3rd-Keeneland, $99,588, Msw, 10-26, 2yo, f, 1 1/8mT, 1:50.66, fm, nose.
EL JOURY (f, 2, Medaglia d'Oro–Up {Ire} {MGSW-Ire, G1SP-Fr, $379,468}, by Galileo {Ire}), who placed sixth on debut Aug. 19 at Ellis Park and sixth Sept. 11 at Kentucky Downs, both races going a mile, found her footing at third-asking with blinkers on for the first time here. Sent off a chilly 13-1 carrying the Shadwell colors for her 1 1/8-mile journey, the Brendan Walsh-trainee did not allow the pacesetter too far from her sight as she tracked that one from second. The tight racing began around the far turn as she was stuck between rivals and floated three wide entering the final stretch.
On a narrow lead entering the final furlong and with challenges looming on both sides, she gamely dug in as the pack of four hit the wire together in a blanket finish. El Joury got the better of the winning bob over Illuminatrice (Twirling Candy), who got the better of a bob over My Gal (Catholic Boy) for second. It was a head back to Unmerited Favor (Summer Front) in fourth.
(12) El Joury comes out on top at odds of 13-1 in a thrilling race 3 over (11) Illuminatrice and (9) My Gal! pic.twitter.com/V7vpNvMOYc
— Keeneland Racing (@keenelandracing) October 26, 2024
The victress is a half-sister to a fleet of accomplished runners, namely globetrotting Monarch of Egypt (American Pharoah), G1SP-Ire, GSP-Eng, $268,084; Aspray (Quality Road), GSW, $233,210; and Khartoum (Pioneerof the Nile), GSP-Ire, $121,018, who was the last of Up's offspring to bring $1-million at auction at KEESEP until El Joury. Another half-sister Upfront (War Front) produce Group-placed Direct (Aus) (Siyouni {Fr}) in Australia.
Their dam, while herself a talented racemare in her days, is most notably a half-sister to multiple Group 1-winner Dutch Art (GB) (Medicean {GB}), who is the sire of multi-millionaire, multiple Group 1 runner More Than This (GB) at Sha Tin. He's also a sire of sires with Slade Power (Ire) to his credit as well as Starman (GB) to most recently join the breeding shed carrying his line. A half-sister to Up and Dutch Art went on to produce GSP-Fr Shady Lady (Fr) (Blue Point {Ire}) and MGSP-Ire Grecian Light (Ire) (Shamardal), who along with another of her half-sisters, is a group black type producer. Up most recently produced a 2024 coly by Flightline and went to Quality Road in 2025. Sales history: $1,100,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 3-1-0-0, $58,788. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-Shadwell Stable; B-Ran Jan Racing, Inc. (KY); T-Brendan P. Walsh.
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