'Maria' Continues to Amaze in Rothschild Win

Robert Ogden's Amazing Maria gave irrefutable proof she is the real deal Aug. 2 at Deauville in capturing the Prix Rothschild (Fr-I) for her second straight top-level victory. 

 

The 4-year-old Mastercraftsman filly brought a halt to French classic winner Ervedya's undefeated season when she ran down that rival late and surged clear to score by 1 1/4 lengths. 

 

Even-money favorite Ervedya, the French One Thousand Guineas (Fr-I) and Coronation Stakes (Eng-I) winner who was taking on older opponents for the first time, was 1 1/4 lengths clear of third-place finisher Bawina.

 

Under a strong hold from Olivier Peslier, Amazing Maria raced in midfield early, and Ervedya, along the inside, closely pursued pacesetter Amulet before Christophe Soumillon moved her to the front a little more than a furlong out. She was no match when Amazing Maria came calling late, however, but held for second.

 

Amazing Maria covered 1,600 meters (about one mile) in 1:34.72 on good turf for her third win from five starts this year.

 

A 25-1 winner of the Duke of Cambridge Stakes (Eng-II) at Royal Ascot, Amazing Maria 

roared back to strike at the top level as a supplementary entrant in the Falmouth Stakes (Eng-I) July 10 at Newmarket.

 

"It's brilliant. She was unbelievable today," trainer David O'Meara told England's Press Association about his runner, who has blossomed as an older filly. She won twice at age 2 for previous trainer Ed Dunlop, but was last in the 2014 Investec Epsom Oaks (Eng-I) at age 3 during a winless season. 

 

"She is obviously a very good filly," O'Meara continued. "There was probably some doubt about whether she was truly a group I filly after Ascot, but she's done it again twice since then and you'd have to say she's among the best fillies in Europe now."

 

Irish-bred Amazing Marie was produced by Maryland-bred Messias Da Silva, a daughter of Tale of the Cat   who was a winner in England after Ogden paid $700,000 for her at the 2007 Fasig-Tipton Florida selected 2-year-olds in training sale.