Demarchelier Sires First Winner in France

Claiborne Farm's freshman sire and graded stakes winner Demarchelier   sired his first winner Aug. 18 when his son De Sica became a winner in his second career start in an about seven-furlong maiden stakes at Clairefontaine Racecourse in Tourgéville, France.

De Sica is a homebred for Peter Brant's White Birch Farm and trained by Jean-Claude Rouget. The colt, ridden by Cristian Demuro, won by three-quarters of a length over a field of seven challengers and banked €15,000 (US$16,302) for the victory.

Brant bred the colt out of multiple graded-placed stakes winner Stella di Camelot , who he bought for $100,000 at the 2019 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale from ELiTE ahead of Demarchelier's first season at stud. Brant raced Demarchelier, a 7-year-old son of leading European sire Dubawi , with trainer Chad Brown.

Demarchelier won three of four starts, including a victory in the Pennine Ridge Stakes (G3T) at Belmont Park. In his first shot in grade 1 company—the Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T)—he was injured at the half-mile pole and had to be eased.

Upon the stallion's retirement, Brant said he felt American breeders would find Demarchelier's pedigree intriguing.

"He could get a great grass horse certainly, but he also has the influences of great American sires such as Seeking the Gold and Mr. Prospector that could result in some great dirt horses," he said.

Demarchelier stands for $5,000.