By Sean Cronin
Juddmonte's unbeaten 3-year-old filly Agave (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) defeated subsequent Listed Grand Criterium de Bordeaux victrix Singforthemoment (Ire) (No Nay Never) when graduating over ParisLongchamp's one-mile strip in a Sept. 2 debutantes' heat, her sole juvenile outing, and doubled up in style going 10 furlongs on seasonal return with a three-length tally and a career high in Saint-Cloud's Mar. 10 Listed Prix Rose de Mai last time. Upped in trip once more for Saturday's G3 Prix Penelope back at Saint-Cloud, the May 15 G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and June 19 G1 Prix de Diane entry continued her rapid ascent with a snug success in this pointer to the latter Classic. Agave was restrained to race off the pace in sixth after breaking smartly from an outer gate and turned for home in sixth. Making smooth headway out wide in the straight to launch her challenge at the quarter-mile marker, the 3-10 favourite led soon after and was pushed out in the closing stages to comfortably hold the late rattle of G3 Prix des Reservoirs runner-up Queen Trezy (Fr) (Almanzor {Fr}) by 3/4-of-a-length, extending trainer Andre Fabre's record haul of renewals to nine.
“This filly has improved with every run, she has gone up in class with aplomb every time and we're delighted with this result,” said Juddmonte's on-course representative. “[Jockey] Olivier Peslier remarked that she was not favoured by the lack of pace and thought that he'd moved forward a little soon to avoid being caught for speed. He felt he was always safely in control. Andre Fabre will discuss plans with the family and racing manager Barry Mahon. She's entered in the [May 29 G1 Prix] Saint-Alary [back at ParisLongchamp] and that could be her next target.”
Agave is the second of four foals and lone scorer out of G2 Prix de Pomone and G3 Prix Allez France placegetter Contribution (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}), herself kin to a trio of black-type performers headed by dual G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}). The February-foaled bay, who becomes the 149th group-race winner for her sire, is a half-sister to the hitherto unraced 2-year-old filly Salient Point (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}) and a yearling filly by Study of Man (Ire). Her stakes-winning second dam Concentric (GB) (Sadler's Wells) ran third in the G3 Prix de Flore and is out of G3 Prix de Royaumont victrix Apogee (GB) (Shirley Heights {GB}). Descendants of Apogee include MGSW sire Apsis (GB) (Barathea {Ire}), MGSW G1 Prix de Diane runner-up Dance Routine (GB) (Sadler's Wells) and MGISW US champion and sire Flintshire (GB) (Dansili {GB}).
Saturday, Saint-Cloud, France
PRIX PENELOPE-G3, €80,000, Saint-Cloud, 4-2, 3yo, f, 10 1/2fT, 2:18.15, sf.
1–AGAVE (GB), 126, f, 3, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Contribution (GB) (MGSP-Fr), by Champs Elysees (GB)
2nd Dam: Concentric (GB), by Sadler's Wells
3rd Dam: Apogee (GB), by Shirley Heights (GB)
1ST GROUP WIN. O-Suc. Khalid Abdullah; B-Juddmonte Farms Ltd (GB); T-Andre Fabre; J-Olivier Peslier. €40,000. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, €81,000. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Queen Trezy (Fr), 126, f, 3, Almanzor (Fr)–Elodie (GB), by Dansili (GB). (€125,000 Ylg '20 ARQSEP). O-Eric Feurtet, Mme Marion le Menestrel & Haras d'Etreham; B-Eric de Chambure & Riviera Equine SARL (FR); T-Carlos & Yann Lerner. €16,000.
3–Anne de Cleves (Fr), 126, f, 3, Wootton Bassett (GB)–Alcandre (Ire), by Fastnet Rock (Aus). O-Lady Chryss O'Reilly & Baron Edouard de Rothschild (FR); B-Petra Bloodstock Agency Ltd & SC Ecurie de Meautry (FR); T-Francis-Henri Graffard. €12,000.
Margins: 3/4, HD, 1 1/4. Odds: 0.30, 6.30, 11.00.
Also Ran: She's Cosmic (GB), Allada (GB), La Mandola (Fr), Welcome Sight (GB). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.
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