Siyouma, a group I winner at Newmarket last month, is the 3-1 morning line favorite for the $1 million E. P. Taylor Stakes (gr. IT) at Woodbine Oct. 14.
The 1 1/4-mile E. P. Taylor, the main supporting feature to the $1.5 million Pattison Canadian International (Can-IT) two races later, attracted 13 older fillies and mares to the Woodbine turf course. The field, as usual, is heavily dominated by European-based runners or others that were recently transferred to North America. The 56th renewal of the E. P. Taylor is the eighth on the program with a 4:38 p.m. EDT scheduled post. TVG will once again present exclusive on-site coverage of the Canadian International program.
The E. P. Taylor, part of the Breeders' Cup "Win & You're In" scheme, guarantees the winner a starting nod in the $2 million Filly & Mare Turf (gr. IT) at 1 1/4 miles Nov. 2 at Santa Anita Park.
Irish-bred Siyouma, based in France for trainer Francois Doumen and English owner Robert Jeffcock, ventured to Great Britain to capture the one-mile Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes (Eng-I) Sept. 29. She defeated Elusive Kate by three-quarters of a length on good going in a 12-1 upset for her first group tally. In the Sun Chariot, she tracked the early leaders to the furlong grounds when taking the lead while edging out and held on well for the victory.
In her prior start five weeks earlier, the 4-year-old daughter of Medicean ran fifth behind the victorious Snow Fairy in the Darley Prix Jean (Fr-I) at Deauville, her most recent attempt at the E. P. Taylor's 10-furlong distance. She was a close third to Giofra in the one-mile Etihad Airways Falmouth Stakes (Eng-I) back at Newmarket in the race before that.
Siyouma's only win from four tries at 10 furlongs came in allowance at Compiegne to begin the year in March. Gerald Mosse, who has ridden the bay filly in each of her past three starts, makes the trip to Canada for Doumen. Siyouma, who breaks from post 3, has won three of nine lifetime starts with three placings while earning $248,965. Out of the Danehill mare Sichilla, she is a half sister to French group I winner and sire Siyouni.
Dream Peace, another Irish-bred filly that recently transferred to the United States for Etreham Farm, is next on the morning line at 7-2. A group II winner at Deauville in August 2011, Dream Peace was third as the 2-1 favorite in last year's E. P. Taylor. She lost by a head to outsider Miss Keller after a big stretch run over the yielding turf.
The 4-year-old is now in the care of Chad Brown after returning to France briefly for trainer Robert Collet.
Following an eighth-place finish in the Singapore Airlines International Cup (Sing-I) at Kranji in May, Dream Peace has had two starts in New York. She ran second to Winter Memories in the Diana Stakes (gr. IT) at Saratoga Race Course July 28. The daughter of Dansili returned two months later with a third-place effort as the favorite in the 10-furlong Flower Bowl Invitational (gr. IT) on a yielding inner turf course at Belmont Park. She finished a half-length behind the winner, Nahrain.
Ramon Dominguez takes the call on Dream Peace, breaking from post 5.
Kentucky-bred Princess Highway ships in from Ireland for Moyglare Stud and trainer Dermot Weld off a seventh-place finish in the Qatar Prix Vermeille (Fr-I) at Longchamp Sept. 16. A six-length winner of the Ribblesdale Stakes (Eng-II) at Royal Ascot in June, the 3-year-old daughter of Street Cry is pegged at 5-1 on the morning line.
Pat Smullen, who has ridden Princess Highway to three wins in six starts in her career, has the mount for Weld. The bay filly was third behind Great Heavens in the Darley Irish Oaks (Ire-I) July 22 and gets a five-pound allowance against her older rivals.
English import Barefoot Lady, Irish-bred winner of Woodbine's Canadian Stakes (Can-IIT) by 1 1/2 lengths in a 7-1 upset Sept. 16, returns for trainer Richard Fahey. Tony Hamilton, Fahey's stable rider, has the call on the 4-year-old Footstepsinthesand filly. She is listed at 6-1.
All Star Heart, Stars to Shine, and German-bred Kapitale, the 2-3-4 finishers from the Canadian, all return as well, along with seventh-place finisher Moment of Majesty.
Trainer Roger Attfield, who won the E. P. Taylor for the first time last year with 11-1 shot Miss Keller, is represented by recent Ireland transfer Kissable for Three Chimneys Racing and Lordship Stud. Kissable comes off a third in the 11-furlong Glens Falls (gr. IIIT) at Saratoga Sept. 3 in her third North American start. She was fifth in the nine-furlong Dance Smartly (Can-IIT) in her only try over the local course.
Havant, a French import for trainer Freddie Head, is to be ridden by Frankie Dettori from the far outside post. The 4-year-old Halling filly was a group III winner at Newmarket at 2.
Two others arrive from France. Pagera, coming off a three-length tally in a group III event at Baden-Baden Sept. 1, is to be ridden by Olivier Peslier, recent Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I) winner aboard Flying Solemia. Group III winner Trois Lunes was most recently third in a grade II event at Deauville Aug. 21.
Rounding out the field is Southern California invader Vamo a Galupiar, winner of the Santa Ana Stakes (gr. IIT) for Hall of Fame trainer Neil Drysdale. The Chilean-bred 5-year-old mare has not been out since running sixth as the favorite in the Santa Barbara Handicap (gr. IIT) at Santa Anita April 21.
Siyouma, Barefoot Lady, Trois Lunes, and Kissable race without Lasix.
$1 Million E. P. Taylor Stakes (Can-IT, Race 8, 4:38 p.m.), Fillies & Mares 3 & Up, 1 1/4 Miles (Turf)
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Stars to Shine (KY), A O Solis, 124, M R Frostad
2. Pagera (FR), O Peslier, 124, H Pantall
3. Siyouma (IRE), G Mosse, 124, F Doumen
4. Barefoot Lady (IRE), T Hamilton, 124, R Fahey
5. Dream Peace (IRE), R A Dominguez, 124, C C Brown
6. Moment of Majesty (ON), G Olguin, 124, S Leslie
7. All Star Heart (ON), B Blanc, 124, R L McAnally
8. Trois Lunes (FR), F X Bertras, 119, F Rohaut
9. Princess Highway (KY), P J Smullen, 119, D K Weld
10. Vamo a Galupiar (CHI), M E Smith, 124, N D Drysdale
11. Kapitale (GER), M Demuro, 124, A Woehler
12. Kissable (IRE), J R Velazquez, 124, R L Attfield
13. Havant (GB), L Dettori, 124, F Head
Trois Lunes races with cheek piece.
Barefoot Lady won the Canadian Stakes at Woodbine on Sept. 16.
Michael Burns