Shadwell Metropolitan H. (gr. I)
(gr. I , 8f ,)
BRIBON (FR)
(CH g,
117
lb) $360,000
Mark of Esteem (IRE) —Rowat Arazi (GB) , by
Arazi
B—Darpat SL,
FR.;
O—Marc Keller;
T—Robert Ribaudo
Smooth Air
(B h,
118
lb) $120,000
Smooth Jazz —Air France , by
French Deputy
B—Mount Joy Stables,
FL.;
O—Mount Joy Stables, Inc.;
T—Bennie F. Stutts, Jr.
Driven by Success
(CH g,
115
lb) $60,000
Precise End —Afleet Closer , by
Afleet
B—New Dawn Stud LLC,
NY.;
O—Repole Stable;
T—Bruce N. Levine
Margins: ½, 1, nose. Others: My Pal Charlie 117($30,000) , Riley Tucker 114($18,000) , Runforthedoe (BRZ) 114($1,715) , Ready's Echo 114($1,715) , Imperial Council 108($1,715) , Famous Patriot 114($1,715) , The Roundhouse 114($1,715) , Mr. Sidney 117($1,715) , Accredit 116($1,710) . Winning Jockey, Alan Garcia.
French-bred Bribon won the May 25 Shadwell Metropolitan Handicap (gr. I) at Belmont Park by a half-length over Smooth Air. His time for the mile race was 1:34.15. The Shadwell Metropolitan is the first grade I stakes at Belmont Park this year.
Six-year-old Bribon arrived from France in late 2005. He has made 20 of his 27 starts in the United States. He has won or placed in 13 of 20 races following his arrival.
Bribon, who is owned by Marc Keller, won the April 29 Westchester Stakes (gr. III) at Belmont. He also captured an allowance/optional claiming race at Gulfstream Park this year.
Bribon was bred by Darpat SL.
Keller, who lives in New York City, has raced other New York grade I winners Grand Couturier and Qualique. Bred in Great Britain, Grand Couturier won the 2007-08 Sword Dancer Invitational Stakes (gr. IT) at Saratoga and the 2008 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational Stakes (gr. IT) at Belmont Park. Qualique, a Kentucky-bred, captured the 1983 Demoiselle Stakes (gr. I) at Aqueduct.
BribonÕs sire, Mark of Esteem, and maternal grandsire, Arazi, were both European group winners at a mile. Mark of Esteem was 1996 champion 3-year-old miler, having won the Pertemps Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-I), the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Eng-I), and the Tripleprint Celebration Mile Stakes (Eng-I), all at a mile.
AraziÕs mile scores came in the 1991 CIGA Grand Criterium (Fr-I) and the 1992 CIGA Prix du Rond-Point (Fr-II) and the Prix Omnium (Fr-II). Arazi earned 1991 Cartier Awards as Horse of the Year and top 2-year-old male. He also was voted an Eclipse Award as best 2-year-old male after winning the BreedersÕ Cup Juvenile (gr. I).
Bribon is the sole stakes winner out of Rowat Arazi, whose stakes-placed second dam, Rowa, is a half-sister to five stakes winners, including 1985 English champion 3-year-old filly Oh So Sharp.
Mark of Esteem has sired 27 stakes winners, including additional 2009 added-money winners Ordnance Row (in England) and Pedra Pompas (in Italy). Mark of Esteem, who is pensioned from stallion duty, resides at Sheikh MohammedÕs Dalham Hall Stud near Newmarket, England.ÑD.S.
