Minerve History: The Deauville Oaks

August, Deauville

Prix Minerve

Group 3, 3-year-old fillies, 2,500m/12.5f, €56,000

Created in 1925

Last winner: Wonderful Tonight (f3, FRA by Le Havre ex Salvation, by Montjeu), owned by Christopher N. Wright, bred by Écurie Taos, trained by David Menuisier, ridden by Tony Piccone.

Record-time: 2'38''9, Kassana (1997)

The race is run in 2021 for the 96th time

The 2020 edition

Sunday, August 16, 2020, Deauville. - The conditions of the Prix Minerve (Gr3) -3-year-old fillies on 12.5 furlongs- remind us of those of the Oaks or the former Prix Vermeille. Yet the yielding ground reporter at Deauville that day probably altered the verdict so that Wonderful Tonight (Le Havre) was able to take dazzling revenge on the one who had beaten her in their last confrontation, the favourite Valia (Sea The Stars).

Trained in England by David Menuisier, who entrusted her to Tony Piccone, the winner led the entire race with her compatriot Born with Pride (Born To Sea) travelling by her since she'd joined outside the backstretch. She was pushed early but even by leaning outwards, she finally managed to keep a closing Valia at bay to score by two and a half lengths, the Aga Khan homebred beating the 3rd-placed Paix (Muhaarar), who also came from the rear, by a length.

Bought € 40,000 at the yearling sales in Deauville, Wonderful Tonight won her first race at Saint-Cloud after her debut across the Channel, all at 2. Back this season in June over 10 furlongs, she just beat Oriental Mystique, but was then unable to do anything at ParisLongchamp against Valia.

She is a sister to Penjade (Air Chief Marshall), winner of several races in the USA after starting her career in France. She also has a full sister, a 2-year-old in training with Pascal Bary, a yearling brother by Recorder, followed by a weanling filly also by Recorder.

Click here for the sectional timing of the race.

History

The Prix de Minerve was created in 1925 at Tremblay by the Société de Sport de France, which drew on mythology to allocate a name to this race reserved for 3-year-old fillies. Minerva is the symbol of Knowledge and Wisdom, while at the same time being depicted with a warrior-like helmet. In 1987, the ‘de’ was dropped from the name of this race which has experienced an eventful existence, having been held on eight different racecourses and undergone six changes in distance since its initial 10 furlongs.

The Prix (de) Minerve was run at Tremblay from 1925 to 1939. Due to the war, it was not run in 1940 and was switched to Maisons-Laffitte in 1941, 1942 and 1943 and to Auteuil in 1944. It was back to Tremblay from 1945 to 1947 and from 1951 to 1967, with a three-year stay at Longchamp between 1948 and 1950. When Le Tremblay was closed, there was a further five-year stay at Chantilly from 1968 to 1972, before its transfer in 1973 to Evry from its opening until its closure in 1996, with the exception of 1993, when it was held at Saint-Cloud. Since 1997, the Prix Minerve has been based at Deauville.

The race distance: 10 furlongs from 1925 to 1939, 1 mile 2 ½ furlongs from 1941 to 1945, 10 furlongs from 1946 to 1948, 1 mile 2 ½ furlongs in 1949 and 1950, 10 furlongs from 1951 to 1975, 12 furlongs from 1976 to 1996, 1 mile 4 ¼ furlongs since 1997.

Originally scheduled in the first half of July, the Prix (de) Minerve rapidly attracted high-quality fillies, the best example being the champion Pearl Cap (1931), the Prix de Diane winner who victoriously carried the eight pounds’ overweight imposed by the Prix (de) Minerve’s conditions. Consequently, the winners’ list includes the names of fillies renowned on racecourses or at stud, like Carissima (1926, dead heat), Bellecour (1927), La Savoyarde (1930), Kiddie (1932, dead heat), La Souricière (1933), Capella (1936), Sylvanire (1937), Argolide (1938), Kaligoussa (1939), La Belle du Canet (1944), Pastourelle (1946), Nuit de Folies (1950), Maîtrise (1951), Sées (1956), Great Success (1957), Astaria (1964), Irish Lass (1965), Valya (1968), Cambrizzia (1971 PICTURED LEFT), Paysanne (1972), Paulista (1974), Trillion (1977), Anifa (1979), Sharaniya (1986), Colorado Dancer (1989), Wajd (1990) and Bright Moon (1993).

The Prix Minerve was put back to the end of August in 2001 and remained there until 2007 when it was brought forward to mid-August. Some classy fillies have figured among the race’s winners since then, namely Whortleberry (2003), Silverskaya (2004) Oiseau Rare (2005), Dar Re Mi (2008) and Announce (2010).

Owners

• Aga Khan IV (11 wins): Flaming Heart (1966), Rajpoura (1983), Sharaniya (1986), Daralinsha (1987), Linnga (1992), Sharamana (1994), Kassana (1997), Oiseau Rare (2005), Shareta (2011), Zarshana (2014), Candarliya (2015).
• Marcel Boussac (5 wins): Carissima (1926, dead-heat), Bellecour (1927), Capella (1936), Argolide (1938), Calonice (1943).
• Daniel Wildenstein (4 wins): Paulista (1974), Acoma (1976), Bright Moon (1993), Prairie Runner (1999).
• Mme Léon Volterra (3 wins): Cassilda (1955), Great Success (1957), Valya (1968).
• Mohammed Al Maktoum (3 wins): Colorado Dancer (1989), Wajd (1990), Synopsis (2007).

Trainers

• André Fabre (10 wins): Colorado Dancer (1989), Wajd (1990), Bright Moon (1993), Isle de France (1998), Prairie Runner (1999), Oiseau Rare (2005), Synopsis (2007), Kalla (2009), Announce (2010), Tamniah (2019).
• Alain de Royer-Dupré (9 wins): Rajpoura (1983), Sharaniya (1986), Daralinsha (1987), Linnga (1992), Sharamana (1994), Kassana (1997), Shareta (2011), Zarshana (2014), Candarliya (2015).
• François Mathet (5 wins): Cassilda (1955), Great Success (1957), Red Flame (1963), Flaming Heart (1966), Trillion (1977).
• Frank Carter (3 wins): Lucide (1925), Pearl Cap (1931), Anatolie (1934).

Riders

• Yves Saint-Martin (7 wins): Red Flame (1963), Flaming Heart (1966), Paulista (1974), Acoma (1976), Rajpoura (1983), Sharaniya (1986), Daralinsha (1987).
• Charles Semblat (6 wins): Lucide (1925), Carissima (1926, dead-heat), Kantara (1929), Pearl Cap (1931), Anatolie (1934), Capella (1936).
• Henri Samani (4 wins): Valya (1968), Anifa (1979), Great Verdict (1980), Lady Tamara (1984).
• André Dupuit (3 wins): Sylvanire (1937), La Barka (1941), Calonice (1943).
• Jean Deforge (3 wins): Mandolina (1959), Parbel (1961), Astaria (1964).
• Freddy Head (3 wins): El Mina (1973), Anitra’s Dance (1981), Mystery Rays (1988).
• Guy Guignard (3 wins): Gamberta (1985), Linnga (1992), Danefair (1995).
• Olivier Peslier (3 wins): Prairie Runner (1999), Maroussies Wings (2006), Dar Re Mi (2008).