Euro Charline to Return to England

Beverly D. Stakes (gr. IT) winner Euro Charline will return to trainer Marco Botti in England for a 4-year-old campaign that will include a bid for the $6-million Dubai Duty Free (UAE-I) at Meydan, it was announced Oct. 14.

The Team Valor partnership that owns the 3-year-old filly shifted focus after a minor injury ended her sophomore season. She underwent arthroscopic surgery Oct. 13 to remove a small bone fragment from a hind ankle, according to a release.

Equine surgeon Larry Bramlage expects the bay filly to be ready to resume training in about four weeks.

The first 3-year-old to conquer the Beverly D. at Arlington International Racecourse, Euro Charline had been transferred to trainer Todd Pletcher to aim for the Oct. 4 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (gr. IT) at Keeneland as a possible prelude to the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (gr. IT). When she developed slight lameness Oct. 6, veterinarians settled on a minute area of crushed bone as the culprit.

"It actually was an old injury suffered a long time ago, probably as a foal or a yearling, that was fairly well hidden and imbedded in the bone," said Team Valor CEO Barry Irwin. "Training over here on dirt must have reactivated the area."

Irwin expects the robust Myboycharlie filly to have a better chance to remain sound in the future on the more forgiving surfaces available throughout Newmarket, where Botti is based. He canvassed Euro Charline's individual partners yesterday and they overwhelmingly voted in favor of sending her back home.

"I'm sorry that it did not work out in the short term, but am happy the filly will be fine," Pletcher said. "She's very special; it's been a while since I've had a turf horse like her. She would have had a big season next year in America, but I understand (the) decision."

Team Valor won the Dubai Duty Free with a female, Ipi Tombe, in 2003 and Irwin is eager to try again with Euro Charline. Botti has twice hit the board in the Dubai World Cup (UAE-I) on the same card.

"I really think Euro Charline has what it takes to win this race and if she does, she would make her mark in the history books and make her racing partners a lot of money," Irwin said.