Esoterique Overwhelms Territories in Marois
Description:
Esoterique shook clear of favored stablemate Territories with a scintillating rally in the Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard-Jacques Le Marois (Fr-I) Aug. 16 at Deauville, leading in a one-two finish for trainer Andre Fabre.
Bolstered in the wagering by his runner-up effort to Gleneagles in the Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-I) and subsequent victory in the Prix Jean Prat (Fr-I) last time out, Territories left the gate the 6-5 favorite, raced near the back of the field with the winner, and rallied smartly when asked. He appeared to manage only a fleeting advantage from pacesetter Toormore in the stretch before Esoterique burst between horses and blew past him. She led through the final furlong as he chased in vain, finishing 1 1/2 lengths behind her.
Ridden Pierre-Charles Boudot, Esoterique settled into a comfortable stride as Fabre-trained Toormore carved out the early fractions. She advanced smoothly to enter contention a quarter-mile out, in behind Territories. When a narrow gap opened nearing the final furlong, Boudot speared her through, strongly outpacing Territories while securing a clear win in the final 50 yards.
Eduard de Rothschild's Esoterique, the 33-10 second choice, covered 1,600 meters (about one mile) in 1:36.12 on very soft turf.
Godolphin's Territories held for second, 1 1/2 lengths to the good of third-place finisher Wild Chief. Karakontie, making his first start since winning the 2014 Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT), reared when the gates opened, raced near the back of the field with Esoterique and Territories, but was never in contention in a sixth-place finish.
Esoterique, a 5-year-old daughter of Danehill Dancer, gained a fees paid, automatic berth in the Breeders' Cup Mile, to be run at Keeneland Oct. 31, but she is not Breeders' Cup-nominated.
Following runner-up finishes Solow in the Queen Anne (Eng-I) at Royal Ascot and Muhaarar in the Prix Maurice de Gheest (Fr-I) last weekend, Esoterique tallied her second top-level win. Last year, she captured the Prix Rothschild (Fr-I) at Deauville. With Sunday's win, her record improves to 5-3-1 from 15 starts that include a runner-up finish in the 2013 French One Thousand Guineas (Fr-I).
A Rothschild homebred, Esoterique was produced by the unraced Dancing Brave mare Dievotchka, who has produced five other, including group winners Russian Hope, Russian Cross, and Archange d'Or.