Court Return Makes U.S. Debut in Via Borghese
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Photo: Michael Burns
Court Return wins the Eternal Search Stakes at Woodbine
Ivan Dalos' stakes-winning homebred filly Court Return, beaten a neck in the E. P. Taylor (G1T) last time out at Woodbine, will race south of the border for the first time in her career, facing eight rivals in the Dec. 19, $100,000 Via Borghese Stakes at Gulfstream Park.
Trained by Canadian Hall of Famer Josie Carroll, Court Return is a younger half sister to multiple grade 1 turf winners Channel Maker and Johnny Bear, both Sovereign Award winners in Canada. The 4-year-old filly has run exclusively at Woodbine, with 10 of her 12 lifetime starts coming on the grass.
The daughter of Court Vision became a stakes winner in her second start of 2020, rallying for a 1 1/4-length triumph in the Aug. 22 Eternal Search Stakes.
Carroll stepped Court Return up to graded company off her stakes victory, and she finished third in the 1 1/8-mile Canadian (G2T) Sept. 12 after getting away slowly. Stretched out to 1 1/4 miles for the E. P. Taylor, Court Return was again tardy from the gate but came with a strong rally only to fall just short of winner Etoile.
"I felt really good going into the race. That was certainly her best performance yet," Carroll said. "I think the rider did a good job of not letting her get out of touch too much with the field, which is a danger with her. Sometimes they let her get too far back. You really sort of have to nudge her to stay in touch with the field, so that when she does make her run she is in a position to get there."
Two-time Championship Meet leading jockey Luis Saez will get that assignment Saturday from Post 3.
Christophe Clement won the inaugural Via Borghese with Paige in 2016, and the trainer has Stone Farm homebred Traipsing for this year's edition. The 4-year-old daughter of Stroll comes back three weeks off a runner-up finish to stablemate Mutamakina after setting the pace in the Nov. 28 Long Island Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct Racetrack.
"It's back a little bit quick, but she arrived at Payson Park well and she looks well. I think she's a nice mare," Clement said. "Because it is a little bit quick we'll monitor her during the week and as long as she's doing well we plan on running."
Robby Albarado is named to ride from Post 2.
Gulfstream's 16-time training champion Todd Pletcher entered the pair of Always Shopping and Cap de Creus. Gainesway Stable's Cap de Creus is winless with four seconds in seven career tries at Gulfstream, and ran fourth in this year's Orchid Stakes Presented by Rood and Riddle (G3T). The 4-year-old Tapit filly was fifth last out in the Zagora Stakes Oct. 31 at Belmont Park.
Repole Stable's grade 2 winner Always Shopping most recently ran second by a head in the 1 1/2-mile Rood and Riddle Dowager (G3) Oct. 18 at Keeneland.
Rounding out the field are 2020 Ginger Punch Stakes winner Kelsey's Cross, third to Always Shopping in the Monroe; Great Island, winner of two straight making her stakes debut; Gun Society, second to Court Return in the Eternal Sunshine Stakes; Cambeliza and Lady Panda.
Gulfstream Park, Saturday, December 19, 2020, Race 9Entries: Via Borghese S.
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Gun Society (ON)
Paco Lopez
118
Roger L. Attfield
20/1
2
2Traipsing (KY)
Junior Alvarado
121
Christophe Clement
7/2
3
3Court Return (ON)
Luis Saez
123
Josie Carroll
6/1
4
4Cap de Creus (KY)
John R. Velazquez
121
Todd A. Pletcher
10/1
5
5Kelsey's Cross (FL)
Julien R. Leparoux
123
Patrick L. Biancone
10/1
6
6Cambeliza (KY)
Edgard J. Zayas
121
Arnaud Delacour
8/1
7
7Lady Panda (FL)
Miguel Angel Vasquez
118
Luis M. Ramirez
30/1
8
8Always Shopping (KY)
Irad Ortiz, Jr.
123
Todd A. Pletcher
5/2
9
9Great Island (KY)
Tyler Gaffalione
121
Chad C. Brown
3/1
