Today’s Prix des Gardenias (two year-olds, purse €33,000. 2100 meters autostart) went to 9/10 favorite Estella Love (2f Love You-Shucca) and driver Franck Ouvrie. Yves Boireau trains this filly for owner Jean-Pierre Dubois and breeder Ecurie Dream With Me. The open-lengths winner was timed in 1.15.1kr in the defeat of 5.8/1 Extasia Bella (2f Prodigious-Rare Perle) driven by Alexandre Abrivard for owner/trainer L.Cl. Abrivard. Third was 14.5/1 Eternity du Belver (2f Coktail Jet-Sindy de la Noe) reined by A.A. Barassin and trainer Robert Chauvin. The winners’ dam Shucca (Goetmals Wood-Hucca-Kimberland) was a US$226,000 winner.
The day’s Quinte+ Prix des Pyrenees (purse €50,000, 2850 meters,14 European starters) went to 1.14.3kr timed and 1.2/1 odds Acefor de Mire (6g Notre Haufor-Hilda Dry). Christian Bigeon reined his trainee for owner A.F. Bigeon. 5.6/1 Diamond (6g Classic Photo-Gala dei Bessi) was a close second for driver Robin Bakker, trainer Paul Hagoort and Holland’s Ecurie Mille Fleurs. 40/1 Panoramic (6g Scarlet Knight-Cartolina Spin) was third for trainer/driver Ch.C. Degiorgio and owners M&G Scicluna (Malta).
The 3/5 favorite Dear Lover (3m Love You-Luna du Goutier), a striking chestnut, won the Prix de Quincy Sous Denary (purse €35,000, 2700 meters, 15 starters) timed in 1.16.4kr. Eric Raffin teamed the Sebastian Guarato trainee for Scuderia Bivans SRL. 16/1 Derby du Dollar (3m Rodrigo Jet-Magalie du Dollar) was a rallying second for trainer/driver Sylvain Roger and 20/1 Darling Atout (3m Timoko-Opaline d’Atout) was third for driver Mathieu Abrivard and trainer J.L. Dersoir.
Three year old fillies contested the Prix de la Ferte-Vidame A (purse €35,000, 2700 meters, 13 starters) with the 1.17kr victory earned by 5.6/1 Diane d’Haufor (3f Paris Haufor-Diane des Essarts). Breeder/owner/trainer Christian Bigeon was the teamster. Danae de la Frette (3f Quaro-Queen de la Frette) was second with Mathieu Mottier up for trainer Franck Leblanc and third went to Daisy Team (3f Timoko-Daisy Chain) for owner/trainer/driver Julian Dubois. Ecurie D bred this one. Her dam Daisy Chain (Speedy Somolli-Kravotte) produced US$1.14 million winner Kaisy Dream and also Orsy Dream and Paisy Dream, all useful stallions.
Thomas H. Hicks