Goldy Espony Starts Outside in La Prevoyante

While she will have to overcome a start from the outside post in a field of 12, Goldy Espony will try for a fifth win in six starts when she goes in the $100,000 La Prevoyante Handicap (gr. IIIT) on Saturday, Dec. 26 over the Gulfstream Park turf.

Swift Thoroughbreds and Bradley Thoroughbreds' Goldy Espony has secured three stakes wins during her current winning stretch, including a front-running score in the Long Island Handicap (gr. IIIT) Nov. 7 at Aqueduct Racetrack. Like the La Prevoyante, that race was contested at 1 1/2 miles on the turf.

"She's been training well since she got down to Florida," said trainer Chad Brown, who will give a leg up to Javier Castellano on Saturday. "She ran a big race at Aqueduct last time and she's been doing well since."

While most European runners are known for their finishing kicks, French-bred Goldy Espony, by Vespone, prefers running on or near the lead.

"We've found that to be her preferred style," Brown said of Goldy Espony, the 121-pound highweight Saturday. "She's developed nicely. She had some good form in Europe so we're not surprised she's reached this level here, but it just took some figuring out of what she likes to do. She does like to go to the front."

Brown will have two additional representatives in the La Prevoyante, Landaluce Educe Stables' Rosalind and Highclere America and Robert Barnett's Cay Dancer. Rosalind, heroine of the Sheepshead Bay Handicap (gr. IIT) in the spring, finished third in the $500,000 E.P. Taylor Stakes (Can-IT) Oct. 18 but never threatened when ninth behind her stablemate in the Long Island.

"She got a little bit out of position and had a bit of a wide trip—it just didn't work out for her," Brown explained. "She's been training well since. This will most likely be her final career start, so hopefully she can go out on a high note. We'll just let her place herself where she's comfortable." 

Trainer Christophe Clement will have three entrants in hopes of winning his sixth career La Prevoyante. Highland Yard's Walk Close, a regally bred daughter of Tapit  , captured the Modesty Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Arlington International Racecourse in July but didn't face the starter again until the Long Island, in which she finished a troubled sixth. Trophee, a half sister to the outstanding French runner Treve, has been knocking at the door since being stretched out in distance. Now owned by Bridlewood Farm, the 4-year-old filly has been fourth in each of her past two starts, the Dowager Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Keeneland and the Red Carpet Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Del Mar Nov. 21. The Clement trio is rounded out by Maximova, who was runner-up to Rosalind in the Sheepshead Bay. She is coming off a third to next-out winner Tuttipaesi in the Suffolk Distaff Turf Oct. 3.

John Velazquez will ride Trophee. Last year Velazquez and Clement teamed to win the La Prevoyante with Irish Mission.