Marhaba Ya Sanafi, Blue Rose Cen win 1st 2023 France classics

The outsider Marhaba Ya Sanafi (26-1) put up a good fight and overtook Isaac Shelby (4-1) to win by ashort neck Sunday in the Group 1, $710,937 Poule d’Essai des Poulains for3-year-old colts, the France equivalent of the 2,000 Guineas on very soft turfat ParisLongchamp.

“I’m delighted,” winningtrainer Andreas Schutz said. “I was expecting a great performance from him, but maybejust a top five. I was also hoping for more rain. He had run well in the Prixde Fontainebleau (on heavy turf), and I had expected him to improve. The colthad worked well in the company of other of my horses, but I don't necessarilyhave much to go on in the morning.”

Third-place Breizh Skyfinished two lengths up the track in third. He was a head in front of odds-onfavorite American Flag (3-5), who missed the start and traveled near the rearbefore finishing well to come in fourth.

With jockey Mickaël Barzalonariding him to a victory for the third time, Marhaba Ya Sanafi was clocked at a winningtime of 1:38.56.

A Muhaarar colt owned by Jaber Abdullah, Marhaba Ya Sanafi had finished second last month toAmerican Flag in the Prix de Fontainebleau (G3), losing by two lengths on thesame one-mile course that hosted Sunday’s race.

Runner-up Isaac Shelby, byNight of Thunder, was a last-out winner of the Greenham Stakes (G3) over sevenfurlongs at Newbury.

“We were a bitfrustrated by the lack of pace, especially in the first part of the race,”Isaac Shelby’s trainer Brian Meehan said. “It wasn’t fast enough for him, buthe ran very well.”

Schutz said Marhaba YaSanafi was likely to race next in the Prix du Jockey Club (G1), the France derbyJune 4 at Chantilly. Meehan pointed Isaac Shelby to next month’s St. James’sPalace (G1) at Royal Ascot.

Blue Rose Cen wins4th in a row

Coming off her win onheavy going last month in the Prix de la Grotte (G3), odds-on favorite BlueRose Cen (3-5) won with ease Sunday at ParisLongchamp, finishing 1 3/4 lengthsahead of runner-up Lindy (8-1) in the one-mile, $601,562 Poule d’Essai des Poulichesfor 3-year-old fillies, France’s version of the 1,000 Guineas.

After leading early, Sauterne (15-1) held onto third place another1 1/4 lengths back. Kelina (20-1) was just behind finishing fourth.

Trained by Christopher Head and ridden by Aurélien Lemaitre,Blue Rose Cen was denied the early lead when Sauterne took charge while flankedby Swingalong (23-1), who could not stay the mile on very soft turf.

Blue Rose Cen waited in their wake by the rail and thus didnot have to look for an escape route. The wider part of the course that opensin the deep stretch allowed her to challenge a brave Sauterne without botheringto change lanes. Blue Rose Cen’s winning time was 1:38.24, 0.32 seconds fasterthan the colts ran in the previous race.

Lindy, on the other hand, had to go around the pack sinceshe was drawn into post 7 and traveled outside while covered by a disappointingQuickstep (12-1).

A Yeguada Centurion homebred by Churchill, Blue Rose Cen wonfor the fourth time in a row and added her second Group 1 score, the firstcoming in October over the same course, distance and conditions in the MarcelBoussac.

“I don’t think that the magnitude of this success has sunkin yet,” Head said. “It’s really incredible. Blue Rose Cen is a filly I adore.I’ve been training her since she came to me, and she’s got tougher with time.”

Head won the race for the first time since taking over thestable from his retired father Freddy Head, an eight-time winner of the Poule d’Essaides Pouliches. Head’s aunt Criquette Head-Maarek trained seven victors in thisrace.

The next stop for Blue Rose Cen is likely to be the France oakson June 18 at Chantilly.

“The goal now is to go for the Prix de Diane (G1),” Headsaid. “Her pedigree suggests she will be able to go longer. We could havecontemplated going for the Coronation Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot, but it’sbetter to stick with the French program.”