by K. T. Donovan

Baron Guy de Rothschild’s homebred Cicerole (Fr) has won or finished second in her previous six starts, but the Beverly D. Stakes (G1) at Arlington Park on Saturday will be her biggest challenge to date.

Currently trained by Jean-Claude Rouget, Cicerole will pass after the Beverly D. into the care of Christophe Clement, who already trained a Beverly D. winner for the Rothschild Family in 2001, when England’s Legend won for Baron Edouard de Rothschild.

Clement, who conditions Beverly D. participant Mauralakana (Fr), also trained last year’s winner, Royal Highness (Ger).

A petite four-year-old by Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) winner Barathea (Ire), Cicerole defeated fellow French invader Toque de Queda (GB) on soft turf in the Prix Coronation last September. In two starts this season, she won the Prix de Montretout in May, then came to England to win the Princess Elizabeth Stakes (G3) at Epsom in her first attempt away from her home country.
 
She shipped to Chicago in good order, and according to Rouget assistant Bertrand LaCroix, who also rides her in the mornings, the firm turf expected at Arlington should pose no problem.

“She rides very easy,” he said. “But the outside post is no good for us. She usually races in the middle of the pack, but she will have to take back farther and sit and wait. She adapts well, though. She has a big heart.”

Cicerole will have a tall order for bragging rights in Clement’s barn this fall. Mauralakana is riding a three-race unbeaten streak coming into the Beverly D., and is coming into the race in top form, according to Clement’s assistant Christophe Lorieul.

Mauralakana was given a break after winning the New York Handicap (G2) on June 21.

“She is on the muscle and she will like the firm turf,” Lorieul said. “The distance (1 3/16 miles) suits her, as her best is 1 1/8 to 1 3/8 miles. We need to get her covered up, and to let her relax, and she will be alright.”

K. T. Donovan is a Lexington-based Thoroughbred Times contributing writer