France: How Are You looks to spring upset in Prix Maurice de Gheest

The lightly-raced 3-year-old colt How Are You may pose a danger to more experienced rivals in Sunday’s Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest for sprinters at Deauville Racecourse in northern France.

Trained by Francis-Henri Graffard, How Are You has won 2 of 4 starts, all at six furlongs, in a career that began in March. On July 4 at Deauville, How Are You won the minor Prix Kistena for 3-year-olds by two lengths as the 11-10 favorite.

In the $439,400 Prix Maurice de Gheest at 6 1/2 furlongs, How Are You was 11-1 with European bookmakers as of Friday.

The Prix Maurice de Gheest, run on a straightaway course, drew a field of 12, led by Division, Stolen Kiss, and True Love.

True Love, the only 3-year-old filly in the field, was the 3-1 favorite over Division (9-2) and Stolen Kiss (11-2) as of Friday.

Trained in Ireland by Aidan O’Brien, True Love has won 5 of 12 starts, notably the Group 1 English 1000 Guineas at a mile at Newmarket in May.

True Love has been beaten in Group 1 races in her last three starts since the 1000 Guineas. She was second by a half-length to Thesecretadversary in the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs on July 12 at Deauville.

Division, trained in England by William Haggas, was fifth by 2 1/4 lengths in the Group 1 July Cup on July 11 at Newmarket, the 3-year-old’s first start against older horses. At Royal Ascot, Division was third by three-quarters of a length in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup for 3-year-olds at six furlongs.

Stolen Love was fourth by only a neck in his Group 1 debut in the $1.33 million Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at six furlongs on June 20 at Royal Ascot, a loss that ended a three-race winning streak.

Trained in France by Patrice Cottier, Stolen Kiss was a minor stakes winner at 5 1/2 furlongs on April 7 at Deauville.

Phoenix Stakes

The O’Brien-trained Sun Goddess will be a strong favorite to win her Group 1 debut in the $462,500 Phoenix Stakes for 2-year-old colts and fillies at The Curragh in Ireland on Sunday.

Never worse than second in four starts, Sun Goddess will be ridden by Ryan Moore, who has been aboard for her last three starts.

Sun Goddess was second by a length as the 10-11 favorite in the Grade 3 Albany Stakes for fillies at five furlongs on June 19 at Royal Ascot and won the Group 2 Airlie Stud Stakes for fillies at six furlongs at The Curragh nine days later.

In a field of eight, Sun Goddess must beat Celeron, who rebounded from a 15th-place finish in a field of 25 in the Windsor Castle Stakes on June 17 at Royal Ascot to record a three-length win in the Group 2 Railway Stakes at six furlongs against six rivals on July 18 at The Curragh.

The American-based owners Medallion Racing and Steve Weston recently bought a 50 percent share in Celeron, who is trained by Michael O’Callaghan.

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