Ground gives In Swoop edge in Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud
At 1 1/2 miles on soft to heavy ground, In Swoop is about as good as any horse in Europe, and it appears he will get the right conditions in the Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud on Sunday in France.
In Swoop is one of eight entered in the 1 1/2-mile fixture and as of Friday the Saint-Cloud course was being termed very soft. That suits In Swoop, a 4-year-old who finished second, beaten just a neck by Sottsass, in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, contested over heavy going at Longchamp last October. Second in his 2021 debut, In Swoop has Group 2 and Group 3 wins going 1 1/2 miles on soft ground in his last two starts and appears to be set up for a strong showing Sunday.
In Swoop hardly is a dominant force, however, and a case can be made for others, such as the 4-year-old filly Ebaiyra. An Aga Khan homebred trained by Alain de Royer-Dupre, Ebaiyra had a solid 3-year-old campaign and might be a better horse this year. In her two 2021 starts she defeated the same runner-up, Raabihah, a talented 4-year-old filly in her own right who was second, beaten three lengths, to Breeders’ Cup Turf heroine Tarnawa in the Prix Vermeille last fall and was a creditable fifth over ground she probably didn’t love in the Arc. Ebaiyra’s two wins this term have come at 1 1/4 miles but she went out as far as 1 3/4 miles last season and should have no problem getting the extra distance Sunday, and getting three pounds from her male rivals doesn’t hurt her chances.
Broome, trained by Aidan O’Brien, has been a model of consistency this season with three wins and two second-place finishes, those in his last two starts, during an active campaign. Two back he was beaten by soft-ground-loving Helvic Dream over a boggy course in Ireland, and last out he finished behind the sharp mare Wonderful Tonight in the 1 1/2-mile, Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot, giving three pounds to the winner.
At age 5 and with 16 starts, Broome is a known commodity, but other 4-year-olds are not as settled in their niches. The German colt Kaspar could have ample room to improve, while Baron Samedi’s ceiling definitely is not known. A new horse after being gelded and growing into his lanky frame, Baron Samedi lost his first five starts by wide margins but enters the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud on a seven-race winning streak. On June 4, he comfortably won the two-mile Belmont Gold Cup, and last fall Baron Samedi shipped from Ireland to France and captured the Group 2 Prix de Conseil de Paris, run over heavy Longchamp ground at 11 furlongs. Joseph O’Brien trains Baron Samedi and the O’Brien-trained Thundering Nights came off a good second in the New York Stakes at Belmont to win the Group 1 Pretty Polly last weekend at The Curragh.
Post time for the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud is 9:50 a.m. Eastern. You can catch all the action at DRFBets.com.
German Derby draws 20
A field of 20, possibly headed by Sea of Sands, is entered in Sunday’s German Derby over 1 1/2 miles at Hamburg. Sea of Sands, by Sea The Stars, ranked among Germany’s better 2-year-olds of 2020 and improved upon his 3-year-old debut in early May with a measured Group 2 win over 1 1/4 miles at Hoppegarten on May 23.