Pearl Sky upsets at Saint-Cloud

Heavy ground played havoc with the form at Saint-Cloud as the 11-1 Pearl Sky surprised a sterling group in the Group 3, $105,000 Prix Exbury, the first group race of the season in Europe.

Only 11th behind Confidential Lady in last June's French Oaks, Pearl Sky is an Yves de Nicolay-trained daughter of Kahyasi who proved her aptitude for heavy going when taking her last two starts at Saint-Cloud, the most recent a win in the listed Prix Petite Etoile on Dec. 5. With Anthony Crastus riding, she came from fourth to lead at the eighth pole, defeating longshot Elasos by five lengths with Runaway a head behind in third. The winning time for the 1 1/4 miles was 2:13.80.

The ground took its toll on all three of the horses who were using the Exbury as a possible prep for the Dubai Sheema Classic. Bellamy Cay, a Group 2 winner, was sixth; Montare, a two-time Group 1 winner trained by George Strawbridge, was seventh; while Turf Classic runner-up Freedonia trailed home last of 11.