NEWS
Famous Name wins Keeneland International Stakes
Posted: Saturday, July 11, 2009 4:30 PM
by Myra Lewyn
French classic-placed Famous Name might shorten up in distance for the foreseeable future after scoring a comfortable victory at the Curragh on Saturday in the Keeneland International Stakes (Ire-G3).
A close runner-up in last season’s Prix du Jockey Club (Fr-G1) (French Derby), Famous Name reeled in pacesetter Staying On after a stalking trip under Pat Smullen and seized command before the furlong marker. He crossed the finish line unchallenged for a two-length triumph as the 2-to-5 favorite.
Famous Name covered 1 1/8 miles in 1:57.43 on turf rated as soft while tallying a second consecutive victory.
Staying On finished 3½ lengths in front of multiple group-placed Red Rock Canyon in third.
A four-year-old Dansili (GB) colt, Famous Name entered off a five-length romp in the one-mile Woodies Diy Celebration Stakes on June 28 at the Curragh. That victory followed a runner-up finish to stablemate Casual Conquest, who made all the pace on heavy ground to win the 1 5/16-mile Tattersalls Gold Cup (Ire-G1) on May 24.
"He won as well as we expected him to,” trainer Dermot Weld said. “He keeps gaining confidence every time he wins and it was a good performance.”
Famous Name had two wins and two seconds from five starts last season. He overcame a wide post position and was held off by head by Vision d’Etat in the French Derby after annexing the Leopardstown Two Thousand Guineas Trial (Ire-G3) in his start prior to that.
Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to owner-breeder Khalid Abdullah, was pleased with Famous Name’s effort on Saturday and said the colt most likely will be kept to mile races.
"He handles most types of ground and I think we have been going slightly down the wrong alley with him thinking he would be a mile-and-a-quarter or even a mile-and-a-half horse,” Grimthrope said.
"Now we're sort of rethinking and thinking he might be a miler, and I think we'll consider the [1,600-meter (7.96-furlong) Haras de Fresnay le Buffard] Prix Jacques Le Marois (Fr-G1) [on August 16 at Deauville].
"We have various other options, including the [1¼-mile] Juddmonte International (Eng-G1) [on August 18] at York and possibly the [1¼-mile] Arlington Million [Stakes (G1) on August 8], but I think probably now we'll be looking at mile races."
Famous Name improved his overall record to five wins, five seconds, and one third from 12 career starts. The British-bred colt is out of the winning Quest For Fame (GB) mare Fame At Last and is from the family of Australian superstar mare Makybe Diva.
Myra Lewyn is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor
