Mother Earth prevails against elders in Prix Rothschild

Mother Earth continued her strong 3-year-old campaign with a win over older rivals Tuesday at Deauville in the Group 1 Prix Rothschild.

The Aidan O’Brien-trained filly, running in nothing but Group 1 stakes, began her season winning the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, was second in the French 1000 Guineas at Longchamp, finished third in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot, and was second in the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket before posting a head victory over Sagamiyra in the Rothschild.

Ryan Moore gave Mother Earth an excellent ride in the Rothschild, a straight-course mile, settling his mount in mid-pack and behind horses before making a decisive swing to his left after spying daylight with about a quarter mile left to race. Mother Earth quickened into the gap and finished gamely for a narrow score, with no more than a half-length between the top four finishers. Just behind the dramatically improved Sagamiyra came Speak of the Devil and Rougir, both longshots, as Mother Earth prevailed as the favorite.

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“She’s a very professional filly, settles very well, relaxes, quickens,” O’Brien said. “When she gets to the front, she waits a little bit.”

The second- and third-place horses are older fillies and Mother Earth, in the weight-for-age Rothschild, carried seven pounds fewer than her elders. Mother Earth is by Zoffany out of Many Colours, by Green Desert, and O’Brien said that if she emerged from the Rotshschild in good shape, she could race again Aug. 15 in the Prix Jacques le Marois, another straight-course, Group 1 mile. O’Brien also mentioned the Breeders’ Cup Mile as a longer-range possibility for Mother Earth, who finished second behind Aunt Pearl in the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf last fall.