Euro Charline posts upset in Beverly D.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – Making history as the first winning 3-year-old in the Beverly D., Euro Charline stormed to victory Saturday when getting a terrific ride from Ryan Moore in the 25th running of the Grade 1, $750,000 race at Arlington Park.

The Beverly D. is a Win and You're In event for the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf.

Overlooked at 10-1, Euro Charline saved ground while racing near the back of the pack before being angled off the rail at the quarter-pole. Once clear on the outside, she accelerated to the lead inside the eighth pole before finishing three-quarters of a length clear of late-running Stephanie’s Kitten, a lukewarm 5-2 favorite in a field of 11 fillies and mares.

Euro Charline returned $23.60 as sixth choice after finishing the 1 3/16-mile dsistance in 1:55.52 over firm turf.

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“She traveled real sweet and kicked on nicely like a good filly would,” said Moore, who in the prior race on Arlington’s big day had won the Grade 1 Secretariat aboard Adelaide.

A British-bred by Myboycharlie, Euro Charline is owned by Team Valor International, the prominent American-based syndicate headed by Barry Irwin, who was on hand. Irwin was quick to praise trainer Marco Botti, who did not make the trip and was represented by his wife and traveling assistant, Lucie.

“All credit on this goes to Marco Botti,” said Irwin. In regard to running against older mares, “I thought he was crazy, that it was a huge challenge, and I didn’t really want to do it, to tell you the truth. So this is all him.”

Irwin said Euro Charline was to be turned over to Todd Pletcher, effective Sunday, with the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland on Oct. 11 her intended next start. The QE II is restricted to 3-year-old fillies.

La Tia set a fairly moderate pace in the Beverly D., going in splits of 24.44, 49.90, and 1:13.56. Although she was still clear passing the furlong pole, several others had full heads of steam, most notably Euro Charline, who opened a clear advantage between calls before Stephanie’s Kitten closed belatedly to trim the final margin.

“I thought the jock had her in a perfect spot,” said Irwin. “The minute he found that split, it was all over.”

Just The Judge finished third, a neck behind Stephanie’s Kitten, with La Tia settling for fourth by another half-length.

After the top four, the order was Somali Lemonade, I’m Already Sexy, Street of Gold, Sparkling Beam, Emollient, Tannery, and Alterite.

Both Stephanie’s Kitten and Alterite are based in New York with Chad Brown. Alterite, the 3-1 second choice, faded badly after making a brief outside run leaving the half-mile pole.

By winning for the fourth time in seven career starts, Euro Charline became the 12th foreign-bred horse to win the Beverly D. in the last 13 runnings. During that long span, the only American-bred winner was Dynaforce (2009).

The $2 exacta (2-5) paid $131.40, the $1 trifecta (2-5-1) returned $335.10, and the 10-cent superfecta (2-5-1-7) was worth $367.78.