Grand Couturier
August 18th 2008 09:43
Australia has never had a US starter in the Melbourne Cup. The sole US entry for this year is Grand Couturier , a five year old son of Grand Lodge.
(photo: AP Adam Coglianese)
Grand Couturier on Saturday won the Group One Sword Dancer Invitational (2400 metres on grass at Saratoga) for the second straight year.
Trainer Robert Ribaudo was delighted with the performance of his horse.
"It is unbelievable. What do we do next? That's what I want to know," Ribaudo said.
"We'll take it one race at a time."
In 2007 when Grand Grand Couturier had his first success in the Sword Dancer his trainer cited the firm track and fast pace as main reasons for his success. But in 2008 neither of these conditions were prevalent - yet Grand Courtier still found a way to win the $US500,000 Sword Dancer again.
In a daring ride by Alan Garcia, Grand Couturier saved ground on the corner and went for splits in the straight in an effort to weave a winning path through the (then) tightly packed six horse field. At one stage the gap closed for Grand Couturier when Presious Passion first shifted out - then in again to block his progress. Garcia (riding Grand Couturier for the first time) was thinking his daring ride had led to a dead-end.
"He shut me off so fast, I had nowhere to go,'' said Garcia,"I was thinking 'Oh my God, my horse lost all his momentum.' But after that he kept trying so let me keep riding.''
So fast did Grand Couturier finish that he defeated perennial Group One finalist, the nine year old Better Talk Now, by two lengths. Better Talk Now had won the same race in 2004, and on this occasion he held on to second to beat Interpretation into 3rd by three-quarters of a length.
The lack of pace was expected to be a major concern and the sectionals set by Presious Passion were dawdling: 2 furlongs in 25.80; a half mile in 50.44; 6 furlongs in 1.16.13; and the first mile in a crawl at 1.41.73. No doubt trainer Ribaudo was thinking the worst at this stage.
Although the adaptability of the winner augers well for success under Australian racing conditions, the Sword Dancer is part of the Breeders’ Cup Turf ‘Win And You’re In Challenge’ and entitles Grand Couturier an automatic entry into the feature race to be run on October the 25th at Santa Anita. Accepting entry into the Breeders’ Cup Classic Turf will rule out any possibility of a Melbourne Cup appearance.
Grand Couturier wins Sword Dancer Invitational
(photo: AP Adam Coglianese)
Grand Couturier on Saturday won the Group One Sword Dancer Invitational (2400 metres on grass at Saratoga) for the second straight year.
Trainer Robert Ribaudo was delighted with the performance of his horse.
"It is unbelievable. What do we do next? That's what I want to know," Ribaudo said.
"We'll take it one race at a time."
In 2007 when Grand Grand Couturier had his first success in the Sword Dancer his trainer cited the firm track and fast pace as main reasons for his success. But in 2008 neither of these conditions were prevalent - yet Grand Courtier still found a way to win the $US500,000 Sword Dancer again.
In a daring ride by Alan Garcia, Grand Couturier saved ground on the corner and went for splits in the straight in an effort to weave a winning path through the (then) tightly packed six horse field. At one stage the gap closed for Grand Couturier when Presious Passion first shifted out - then in again to block his progress. Garcia (riding Grand Couturier for the first time) was thinking his daring ride had led to a dead-end.
"He shut me off so fast, I had nowhere to go,'' said Garcia,"I was thinking 'Oh my God, my horse lost all his momentum.' But after that he kept trying so let me keep riding.''
So fast did Grand Couturier finish that he defeated perennial Group One finalist, the nine year old Better Talk Now, by two lengths. Better Talk Now had won the same race in 2004, and on this occasion he held on to second to beat Interpretation into 3rd by three-quarters of a length.
The lack of pace was expected to be a major concern and the sectionals set by Presious Passion were dawdling: 2 furlongs in 25.80; a half mile in 50.44; 6 furlongs in 1.16.13; and the first mile in a crawl at 1.41.73. No doubt trainer Ribaudo was thinking the worst at this stage.
Although the adaptability of the winner augers well for success under Australian racing conditions, the Sword Dancer is part of the Breeders’ Cup Turf ‘Win And You’re In Challenge’ and entitles Grand Couturier an automatic entry into the feature race to be run on October the 25th at Santa Anita. Accepting entry into the Breeders’ Cup Classic Turf will rule out any possibility of a Melbourne Cup appearance.
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