Oleksandra Exits Jaipur Stakes in Good Order
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Susie Raisher
Oleksandra wins the Jaipur Stakes at Belmont Park
Team Valor International's Oleksandra came out of her grade 1 victory in the June 20 Jaipur Stakes in good shape save for a nick on a lower front limb. The slight injury was sustained as a result of bumping briefly with runner-up Kanthaka at the break.
Trainer Neil Drysdale has decided to leave the daughter of Animal Kingdom at Belmont Park instead of returning her to Southern California. She will point for the grade 3 Troy Stakes going 5 1/2 furlongs on the grass for a $200,000 purse on the Travers Stakes (G1) undercard Aug. 8 at Saratoga Race Course.
Oleksandra may have one more race before returning to Kentucky to contest the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) Nov. 7 at Keeneland.
"That will be her last race for Team Valor," said Barry Irwin, CEO of Team Valor International. "She will be offered for sale after the Breeders' Cup at an auction in Kentucky with an as-yet undetermined agent."
William Nader of the Hong Kong Racing Club tendered an invitation to the now 6-year-old mare for "the world's richest turf sprint on December 13"—the HK$22 million Longines Hong Kong Sprint (G1)—so it is possible the mare's new owner could race her there or in Dubai over the winter before sending her off to the breeding shed.
Oleksandra became the first Australian-bred to win a grade 1 in North America since the Pattern Race scheme came into being in 1974.Her 101 Beyer Speed Figure was bettered on Saturday's Belmont Stakes (G1) card only by runaway grade 1 Longines Acorn Stakes (G1) winner Gamine. Oleksandra holds a 7-3-3 record from 15 starts with earnings of $537,353.