Galileo Gold, Esoterique to Meet at Deauville

The Prix du Haras de Fresnay-Le Buffard-Jacques Le Marois (Fr-I) drew a field of 11 for the Aug. 14 event at Deauville, including defending winner Esoterique, whose opponents include English classic winner Galileo Gold.

The winner of the about one-mile Jacques Le Marois receives an automatic berth into the $2 million Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT) Nov. 5 at Santa Anita Park through the international Breeders' Cup Challenge.

Baron Edouard Rothschild's 6-year-old mare Esoterique won last year's Prix Jacques Le Marois by 1 1/2 lengths over Territories for trainer Andre Fabre and followed up with victory in the Sun Chariot Stakes (Eng-I) in October at Newmarket. The daughter of Danehill Dancer was sent to the U.S. for the Breeders' Cup Mile at Keeneland but finished seventh to Tepin. This year, she was second in the Prix de Palais (Fr-III) in April at Deauville, ran 13th in the Queen Anne (Eng-I) at Royal Ascot and was fourth last out in the one-mile Prix Rothschild (G1), beaten three lengths.

Galileo Gold, trained by Hugo Palmer for Al Shaqab Racing, has scored two group one wins this year. He won the Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-I) at Newmarket in April and captured the St. James's Palace (Eng-I) in June at Royal Ascot. The son of Paco Boy finished a hard-fought neck second to The Gurkha in the one mile Sussex Stakes (Eng-I) at Goodwood July 27 in his most recent effort.

Godophin's Ribchester and Qatar Racing'sLightning Spear finished behind Galileo Gold in the Sussex and are also entered in the Jacques Le Marois.

Trained by Richard Fahey, the rapidly improving 3-year-old Ribchester, who finished just a short head behind Galileo Gold at Goodwood, won the Jersey Stakes (Eng-III) at Royal Ascot. Lightning Spear, trained by David Simcock, was third in the Queen Anne and sixth in the Sussex Stakes. 

Another 3-year-old from Britain, P.K. Siu's Stormy Antarctic (by Stormy Atlantic  ), second in the July 10 Prix Jean Prat (Fr-I) at Chantilly, has also been entered for trainer Ed Walker.

The Aga Khan's 4-year-old filly Ervedya, trained by Jean-Claude Rouget, and a winner of seven races in 12 career starts, including last year's Coronation Stakes (Eng-I)) at Royal Ascot and the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp (Fr-I) is entered. This year, Ervedya was second in the Prix du Muguet (Fr-II) in May at Saint-Cloud and finished fifth in the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot.