this race, stalking early in third. He would start to advance on the other runners midway through the race and would ultimately go on to win the race by three lengths.
9. Curracloe Beach (IRE) – temp3 – J. Delaney – 6/1
With fourteen career starts, the bay colt is by Sea The Stars and is out of a Hall of Fame dam Wexford County. The most recent race for the Irish-bred four-year-old came last month in The Dancing North Cup (G2) at a mile and a half. Stalking the pace early in third, he would move up to second midway through the race only to be shuffled back into third in the stretch. The colt would set a speed figure of one hundred thirteen. This past April, the colt’s start prior to the Dancing North Cup, was in the United States during the CEO Classic (G3) over the same distance. Stalking again in this race, the colt was out of the gate in second and would take control of the pace midway through the race. He would win the race by one and three-quarter lengths.
Flrancho’s Picks:
Win: Curracloe Beach (IRE)
Place: Mad Llama (GB)
Show: Schwartz D’Haus (IRE)