Germance takes Prix Saint-Alary at Longchamp

Germance will go into the French Oaks undefeated as she once again got the better of Sanaya to win the $320,000 Group 1 Prix Saint-Alary at Longchamp on Sunday.

The 4-5 Kentucky-bred daughter of Silver Hawk proved a confident half-length winner of the 1 1/4-mile Oaks prep which proved a virtual repeat of her one-length victory over Sanaya in the Group 3 Prix Penelope at Saint-Cloud on April 10. Ioritz Mendizabal guided the Jean-Claude Rouget-trained filly under the line in 2:05.80 on a soft turf course.

Sanaya appeared to have the race in her pocket at the 3/16's pole when she drew off to a 2-1/2-length lead, but Germance was not to be denied as she came to win it inside the final 16th. Alix Road was third, just a short neck behind Sanaya, who has now been second in her last four starts in group race company.

Germance, Sanaya and Alix Road are all expected to meet again in the 1 5/16-mile Prix de Diane, or French Oaks, at Chantilly on June 11.

Earlier, Laverock sprung a 26-1 surprise in the $320,000 Group 1 Prix d'Ispahan. A Group 3 winner at Lyon-Parilly last October, the Carlos Laffon-Parias-trained son of Octagonal had finished a distant twelfth behind Team Valor's Irridescence in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Sha Tin on April 23, but the long trip from Paris to Hong Kong and back did him no harm. He prevailed by a short neck over Manduro as recent Group 1 Prix Ganay winner Corre Caminos never overcame early rankness in finishing fifth, beaten 5-3/4 lengths. Laverock's time for the 1 1/8 miles, 55 yards was 1:52.20.