Meydan Racecourse: L’Amour de Ma Vie scores in Balanchine Stakes

L’Amour de Ma Vie, a 5-year-old Kentucky-bred mare who raced on France’s all-weather winter circuit in December, scored an 8-1 upset win in Thursday’s $200,000 Balanchine Stakes at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai.

Certify, the 2-5 favorite with British bookmakers, could only finish fourth in the field of six, her first loss in her sixth career start.

L’Amour de Ma Vie, by Dansili, was ridden by Maxime Guyon, who kept his mount close to the pace throughout the race over 1 1/8 miles on turf. L’Amour de Ma Vie took the lead with a quarter-mile remaining and finished 1 3/4 lengths in front of Flotilla, a 7-1 shot.

Flotilla won the 2012 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita and the Group 1 French 1000 Guineas last May.

Certify was beaten 2 1/2 lengths, closing from last. She won the Group 1 Fillies Mile in England in 2012.

L’Amour de Ma Vie, who races for MD Bloodstock Ltd. and is trained by Pia Brandt, was second to Certify in the Group 2 Cape Verdi Stakes at Meydan on Jan. 30. L’Amour de Ma Vie was sold for $30,000 at the 2011 Keeneland November breeding stock sale as an unraced 2-year-old.

Also during Thursday’s six-race program at Meydan, the 4-year-old filly Tasaday (7-2) beat males in the $200,000 Dubai Millennium Stakes over 1 1/8 miles on turf. Tasaday finished a neck in front of Empoli, who was 1 1/4 lengths in front of 6-4 favorite Mujaarib in the listed class race.

Tasaday, a Kentucky-bred by Nayef, was bred by Sheikh Mohammed’s Darley Stable and runs for his Godolphin Racing. Tasaday won two group stakes at Deauville, France, last summer – the Group 3 Prix de Pysche in July and the Group 2 Prix de la Nonette in August. She also was second by a nose to Dalkala in the Group 1 Prix de l’Opera last October.