NEWS
French-based Shalanaya bids for history in QEII Commemorative Cup
Posted: Friday, November 13, 2009 5:34 PM
by Myra Lewyn
The Aga Khan’s Qatar Prix de l’Opera (Fr-G1) winner Shalanaya, who bypassed the Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1) last week, will bid to become the first foreign-based winner of the Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup (Jpn-G1) on Sunday at Kyoto Racecourse.
The three-year-old Lomitas (GB) filly was not nominated to the Breeders’ Cup program and skipped the Filly and Mare Turf because of the supplemental entry fee. She earned an automatic starting spot in the lucrative Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup with her 1½-length victory over Board Meeting and Midday (GB) in the Prix de l'Opera on October 4 at Longchamp.
Midday rebounded to capture the Filly and Mare Turf from Pure Clan and last year’s winner, reigning champion turf female Forever Together, on November 6 during the Oak Tree meeting at Santa Anita Park.
Unraced as a two-year-old, Shalanaya was taking a big class step in the Prix de l’Opera, her fifth career start, following a three-length victory in the Prix de Liancourt on September 1 at Longchamp. Should she notch a history-making victory in Sunday’s 2,200-meter (10.94-furlong) turf race, she will earn the $1,002,261 winner’s share of the $1,977,573 purse as well as the same amount for her Prix de l’Opera and Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup double via the Japan Autumn International bonus program, which is designed to enhance and encourage international participation of foreign-based horses.
Trained by Mikel Delzangles, Shalanaya is the only foreign-trained entrant in the 18-horse field.
Of six foreign-based horses to compete in the Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup since the race was opened to international competitors 11 years ago, only French-based Tigertail could finish on the board, posting a third-place finish behind winner Admire Groove in 2003.
Sunday Racing Co.’s champion Buena Vista will seek to make amends after failing to become the third winner of Japan’s filly Triple Crown in the Shuka Sho (Jpn-G1) On October 18 at Kyoto.
Buena Vista finished second in the Shuka Sho to rival Red Desire, runner-up to the three-year-old Special Week filly in the first two legs of the series, the Oka Sho (Japanese One Thousand Guineas) in April and Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) in May.
In an attempt to draw even with front-runner Red Desire in the closing stages of the Shuka Sho, Buena Vista rallied from between horses on the outside, forcing Broad Street to be checked in close quarters. Red Desire ultimately prevailed by a nose over Buena Vista, who was subsequently disqualified from second and placed third for interference. Broad Street was elevated to second.
Jockey Katsumi Ando attributed Buena Vista’s loss to his tactics.
“I made the horse take the bit when I shouldn’t have because I didn’t want to give up the position we had,” Ando said. “I should have just stuck to the plan, but I made her work more than I should have.
“[Buena Vista] will probably be the favorite [on Sunday], and all I can say is that I’m convinced we’ll win.”
Myra Lewyn is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor
