France: Woodshauna survives crowded finish in Prix Jean Prat

Woodshauna, coming from last of nine under Christophe Soummilon, split rivals with a furlong remaining and came out atop a four-horse blanket finish in the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat on Sunday at Deauville Racecourse in France.

John Stewart’s Resolute Racing made a timely purchase, buying Woodshauna earlier this month, the colt winning his first Group 1 in his first start for his new owner. Woodshauna remained in the yard of Francis-Henri Graffard, who trains an outsized number of the best horses in France these days.

Maranoa Charlie beat Woodshauna in April, but Woodshauna won the Prix Texanita over Maranoa Charlie in May and got him by a head in the Jean Prat, contested over a straight seven furlongs. Maranoa Charlie went straight to the front, fell back to third with about a furlong remaining, but outstayed the two who’d passed him while unable to quite contain Woodshauna’s surge.

Cosmic Year, the surprisingly solid favorite at 7-5 on the American tote, loomed up with the first challenge to Maranoa Charlie, but barely had reached the leader when his momentum stalled. Shadow of Light, a Group 1 winner last year, also made a run, possibly heading Maranoa Charlie before he, too, went slightly flat, passed very late for third by The Lion In Winter, who was supplemented to the Jean Prat after a tame showing over 1 1/2 miles in the Derby at Epsom.

Woodshauna ($26.20) was making his first start at the Group 1 level and, Graffard said, wants to go no farther than seven furlongs. The colt has an obscure pedigree, at least by American standards: He’s by the young Wootton Bassett stallion Wooded and out of Tosen Shauna, who’s by the Dark Angel stallion Alhebayeb.

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