Chares Stays Undefeated in European Road to Derby Race
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Photo: Steven Cargill / Racingfotos.com
Chares wins the Road to the Kentucky Derby Conditions Stakes at Kempton
Chares remained undefeated and earned 20 points on the European Road to the Kentucky Derby March 4 with a 1 1/4-length score in the Road to the Kentucky Derby Conditions Stakes at Kempton.
The 3-year-old Ivawood colt is not nominated to the Triple Crown and needs to be to join the series' leaderboard.
Ridden by John Egan in the one-mile event on Kempton's synthetic surface, Chares dictated the pace at a steady gallop before Egan got busy in the final two furlongs. The chestnut quickened and was clear a furlong out. The final time was 1:39.47.
Berlin Tango tracked the leaders and kept on in the final strides but was second-best on the day. He earned eight points in the series over Coolmore's New World Tapestry, who picked up four points. Naval Commander took home the final two points in fourth, and Ayr Harbour completed the order of finish.
New World Tapestry was the only runner in the field who is Triple Crown-nominated. The Aidan O'Brien-trained War Front colt is fourth on the European Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard.
The seven-race series has one event remaining, the April 2 Cardinal Conditions Stakes at Chelmsford City. The Triple Crown-nominated horse with the most points at the conclusion will receive an invitation to the May 2 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) at Churchill Downs.
Chares was bred in Germany out of the Titus Livius mare Coco Demure. He won his first three starts in France at 2, including the listed Criterium de Lyon by a neck, for former connections. Wednesday's race was his first start for trainer Jane Chapple-Hyam.