Overachieving Mirabeau one to beat in filly division of Shine Young Futurity

Mirabeau brought $5,000 last year at auction and the purchase price is looking like a steal.

She’s won two of three starts and figures to go favored Saturday night in a division of the $60,000 D.S. “Shine” Young Memorial Futurity at Evangeline Downs.

Mirabeau goes against fillies, while a second $60,000 division on the card is for colts and geldings. It drew a shipper from Southern California in Schnell. The races close out the meet at Evangeline in Opelousas, La.

Trainer Ron Faucheux purchased Mirabeau as a yearling at the Equine Sales of Louisiana auction in 2019. Not long afterward, he sold an interest in the daughter of Bind to Larry Romero. Mirabeau has won a maiden special weight and an entry-level allowance at Evangeline in her last two starts, and has earnings of nearly $40,000.

:: Start earning weekly cashback on your wagering today. Click to learn more.

“It’s nice to own a piece of a horse that you’re running for good money, especially this year, with everything we’ve all had to go through with COVID,” said Faucheux.

Mirabeau caught Faucheux’s attention at the sale in part because of her dam, Smittystown.

“I trained her mother,” he said. “I only had her for two starts, saw the talent she had. The second time I ran her, she ran a really big race. So, that really brought [Mirabeau] to my attention, knowing how much talent her mother had.

“At the same time, I liked her as an individual. I would say she’s a pretty athletic-looking filly. She’s put together nicely. She seems like a filly that will continue to develop.”

Mirabeau also has a good mind, said Faucheux.

“She’s very, very smart for a 2-year-old filly,” he said. “She put it together really early for us. We saw her talent early on, the first time we ran her. She had an inside post, got some dirt, got some kickback, and still ran third. The last two races, she’s really put it together. I feel like she’s coming into this race just as good as the last several. We’re excited.”

Diego Saenz has the mount from post 4.

“I would expect her to sit off the pace, not be too far out of it,” said Faucheux.

The chief threat in the field of 12 appears to be Winning Romance, who was second to Mirabeau in an entry-level allowance July 31. Prior to the start, Winning Romance won her debut in a maiden special weight at Evangeline. C.J. McMahon has the mount for trainer Bret Calhoun.

Schnell invades from Del Mar, where he was fifth in the Grade 2 Best Pal in his last start Aug. 8. In his only other race, he won a maiden special weight at Los Alamitos. Saenz has the mount for trainer Simon Callaghan. Schnell will be first Lasix.

The field of 12 also includes such promising runners as Bernie Special, Chu Chu’s Legacy, and G’wildcat.