Amade Continues European Success in Belmont Gold Cup
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Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt
Amade beats favorite Arklow by a neck in the Belmont Gold Cup at Belmont Park
European shipper Amade used the $400,000 Belmont Gold Cup Invitational Stakes (G2T) to perform a pretty neat imitation of Swain in the 1998 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1).
Only he managed to land in the winner's circle.
Despite drifting out four or five paths in the stretch, Amade had the right amount of heart and stamina to dig down and beat favored Arklow to the wire and capture the Belmont Gold Cup, the fifth and final stakes on the June 7 middle leg of the three-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival.
It was also the longest of all the races at Belmont Park during the June 6-8 festival as it was contested at the Euro-friendly distance of two miles on the Widener Turf Course, an amount of ground that explains why the last three winners of the marathon have shipped in from overseas.
None of them, though, had a trip over the course as adventurous as Amade, who is owned by OTI Racing, Laurent Dassault, and Elisa Berte.
"I whipped him left-handed and he ducked out," jockey Flavien Prat said. "But I had watched his replays and he likes to be on the outside, so let him do it."
French trainer Alessandro Botti, who was victorious with his first United States starter, was not surprised by the 5-year-old gelding's wayward behavior.
"He got lost a little bit," Botti said. "That's why he has blinkers."
Amade was one of three starters in the Belmont Gold Cup who last raced in Europe, though Friday's race marked only his third try on turf in a 13-race career. The bulk of his starts have come on all-weather surfaces, though after his first graded or group stakes win, Botti said Australia's world-famous Lexus Melbourne Cup (G1) at two miles on turf in November is now the long-range goal for the son of Casamento.
"He will prepare for the Melbourne Cup," Botti said. "Today was a test he had to win to go to the Melbourne Cup."
Amade was sixth after the first mile in the 16-furlong test while fellow imports Mootasadir and Raa Atoll were on the lead through an opening mile in 1:43.66. They were still there at the quarter pole until Trinity Farm's Red Knight grabbed a short lead turning for home, with Amade just outside him racing four wide.
In the final furlong, as Amade took a path toward the inner turf course, Donegal Racing, Joseph Bulger, and Peter Coneway's Arklow slipped through along the rail to grab a short lead but could not fend off the European in the final yards.
"We had a good trip all the way around. He was cruising and gave me a good kick turning for home," Prat said. "He responded well when the favorite came up along the inside."
Sent off at 6-1 odds, Amade paid $15.20 for his eighth win in 13 starts and second in three turf races. He completed the two miles in 3:19.95.
Arklow, coming off a neck loss in the Man o' War Stakes (G1T) at 1 3/8 miles, took second by a length over Highland Sky, owned by Joyce B. Young, Gerald McManis, and Jerrie Stewart McManis.
"I got through on the inside. Beautiful trip," said Florent Geroux, who rode the 2-1 favorite. "But when I came in, the winner already had the momentum and he was very far outside, and my horse never really saw him until late. When he saw him, it was like, 'OK, I'm going,' but it was a little bit too late. He had no problems with the distance. He galloped out in front of everybody."