Princess Grace seeks Group 1 win facing boys in Australia
Princess Grace, a five-time graded-stakes winner in theU.S., has been racing for new owners this year in Australia. That is where she is a 14-1 long shot facing males and females in the Group 1, US$638,606 Winx Stakes on whatis expected to be heavy turf this weekend at Sydney’s Royal Randwick.
The race is scheduled for Saturday at 1:45 a.m. EDT, which is Friday at 10:45 p.m. PDT.
The 6-year-old Karakontie mare drew the inside post in afield of 16 plus two also-eligibles for the seven-furlong, weight-for-age racethat goes around one right turn. With 2012 Melbourne Cup (G1) winner BrettPreeble riding, this will be Princess Grace’s first time racing against males,who make up half the main draw.
The heavy conditions come on a day that is forecast to besunny with a high of 66 degrees and a tail wind of 12-18mph in the homestretch.
The race is named for the mare who was a four-time championin Australia and acclaimed the world’s best racehorse in 2018. Winx was in thestable of Chris Waller, who has trained Princess Grace since China Horse Clubbought her in November for $1.7 million at a Fasig-Tipton Kentucky sale.
Bred and owned by Susan and John Moore and trainedin America by Michael Stidham, Princess Grace made her Australia debut finishingthird in the six-furlong Sapphire Stakes (G2) on April 8 at Randwick.
She was the only one from that race to come back a winnernext out, doing so two weeks later in the 6 1/2-furlong Hawkesbury Crown (G3)about 2 1/2 hours north of Sydney.
After a break for the southern winter, Princess Grace cameback for barrier trials, a competitive form of gate schoolingthat looks like a quarter-horse exhibition. She was second of seven in an Aug.1 trial and last of five going 4 1/2 furlongs last Friday.
Before she was sold and moved across the Pacific, Princess Gracemade her biggest impression with a four-race winning streak that ended twoyears ago. After her score in the 2020 Mrs. Revere (G2) and an eight-monthbreak, she won the Dr. James Penny Memorial (G3) at Parx Racing, the YellowRibbon Handicap (G2) at Del Mar and the Ladies Turf (G3) at Kentucky Downs, allin 2021. She was successful in her defense of the Penny Memorial in 2022 beforeseconds in the Beverly D. (G1) and Ladies Turf and a third-place finish in theFirst Lady (G1) at Keeneland.
Zaaki, an 8-year-old Leroidesanimaux gelding who has earnednearly US$6.6 million, was the 7-2 favorite in early betting for the Winx, which has attracted 13 Group 1 winners. Trained by Annabel Neasham, Zaaki had his biggest win in November, when he took the Victoria Racing Club Champions Stakes (G1) threedays before the 2022 Melbourne Cup.
