France: St. Mark's Basilica gives O'Brien first Prix du Jockey Club triumph
Bolshoi Ballet, the Aidan O’Brien-trained favorite for the Derby on Saturday at Epsom Downs, failed to fire, but St. Mark’s Basilica, favored Sunday at Chantilly in the Prix du Jockey Club, France’s derby, fired a big shot, giving O’Brien his first win in the French Classic.
Winner of the Grade 1 Dewhurst to conclude his 2-year-old campaign and successful over one mile last month in the Poule d’Essai des Poulains, the French 2000 Guineas, St. Mark’s Basilica got a perfect trip under Ioritz Mendizabal and cruised to a 1 3/4-length win over longshot Sealiway. Sealiway won a place photo over Millebosc as the Peter Brant-owned colt Cheshire Academy, compromised by post 19, closed nicely from the back of the field to get fifth.
Winning time over 1 5/16 miles on soft turf was 2:07.30, a solid time considering course conditions.
St. Mark’s Basilica had a good draw, broke sharply, and immediately settled into an ideal spot, racing along the fence with only the pacesetter, Normandy Bridge, in front of him and traveling poised and in the bridle for Mendizabal. Mendizabal and his mount held their position, waiting for the leader to drift off the rail, and when an inside gap opened with about a quarter-mile to run, St. Mark’s Basilica stormed to the lead, and no one ever got close to him.
"I came a little bit early, but he was the best horse in the race,” Mendizabal said. “The only question was the distance. But that was no problem."
St. Mark’s Basilica is by Siyouni out of Caberet, by Galileo, and campaigns for Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier, and Michael Tabor. The half-brother to 2019 English 2000 Guineas winner Magna Grecia now is a four-time winner from seven starts.