June 2021 maiden winners

PINK CITY GB (f2), by Showcasing ex Vedela (Selkerk)

Prix de l’Avenir (Maiden 2-year-olds, 1,000m/5f), June 10, ParisLongchamp

• Owner: Adrien Meyer-Chiche
• Trainer: Nicolas Caullery
• Breeder: Ecurie des Charmes
• Rider: Mickaëlle Michel

Seven runners, three supplemented including the eventual winner. Pink City (Showcasing), bought in a claimer on June 6 at ParisLongchamp, opens her account for her new connections. Fitted with blinkers for the first time, Pink City was the fastest out of the gates and went all the way to the wire. She was pushed away and won by 4.5 lengths. It was her first attempt over 5 furlongs. With already 7 races behind him, Jazzy Wood (Birchwood) finished second while Hot Pink (Bungle Inthejungle), one of the two unraced in the field, was 3rd. It was fast enough as the clock stopped at 57’’72.

First trained by Stéphanie Nigge at Deauville, Pink City was claimed a first time at Fontainebleau in April for €34,150 by Ecurie LH and she was sent to Frédéric Rossi. On June 6, the Showcasing filly ran again in a claimer and was this time purchased for € 30,007 to join Nicolas Caullery's stable at Chantilly. Three races, three different connections.

Bred by Ecurie des Charmes, Pink City had already changed scenery a few times as she was sold at Arqana to AGB Agency for €25,000.

Her dam Vedela (Selkirk) had also been sold at Deauville in 2010 by the Aga Khan. She was an unraced filly out of Vadawina (Unfuwain), a Prix Saint-Alary winner who had already foald Listed and Group performers such as Vadamar, Vedouma, Vedevani. Vedela was first sold €115,000 at Arqana. In foal to Anodin, seven years later, she made €45,000. In foal to Cracksman, Vedela made €30,000 in 2019. Pink City is her 8th foal, her 3rd winner.

 

PUERTO MADERO (c2), by Dream Ahead ex Aksinya (Dalakhani)

Prix Riverman (Maiden 2-year-old colts and geldings, 1,200m/6f), June 8, Saint-Cloud

• Owners: C & Y Lerner, Marc Leonetti

• Trainers: C & Y Lerner
• Breeder: Cyril Humphris

• Rider: Frida Valle Skar

Puerto Madero (Dream Ahead) once again beats Lokman (Prince Gibraltar), as for their previous encounter, for their respective debuts. The winner started slowly and came by in between horses to prevail in the last strides while the second led the field. 

Bought for only €5,000 at the Arqana October sales in 2020, Puerto Madero 

was bred by Cyril Humphries, like Mon Ami l’Ecossais (Orpen) or Black Sea (Dubai Destination), winner of the Prix François Mathet (L). Puerto Madero is out of the unraced Aksinya (Dalakhani). Her first foal, by Iffraaj, was unsold at the sales. Puerto Madero is her 2nd foal, spotted by Carlos and Yann Lerner. There is also a yearling filly by Iffraaj. Breeder Cyril Humphries also owned the dam Aksinya, Farnesina (Anabaa) and even her dam Wardara (Sharpo), who raced under his colours, winning two listed races and finishing 2nd in the Prix du Gros Chêne (Gr2) in 1997.

 

MONTUSSAN (f2), by Dabirsim ex Tautou Montjeu (Montjeu)

Prix Pawneese (Maiden 2-year-old fillies, 1,200m/6f), June 8, Saint-Cloud

• Owner: SARL Jedburgh Stud

• Trainer: Paul de Chevigny

• Breeders: Ecurie des Monceaux, Qatar Bloodstock Limited

• Rider: Théo Bachelot

   

One of the oldest silks in France won the Prix Pawneese since Jedburgh Stud, a Normandy stud farm, stands for Alec Waugh, a Scotsman who took over his great-great-grandfather's colours, declared in 1857! Montussan (Dabirsim), one of the few unraced runners in this maiden, pondered her move behind the leaders and left them to struggle a while before taking over to win by a neck over Winnan (Toronado).

The winner's dam Tautou Montjeu (Montjeu) when three times over Deauville's ring. Fist as a yearling, when Chris Richner Bloodstock bought her for €90,000 in 2012. Three years later, she was sold again, in Britain, to David Redvers for £100,000. This year, she was sold as a broodmare for €33,000 to Brian Grassick Bloodstock.

Her foals never made quite so much, even though Mutual (Lope de Vega) reached €80,000 at the yearlings August sale when secured by Prime Equestrian. Paul Nataf only paid €4,000€ at the Breeding sale for Montussan!

 

SOLOTOV (c2), IRE by Invincible Spirit ex Mathuna (Tagula)

Prix d’Orgement (Unraced 2-year-olds, 1,100m), June 6, Chantilly

• Owners: Susan Davis, Frank Cosgrove, Melissa O’Neill & Peter Mitchell
• Trainer: Eoghan O’Neill
• Breeders: Kilcarn Stud & Irish National Stud
• Rider: Aurélien Lemaître

The fastest out of the gates, Solotov (Invincible Spirit) easily beat a well-rated field, leaving the 2nd-placed Toimy Son (Twilight Son), the only one who managed to come back from the rear, at three lengths. Also entered in the Prix du Bois (Gr3), two weeks later, Solotov was bought for £50,000 at Tattersalls. He's brother to Donjuan Triumphant (Dream Ahead), winner of Champions’ Sprint (Gr1) and the Critérium de Maisons-Laffitte (Gr2).

Solotov is the last foal out of Mathuna (Tagula), winner of one race, for her debut at Deauville in November at 2.

 

PINWHEEL IRE (c3), by Exceed and Excel ex Quilting (King’s Best)

Prix de l’Opéra Comique (Maiden 3-year-olds, 1,400m/7F), June 3, ParisLongchamp

• Owner: Mohammed Obaid al Malktoum
• Trainer: Henri-François Devin
• Breeder: Mohammed Obaid al Malktoum
• Rider: Mickael Barzalona

Bred for speed, Pinwheel (Exceed and Excel) easily took the lead here and avoided traffic issues later on thanks to that fast start. At ease on a soft ground, he was only pushed away in the last 2 furlongs or so, pushing back Doctor Carl (Fastnet Rock) on his outside and the filly Sparklia (Dark Angel) inside. Trained by Henri-François Devin, he didn't even have to switch legs to prevail in 1’22”31.

Second foal out of Quilting (King’s Best), Pinwheel is her first runner. his 4th dam Dunette won the 1979 Diane. This is also the family of Rothmans International (Gr1) winner French Glory at Woodbine in 1990. The bloodline was moved from Coolmore to Darley. It now hails a few Group performers but not as much as it used to. Quitling was sold at Tattersalls in December 2020 for £10,000, even though she was in fola to Iffraaj.

 

DIVERGE GB (c3), by Frankel ex Sparkling Beam (Nayef)

Prix de Trévise (Maiden 3-year-olds, 2,100m/10.5F), June 3, ParisLongchamp

• Owner: George Strawbridge
• Trainer: Freddy Head
• Breeder: George Strawbridge
• Rider: Vincent Cheminaud

Beaten over 1m4f by Bubble Gift (Nathaniel), who won the Prix Hocquart (Gr2) after that, Diverge (Frankel) had once again tried his luck over the same distance at Chantilly, finishing third. This time, however, he led the field and Vincent Cheminaud let him go all the way down the hill, then pushed on about two out and on a just soft ground, these aggressive tactics paid off. Quartilla (Elusive City) couldn't keep up with them and finished second at 2.5 lengths. The Alain de Royer Dupré-trained Vazir (Siyouni) made some impression in third. he travelled far back and made a good effort in the last furlong. The winner's time is 2’13”38.

If George Strawbridge is both Diverge and his dam, the Ispahan (Gr1)-placed Sparkling Beam (Nayef)'s breeder, the American owner had purchased the second dam Pearl Dance (Nureyev) in the US. John Gosden made the bid at Keeneland in 2001, at $290,000. Pearl Dance didn't show much on the racecourse and at stud, her 4th foal was Sparkling Beam, the 5th Born in China (Shamardal), sold to Hong-Kong after a second win, in 4 attempts. As for Sparkling Beam, her 3rd foal Sparkle On (Kodiac), now 2, is in training with Freddy Head.