By Andrea Branchini
FILO DI ARIANNA is Italian for 'Ariadne's thread'. The expression refers to a most melodramatic Greek myth. Princess Ariadne of Crete betrays her royal father and helps enemy Athenian hero Theseus in the killing of her monstrous half-brother, the Minotaur, who resides in a labyrinth. The Minotaur is half man and half bull and 100% crazy; please no questions about his pedigree, this is a family publication. Ariadne provides Theseus with a ball of thread, so that he can find is way out of the maze after the brutal deed. Behind a successful demigod there is often a loving woman, but Theseus was a bit of a scoundrel and eventually abandoned Ariadne in the island of Naxos. Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes, as Vergil wrote. Brazilian FILO DI ARIANNA (the horse) clearly knows how to navigate horse races and is probably blameless in matters of romantic love as of now.
FILO DI ARIANNA (BRZ) (h, 5, Drosselmeyer–Principessa Capri {Brz}, by Northern Afleet) Woodbine, C$105,400, Alw, 6-27, 3yo/up, 7fT, 1:19.97, fm. Lifetime Record: Ch. 2yo Colt-Brz, MGSW-Brz, 4-4-0-0, $89,629. O-Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable & Peter Deutsch; B-Stud Principessa di Capri (Brz); T-Mark Casse.
PEDIGREE WORDPLAY: HONORABLE MENTIONS
Most reliable tournament finalist, for sure. NAVRATILOVA, 118, f, 3, by Medaglia d'Oro, out of Centre Court (GISW, $961,048), by Smart Strike. TEPIN S., $150,000, Churchill Downs, 6-26, 3yo, f, 1mT, 1:35.56, fm. O/B-G. Watts Humphrey (KY); T-George R. Arnold, II; J-Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. $87,420. Lifetime Record: 5-2-0-2, $136,340
Self-evident follow-up. NEXT, 118, c, 3, by Not This Time, out of Bahia Beach (MSP, $141,104), by Awesome Again. WAR CHANT S., $150,000, Churchill Downs, 6-26, 3yo, 1mT, 1:35.09, fm. O/B-Silverton Hill, LLC (KY); T-Wesley A. Ward; J-John R. Velazquez. $97,500. Lifetime Record: 6-3-0-0, $199,394.
Like mother, like daughter. STIR CRAZY, f, 3, by Vancouver (Aus), out of Mentally Unstable, by Good Reward. Delaware, $34,580, Msw, 6-26, 3yo/up, f/m, 5f (off turf), 1:00.71, my,
4 1/4 lengths.. O-Delancey Stable LLC & Angelinos Racing LLC; B-Royal Oak Farm (KY); T-Benjamin W. Perkins, Jr
You just never know. BYHUBBYHELLOMONEY, f, 3, Effinex–Shocking Behavior, by El Prado (Ire). Belmont, 6-20, (S), (C), 6fT, 1:09.45. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-1, $30,990. B-Anderson Boulton Thoroughbreds LLC (NY). *$30,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP.
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