By Sean Cronin
Coolmore and Westerberg's sophomore filly Above The Curve (American Pharoah) caught the eye when overcoming a slow getaway to finish strongly for third in a one-mile Leopardstown maiden last October. Back at the Foxrock venue for Wednesday's 10-furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden, a contest won in 2019 by MG1SW distaffer Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal), she stamped her class on a field stacked with well-bred individuals to earn 'TDN Rising Star' status with an eyecatching display. The 6-5 favourite was more in focus at the break this time and settled off the tempo out wide in midfield through halfway. Making smooth headway into contention on the home turn, she quickened in taking fashion to seize control approaching the final furlong and kept on strongly under mild coaxing in the latter stages to easily outpoint Thoughts of June (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) by 2 3/4 lengths.
“We think a lot of her,” revealed trainer Joseph O'Brien of the June 3 G1 Epsom Oaks and July 16 G1 Irish Oaks entry. “She had a really good run last year and has an amazing pedigree. We couldn't ask for more and we'll see where we go now, but we think she's an [Irish] Oaks type. She's very big so we'll manage her gently, maybe something like the [G3] Blue Wind [at Naas next month] would suit. We won't throw her in at the deep end and we'll take baby steps with her. She really is huge, in a way she's nearly too big, and we'll have to manage her correctly. She hasn't done anything wrong so far anyway. I don't think she will be an Epsom [Oaks] filly and I think we will look at the Curragh [for the Irish Oaks], but it is early days to be targeting that.”
Above The Curve is the third of five foals and second scorer out of an unraced sibling of eight black-type performers headed by MG1SW sire Giant's Causeway (Storm Cat). She is a full-sister to G3 Irish 1000 Guineas Trial and G3 Weld Park S. third Thinking Of You and her dam Fabulous (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who was bred to Justify last year, has a 2-year-old filly and yearling filly by Justify to come. Descendants of the April-foaled bay's MGSW second dam Mariah's Storm (Rahy), herself a half-sister to G1SP sire Panoramic (GB) (Rainbow Quest), also include MG1SW sires Gleneagles (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Decorated Knight (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), Classic heroines Joan of Arc (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Marvellous (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), MG1SW distaffer Happily (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and elite-level performers Vatican City (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Coolmore (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Taj Mahal (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).
1st-Leopardstown, €15,000, Mdn, 4-6, 3yo, f, 10fT, 2:10.66, gd.
ABOVE THE CURVE, f, 3, by American Pharoah
1st Dam: Fabulous (Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Mariah's Storm, by Rahy
3rd Dam: Immense, by Roberto
Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-1, $11,538. O-Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Westerberg; B-Orpendale, Chelston & Wynatt (KY); T-Joseph O'Brien. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
