Irish Mission heads one-two finish for Clement in La Prevoyante
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Irish Mission overcame a tough post and wide trip, asserting her class edge to register a three-quarter-length decision over stablemate Tabreed in Saturday’s $100,000 La Prevoyante Handicap at Gulfstream Park.
Irish Mission returned to Grade 3 company after finishing third in the Grade 1 Rodeo Drive and 11th in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf in her previous two starts. She was also reunited with jockey John Velazquez, who guided her to victory this past summer at Saratoga in the Grade 3 Glens Falls.
Although forced to race wide throughout after breaking from post 12 in the 14-horse La Prevoyante field, Irish Mission was placed within easy striking distance of the pacesetting Bohemian Dance, who backed the field to a slow 1:19.65 clocking for the opening six furlongs. Irish Mission advanced gradually to take command from outside the tiring leader upon settling into the stretch, and repulsed a strong challenge from Always Kitten through midstretch before withstanding a final surge from Tabreed. Photo Call rallied belatedly to finish third.
Winning trainer Christophe Clement also sent out Maximova, who finished sixth.
Irish Mission is a 5-year-old daughter of Irish Causeway owned by Robert Evans. The victory swelled her lifetime earnings to $1.27 million and was the fifth for Clement in the La Prevoyante, a race which had been a fixture at Calder Racecourse since 1974 before being moved to Gulfstream for the first time this winter.
Irish Mission completed 1 1/2 miles on turf in 2:35.85 and paid $6.40
Clement said the La Prevoyante was the final start of Tabreed’s career and may have also been the swan song for Irish Mission as well.
“Mr. Evans is here so we’ll watch the replay and talk about it but she’s going to be bred in 2015,” said Clement. “Maybe she can run one more time. Tabreed is going to quarantine in January to go back to Europe to be bred to Australia, the top colt in Ireland this year.”