Following a season of near wins in stakes company, Royal Copenhagen (Fr) finally found her place in the sun as she made a determined rally from near the back of the pack to collar 1-to-2 favorite and Grade 1 winner Singhalese (GB) by a half-length in the $200,000 Pucker Up Stakes (G3) on Saturday at Arlington Park.

Extravagant Gal dictated the opening pace with Sunny Disposition and Isla Cozzene tracking the lead from second and third, respectively. Royal Copenhagen, piloted by Shaun Bridgmohan, galloped along in eighth then sixth, biding her time.

Advancing through rivals, the three-year-old daughter of Inchinor (GB) made a determined rally down the stretch to land the first stakes win of her career in 1:48.76 for the 1 1/8 miles over a good turf course.

Singhalese, winner of the Del Mar Oaks (G1), drifted in the stretch to finish second, four lengths in front of Grade 2-placed Isla Cozzene.

Royal Copenhagen, owned by Richard Duchossois and trained by Larua de Seroux, dead heated for second with Memorette in the San Clemente Handicap (G2) at Del Mar on July 30. Prior to that effort, she finished second in the Flawlessly Stakes at Hollywood Park on July 4. Overall she has won three of 12 starts in the United States and her native France, and has earned $278,318.

Bred by Eric Puerari and Haras Des Capucines, Royal Copenhagen is out of Amnesia, by Septieme Ciel.

Please see chart courtesy of Equibase at http://www.equibase.com.