Lady Aurelia leads start to finish in France's Prix Morny

Lady Aurelia’s tour of Europe now includes a successful trip to France.

Lady Aurelia on Sunday won France’s biggest race for 2-year-olds in August – the $395,990 Prix Morny for colts and fillies at Deauville Racecourse. In June, Lady Aurelia won her stakes debut in the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot by seven lengths.

Trainer Wesley Ward said Sunday that Lady Aurelia will remain in Europe in coming weeks instead of returning to his base in Kentucky. Lady Aurelia is scheduled to have her next start in the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at six furlongs on turf at Newmarket Racecourse in England on Sept. 24.

Ward said the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita on Nov. 4 is a long-term goal.

“That’s where we’ll end up,” Ward said in a phone interview from France.

In the Group 1 Prix Morny, Lady Aurelia, the 3-10 favorite, led throughout the six-furlong turf race and won by three-quarters of a length over 7-1 Alrahma, who was beaten for the first time in his third start. Lady Aurelia was ridden by Frankie Dettori, who had the filly in front quickly. Lady Aurelia was under a snug hold from Dettori for much of the race and held off a stubborn Alrahma.

“There was a little of concern because she stepped in two holes in the last sixteenth,” Ward said. “Frankie said that’s why she lost momentum. We watched her cool out and she cooled out fine.

“It was a good run. I couldn’t be happier.”

Peace Envoy, a 19-1 shot trained by Aidan O’Brien, finished third in the field of five.

Lady Aurelia, by Scat Daddy, is unbeaten in three starts. She beat maidens in her debut at Keeneland by 7 1/2 lengths in April.

Owned by Stonestreet Stable, George Bolton and Peter Leidel, Lady Aurelia was purchased for $350,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale in 2015.

Speedy Boarding wins Prix Jean Romanet

Speedy Boarding won the first Group 1 race of her career in Sunday’s $282,250 Prix Jean Romanet for fillies and mares at 1 1/4 miles on turf at Deauville.

Speedy Boarding, ridden by Frederik Tylicki, was always close to the front and took the lead with less than a quarter-mile remaining. Speedy Boarding (4-1) won by 1 3/4 lengths over 21-1 Ame Bleue, who finished a head in front of 9-1 Steip Amach.

Bocca Bociata, the 2-1 favorite, faded to finish 10th after leading midway through the race.

Speedy Boarding, a 4-year-old filly by Shamardal, races for Helena Springfield Ltd and is trained by James Fanshawe. Speedy Boarding won the Group 2 Prix Corrida at Saint-Cloud Racecourse in Paris on May 26, but was last of five behind the star 3-year-old filly Minding in the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes at The Curragh in Ireland a month later.