Team Valor International's Euro Charline and Ken and Sarah Ramsey's Stephanie's Kitten will hook up yet again in the $700,000 Beverly D. Stakes (gr. IT) Aug. 15 at Arlington International Racecourse.
Euro Charline, a Marco Botti-trained daughter of Myboycharlie, closed to win last year's Beverly D. by three-quarters of a length over Stephanie's Kitten at odds of 10-1. She would be the first to repeat in the Beverly D. with a victory Saturday.
Now a 4-year-old, Euro Charline has garnered morning-line favoritism, listed at 5-2, with the 6-year-old Stephanie's Kitten, trained by Chad Brown, set as the 7-2 second choice.
Both will also take on different jockeys from last year's event. Jose Lezcano will take over for Ryan Moore aboard Euro Charline and Irad Ortiz, Jr. will replace Frankie Dettori. It will be the first time Lezcano will be in the irons on Euro Charline, while Ortiz rode Stephanie's Kitten last time out, when the Kitten's Joy mare finished fifth in the Diana Stakes (gr. IT) at Saratoga Race Course July 25.
Since her Beverly D. score last year, Euro Charline ran fourth against males in the Dubai Turf (UAE-I) and second in the Falmouth Stakes (Eng-I).
Stephanie's Kitten, a three-time grade I winner, is one of three Kentucky-breds who can end a streak of five victories by foreign runners in the Beverly D. Dynaforce (2009) is the only U.S.-bred filly or mare to win the 1 3/16-mile event since 2000, when Snow Polina won. Graded stakes-placed entries Lots o' Lex and Maid On a Mission can also end the streak.
Brown also has two-time grade III winner Watsdachances entered. German group III winner Lacy, graded stakes-placed Mango Diva, group I placed Secret Gesture, and other foreign invaders Carla Bianca and Wedding Vow, complete the field.
Beverly D. S. (G1T)
Arlington International Racecourse, Saturday, August 15, 2015, Race 9
- 1 3/16m
- Turf
- $700,000
- 3 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
- 5:05 PM (local)
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Wgt | Trainer | M/L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1Lacy (GER) | Eduardo Pedroza | 123 | Waldemar Hickst | - |
| 2 | 2Watsdachances (IRE) | Joe Bravo | 123 | Chad C. Brown | - |
| 3 | 3Stephanie's Kitten (KY) | Irad Ortiz, Jr. | 123 | Chad C. Brown | - |
| 4 | 4Lots o' Lex (KY) | Rosemary B. Homeister, Jr. | 123 | Gerald Russel Aschinger | - |
| 5 | 5Mango Diva (GB) | Florent Geroux | 123 | Michael R. Matz | - |
| 6 | 6Carla Bianca (IRE) | Patrick J. Smullen | 123 | Dermot K. Weld | - |
| 7 | 7Maid On a Mission (KY) | Kent J. Desormeaux | 123 | Peter R. Walder | - |
| 8 | 8Euro Charline (GB) | Jose Lezcano | 123 | Marco Botti | - |
| 9 | 9Wedding Vow (IRE) | Colm O'Donoghue | 117 | Aidan P. O'Brien | - |
| 10 | 10Secret Gesture (GB) | Jamie P. Spencer | 123 | Ralph Beckett | - |
