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My Princess Jess Faces French Invader
by Jack Shinar
Date Posted: July 23, 2008
Last Updated: July 25, 2008
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Zee Zee won the Edgewood at Churchill Downs this spring.
Photo: Jeffrey Snyder |
My Princess Jess, impressive winner of the Boiling Springs (gr. III) last month in her first start for trainer Barclay Tagg, will get plenty of support in a field of seven 3-year-old fillies entered for the $150,000 Lake George Stakes (gr. IIT) for 3-year-old fillies on Saratoga's inner turf course July 25.
But Mousse Au Chocolat, invading from France for her first American start for trainer Jean-Claude Rouget and Fares Farm, also deserves a long look after her second-place finish in the Prix de Sandringham (Fr-II) in her most recent try June 1 at Chantilly.
One filly, Forest Trail, is entered for the main track only. She is coupled in the 1 1/16-mile test with the Phipps Stable's entry, Receipt.
My Princess Jess used a huge move coming off the far turn of the 1 1/16-mile Boiling Springs to open up by 3 1/2 lengths in the stretch June 28 at Monmouth Park. The Stormy Atlantic filly held on well to win by a neck over the firm course as Much Obliged made a spirited late charge. She was clocked in 1:39.81, breaking the course record.
“It was nice; that was a very good race for her,” said Robin Smullen, Taggg's assistant. “She has such an explosive turn of foot and a long stride for her size.”
My Princess Jess has earned back-to-back stakes wins for owner Lael Stable, previously winning Belmont Park's Gaviola in her stakes debut May 8 when she was part of the Robert Barbara stable.
Eibar Coa rides My Princess Jess for the first time in the Lake George, replacing Joe Bravo aboard the dark bay Florida-bred filly. My Princess Jess has not been worse than second in six starts, winning three times with earnings of $195,420. She breaks from the rail.
Mousse Au Chocolat, a Kentucky-bred daughter of Hennessy won a listed race at Toulouse last fall. She has three wins and three runner-up finishes in seven lifetime starts in France and has been well supported in each of her efforts. Jockey Christophe Lemaire make the journey from Europe.
Shadwell Stable's Alwajeeha makes her first start since running fourth in the May 31 Sands Point (gr. IIT) over Belmont's inner turf.
“I still thought she ran a good race,” said McLaughlin of his filly's Sands Point effort. “She gave up a lot of weight in that race to a pretty tough bunch of fillies. I think this group is going to take turns beating one another all year.”
In her previous start, the Kiaran McLaughlin trainee scored a head victory in Keeneland's one-mile Appalachian (gr. IIIT). The daughter of Dixieland Band has won two of six starts and will be ridden once more by John Velazaquez.
Zee Zee, conditioned by Bill Mott for Zayat Stables, comes off a third-place finish, 4 1/4 lengths behind the victorious Pure Clan, in the Regret (gr. IIIT) on the Churchill Downs' lawn June 14. She'll be ridden by Kent Desormeaux, who was aboard the Exchange Rate filly for a 1 3/4-length win in the Edgewood over the same Churchill course nearly six weeks earlier.
“She has been pretty good everywhere she has run,” Mott said. “She has run well in Kentucky and Louisiana. She won a nice race at Churchill Downs in the Edgewood.”
Receipt, from Shug McGaughey's barn, and the D. Wayne Lukas-trained Stealin' Kisses each step out of first-level allowance efforts on the turf. Stealin' Kisses scored by a half-length at Churchill July 3 while Receipt ran fourth at Belmont in her first start against winners June 20.
Forest Trail, who is owned and bred by Phipps Stable and Stuart Janney III, ran third to My Princess Jess in the Boiling Springs last time out, but will only go here if the race is transferred to the main track.
$150,000 Lake George Stakes (gr. IIT, Race 8, 6:36 p.m.), 3-Year-Old Fillies, 1 1/16 Miles (Inner Turf)
PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey
1. My Princess Jess (FL), 122, Eibar Coa
2. Receipt (KY), 116, Alan Garcia
3. Stealin' Kisses (KY), 116, Julien R. Leparoux
4. Mousse Au Chocolat (KY), 120, Christophe P. Lemaire
5. Alwajeeha (KY), 122, John R. Velazquez
6. Zee Zee (FL), 120, Kent J. Desormeaux
Main Track Only
7. Forest Trail (KY), 116, Alan Garcia
Recipt and Forest Trail are coupled.
Copyright © 2008 The Blood-Horse, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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