France: Juveniles Sealiway, Tiger Tanaka notch victories on Arc card

Sealiway scored a mighty win in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere while Tiger Tanaka ground out a victory in the Prix Marcel Boussac as the Arc card on Sunday at Longchamp began with two Group 1 races for 2-year-olds.

Both races are part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series offering automatic fees-paid entry into the BC Juvenile Turf (Lagardere) and Juvenile Fillies Turf (Boussac). Both Frederic Rossi, who trains Sealiway, and Charley Rossi, who trains Tiger Tanaka, expressed an interest in taking their horses to Keeneland for Breeders’ Cup races.

While Sealiway is Breeders’ Cup-eligible, Tiger Tanaka would have to be supplemented to the Breeders’ Cup with a $200,000 payment.

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Frederic Rossi is Charley Rossi’s uncle, while Tiger Tanaka’s jockey, Jessica Marcialis, became the first female rider to win a Group 1 flat race in France. Tiger Tanaka was claimed for roughly $28,000 earlier this year, but now has won six of seven starts. Tiger Tanaka, by Clodovil out of Miss Phillyjinks, by Zoffany, ground out a 3/4-length win over Tasmania while staying clear of a rough homestretch run that affected favored Fev Rover, who finished fourth.

Time for the mile on heavy, tiring ground was a slow 1:43.13.

Sealiway had only four foes in the seven-furlong Lagardere compared to 11 for Tiger Tanaka in the Boussac, but Sealiway, perhaps benefitting from the extreme conditions, crushed this field. Pressing the pace under Mickael Barzalona, Sealiway took over with about a quarter-mile to run and drew away to an 8-length win over Nando Parrado, clocking 1:23.49, a solid time given the conditions. Sealiway is by Galiway out of Kensea, by Kendargent, and now is 4-1-2 from six starts.