Resolute Bringing Expensive Australian Filly to U.S.

John Stewart's Resolute Racing is bringing 3-year-old filly Tutta La Vita to the United States with the goal of having her run at the Breeders' Cup.

Resolute Racing purchased the daughter of The Autumn Sun for AU$3.2 million (approximately US$2,108,448) at last month's Inglis Chairman's Sale. She was slated to run in the June 8 Queensland Oaks (G1), but now will move to the U.S. under the guidance of trainer Ignacio Correas IV.

She ran once in Australia for Resolute, finishing eighth May 25 in The Roses (G2) at Doomben Racecourse. 

"It was always my plan to bring her here," Stewart said. "Part of the appeal to me about buying some of the older fillies and mares in Australia is to bring him to the U.S. to compete on the turf here. (Australian trainer Chris Waller) thought that she had a good shot at winning the Oaks when I bought her. And then she had a race and a trial afterward, which I think we all kind of agreed that we didn't really see her being as competitive in the Oaks. 

"She seemed a little tired and out of form and decided that some rest would be better for her. As I started to think about my long-term strategy, it made a lot of sense to, now that we're going to give her a break, to make part of that break getting her up here to the U.S."

The bay filly has a lifetime record of 1-3-2 from 12 starts and is 0-1-2 from nine starts this year. 

Stewart said it's too soon to say what race Tutta La Vita would make her North American debut in, but ideally it would be later this summer at Saratoga Race Course. 

With Correas, Tutta La Vita will be under the eye of a trainer who has experience with horses coming from the Southern Hemisphere to the U.S. He will send Didia , winner of the Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational Stakes (G2T) to the post in the New York Stakes (G1T) at the Spa June 7.

The relocation of horses between continents is not expected to be a one-time move for Stewart. 

He'd like to "create some cross-border excitement" by bringing established turf runners from the U.S. to Australia and vice versa. 

The change of scenery isn't just about racing. Stewart wants to affect change on the sales scene by diversifying the gene pool, specifically in Lexington. He said it's a "good long-term play" to get horses running at the highest levels both here and abroad.

"If you look at the diversity of our gene pool here, you go to the sales and there's 200 Into Mischiefs and there's 150 Justifys, which is great and they're good horses, but I think diversity is important to having a strong herd," Stewart said. "Some of the really strong horses that we've had in the U.S. in the past where we've exported a lot of those horses overseas ... you'll see a lot of what we're doing is bringing in some of that progeny that has been successful outside of the U.S. and we're starting to bring that back. 

"When you look in Australia, you definitely see some U.S. influence, (but) I think it's more European influence than it is North American influence. I think there's an opportunity there as well."