Etoile, a beaten favorite in her two prior North American starts after being transferred to Chad Brown, came through with a victory in Sunday's GI E.P. Taylor S. at Woodbine, giving red-hot Siyouni (Fr) another top-level success in the same Peter Brant colors as that stallion's G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hero Sottsass (Fr).
Two-for-two to open her account for Jean-Claude Rouget last winter at Cagnes-sur-Mer, the bay was a neck runner-up in Longchamp's G3 Prix Vanteaux before annexing the G3 Prix Cleopatre at Saint-Cloud. A close fourth in the G1 Prix de Diane Longines at Chantilly, she was off the board in her last two French outings and disappointed when eighth at 17-10 in the GI Gamely S. May 20 after being bought for over $1 million at Tattersalls December. Second in the local GII Dance Smartly S. Aug. 15, she was made one of three 5-2 chances here and tracked from third past soft splits of :26.44 and :51.03. Moving up a spot as the pace quickened a touch through three-quarters in 1:15.50, she drew on even terms past the five-sixteenths and drifted wide off the turn. Blowing by tiring pacesetter Theodora B. outside the furlong grounds, she kicked clear before just holding 41-1 bomber Court Return on the wire.
“It was a good trip,” said local winning rider Rafael Hernandez, who was riding his meet-leading 12th stakes winner. “I called Chad this morning and he told me, 'Raffi, try to get a good trip like last time. Just make sure you clear down the stretch. He told me he'd been working the horse a few times and he put her outside of other horses, and she'd been finishing great. I heard that other horse coming late but I wish she was coming closer. It was too far out so my horse couldn't see. That's why I switched the whip to the left, to try to get her out and get her attention. But we did it.”
Pedigree Notes:
Etoile becomes the 43rd stakes winner, 24th graded stakes winner and sixth Grade I/Group 1 scorer for Aga Khan Studs' Siyouni. She is his first North American Grade I winner. Her third dam Navratilovna was a GSW in France. Her dam has a juvenile filly by Lethal Force (Ire) named Arletta (Fr) and a yearling Dabirsim (Fr) filly.
Sunday, Woodbine
E. P. TAYLOR S.-GI, C$630,000, Woodbine, 10-18, 3yo/up, f/m, 1 1/4mT, 2:03.12, gd.
1–ETOILE (FR), 124, f, 4, by Siyouni (Fr)
1st Dam: Milena's Dream (Ire), by Authorized (Ire)
2nd Dam: Rozella (Ire), by Anabaa
3rd Dam: Sweet Blue Eyes, by Seeking the Gold
1ST GRADE I WIN. (€160,000 Ylg '17 ARAUG; 750,000gns 3yo
'19 TATMA). O-Peter Brant, Mrs M V Magnier & Mrs Paul
Shanahan; B-Dominique Ades Hazan, Geraldine Henochsberg
& Patrick Fellous (FR); T-Chad C. Brown; J-Rafael Manuel
Hernandez. C$360,000. Lifetime Record: GSW-Fr, 10-4-2-0,
$454,351. Click for eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk
Nick Rating: A++.
2–Court Return, 124, f, 4, by Court Vision
1st Dam: In Return, by Horse Chestnut (Saf)
2nd Dam: Bartered Bride, by Shadeed
3rd Dam: Lady Vixen, by Sir Ivor
O-Ivan Dalos; B-Tall Oaks Farm (ON); T-Josie Carroll.
C$144,000.
3–Secret Message, 124, m, 5, by Hat Trick (Jpn)
1st Dam: Westside Singer, by Gone West
2nd Dam: Zawzooth, by Unbridled's Song
3rd Dam: Lady Blockbuster, by Silent Screen
O-Madaket Stables LLC, Heider Family Stables LLC, ERJ Racing,
LLC, Elayne Stables and Bouchey, Steven; B-Allen Tennenbaum
(KY); T-H. Graham Motion. C$66,000.
Margins: NK, 2, HF. Odds: 2.50, 41.80, 6.70.
Also Ran: Rideforthecause, Theodora B., Pretty Point, Elizabeth Way (Ire). Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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