Goldy Espony Rolls in La Prevoyante
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Leslie Martin
Goldy Espony wins the La Prevoyante Stakes.
Goldy Espony dictated the pace throughout the 1 1/2-mile La Prevoyante Stakes (gr. IIIT) and rolled to a clear win Dec. 26 at Gulfstream Park.
Ridden by Javier Castellano for trainer Chad Brown, French-bred Goldy Espony defeated Maximova, the runner-up, with Brown-trained Rosalind third and Habibi fourth. Trophee, a half sister to two-time Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I) victress Treve, finished fifth after racing last in the 11-horse field through the first half-mile.
Goldy Espony ticked off fractions :24.87, :50.35, 1:16.84, and 1:42.59 while tracked by 35-1 longshot Maximova and was ridden out to a 1 1/2-length victory as the 11-10 favorite.
A 4-year-old daughter of Vespone, Goldy Espony posted her fourth stakes win of the year and third in a U.S. graded event, finishing in 2:29.51 as the 121-pound highweight. She came into Saturday's race off a front-running score in the Long Island Handicap (gr. IIIT), also at 1 1/2 miles, Nov. 7 at Aqueduct Racetrack and was conceding from four to nine pounds to her La Prevoyante rivals.
"She is so quick out of the gate," Castellano said. "She put me in a good spot in the first turn. When she had the lead on the first turn, I thought she had the race locked up. She dictated the pace. She was really comfortable on the lead, just galloping along. It was very impressive the way she ran today. I don't think anyone could have beat her the way she ran today."
Winner of the Fasig-Tipton Waya Stakes (gr. IIIT) this summer at Saratoga Race Course, Goldy Espony is now perfect in three starts at the La Prevoyante distance.
Goldy Espony paid $4.20, $3.60, and $2.80 across the board. Maximova returned $23.80, and $13.40, and Rosalind paid $4.80 to show.
Cay Dancer, one of three runners trained by Brown, came in sixth, followed by Gotachancetodance, Walk Close, Promotional, Dido, and Charlie A.
Campaigned by Swift Thoroughbreds and Bradley Thoroughbreds, Goldy Espony won a pair of stakes in France last year, including the Prix Penelope (Fr-III) for owner and co-breeder Henri-Alex Pantall, who also trained her in her native country. The La Prevoyante marked her eighth win from 15 career starts.
The unraced Highest Honor mare Goldy Honor is the dam of Goldy Espony, a half sister to French stakes-placed Querry Boy.