Lawman led from gate to wire to provide jockey Frankie Dettori with his second Derby in 24 hours when capturing the Prix du Jockey-Club-Mitsubishi Motors (Fr-I) at Chantilly on Sunday.
The Italian riding legend secured his first ever victory in the Vodafone Derby (Eng-I) on Saturday, when Authorized demolished his rivals by five lengths.
Dettori was booked for the ride aboard Lawman when the colt’s regular rider, Olivier Peslier, had committed to ride No Dream. That colt ended up unplaced.
Lawman was very fractious before the start, unseating Dettori in the paddock, and continuing to act up during the post parade. The colt’s behavior forced Dettori to pull him out of the parade and gallop him down to the start alone. Such tactics are unusual in French racing, and the stewards had a long deliberation after the race whether or not to impose any fines upon the jockey. Two years ago, trainer Aidan O’Brien instructed Kieren Fallon to gallop Scorpion away from the post parade before the Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris (Fr-I). The colt went on to win that race, but O’Brien was fined 10,000 Euros for the violation.
After all the misbehavior of his colt in the paddock and post parade, Dettori then had to endure a false start, after the stall holding Zambezi Sun did not open properly. Once the field did get sent on their way, Lawman and Dettori made all the running, galloping comfortably throughout the 10 furlong race. It wasn’t until the last 300 meters that the jockey had to get into the bay colt, hitting him a few times left-handed to urge him on.
Lawman drew off to win easily by 1 1/2-lengths over Literato, with Shamdinan a neck further back.
Time for the 10 furlongs was 2:05.9 over the good to soft turf.
Lawman is by the leading European freshman sire of 2006, Invincible Spirit, and this win marks the stallion’s first group 1 winner. He is out of the Gulch mare, Laramie. He is a half-brother to French champion 3-year-old filly, Latice. The daughter of Inchinor won the Prix de Diane (Fr-I) in 2004.
Lawman gives Frankie Dettori his 2nd Derby in 24 hours.
