Colonia (Fr) (Champs Elysees {GB}) came from well off the pace to cause a mild upset in Friday's GIII Pin Oak Valley View S. at Keeneland, a race in which the winner managed to avoid an incident in the final eighth of a mile that saw the well-backed 'TDN Rising Star' Daddy Is A Legend (Scat Daddy) veer to her left and through the inside running rail.
Void of any real speed as Cool Beans (Candy Ride {Arg}) was allowed to set a leisurely pace on the business end, Colonia was ridden patiently from third or fourth-last by Joe Bravo and still looked to have plenty to do from near the tail at the midpoint of the second turn. Still last but two as the field reached the quarter-pole, she began to weave her way through the field and split Cool Beans and 'Rising Star' Mighty Scarlett (Scat Daddy) in the final sixteenth of a mile to score a narrow victory. Daddy Is a Legend raced slightly better than midfield and saving ground down the back and was trying to rally underneath Cool Beans at midstretch when she appeared to take an awkward step and plowed through the rail, then galloped on the infield. Neither horse nor jockey Manuel Franco, who stayed aboard, was hurt.
A maiden winner in five French starts for Fabrice Chappet, Colonia won the Hatoof S. in her U.S. debut at Arlington in July, was a troubled fifth in the GI Del Mar Oaks and ran with credit when a latest third in the GII Sands Point S. at Belmont Sept. 15.
“(Colonia) really hasn't done much wrong. She got left with a lot to do in California (in the Del Mar Oaks-G1 in August), where they really ran away from her early,” said winning trainer Graham Motion, winning the Valley View for the third time. “It was hard to make up that kind of ground. She's very consistent. I think she's an improving filly.”
Pedigree Notes:
Colonia is the 11th graded/group winner for her sire, one of three stallion sons of the prodigious producer Hasili (Ire) (Kahyasi {Ire})–Champs Elysees (Danehill)'s full-brothers Cacique (Ire) and Dansili (GB) are the other two. Combined, the three have accounted for 95 graded/group winners worldwide, the latter having sired 78 GSWs. Colonia is the first foal for her unraced dam, a half-sister to MGSW Don Bosco (Fr) (Barathea {Ire}) and SW Vodkato (Fr) (Russian Blue {Ire}), who was picked up by Canirola Bloodstock for €20,000 at the 2013 Arqana December Sale. Clara Luna is the dam of the 2-year-old colt August Dream (GB) (Kendargent {Fr}) and a yearling colt by Lethal Force (Ire).
Friday, Keeneland
PIN OAK VALLEY VIEW S.-GIII, $150,000, Keeneland, 10-19, 3yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 1:45.98, fm.
1–COLONIA (FR), 118, f, 3, by Champs Elysees (GB)
1st Dam: Clara Luna (Ire), by Muhtathir (GB)
2nd Dam: Perfidie (Ire), by Monsun (Ger)
3rd Dam: Pelagic (GB), by Rainbow Quest
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. (€14,000 RNA Ylg '16 AROYRG;
€17,000 RNA 2yo '17 ARJUN). O-Michael Dubb, Madaket
Stables LLC, Maurice Lagasse, Haras d'Etreham & Bethlehem
Stables LLC; B-Haras d'Etreham & Gestut Zur Kuste Ag (FR);
T-H. Graham Motion; J-Joe Bravo. $90,000. Lifetime Record:
9-3-0-3, $227,014. Werk Nick Rating: C+. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Get Explicit, 118, f, 3, Get Stormy–Miss Victoriana, by
Explicit. O/B-Modeste Racing Stable (KY); T-Barbara J. Minshall.
$30,000.
3–Cool Beans, 118, f, 3, Candy Ride (Arg)&log=">Candy Ride (Arg)–Win McCool, by
Giant's Causeway. ($110,000 Ylg '16 KEESEP; $300,000 2yo '17
FTFMAR). O-Magic Cap Stables; B-Alpha Delta Stables, LLC
(KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $15,000.
Margins: HF, HD, NK. Odds: 7.30, 70.20, 9.80.
Also Ran: Mighty Scarlett, Reversethedecision, Kabella, Goodthingstaketime (Ire), High Tech, Beach Waltz, Sirenusa, Poetic Charm (GB), More Fun Again, Daddy Is a Legend. Scratched: Mutabaahyia, Chipolata (Fr). Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
