Princess Charm a classy French invader in Sandy Blue
DEL MAR, Calif. – Had she arrived a little earlier this summer, Princess Charm might have run in the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks on Saturday. Races of that caliber, at least on these shores, will have to wait at least one start, though, because Princess Charm is going to take a more conservative route for her U.S. debut when she runs in the $80,000 Sandy Blue Handicap, the Friday feature at Del Mar.
Princess Charm was group stakes-placed in France earlier this year and was fourth, beaten a nose, in the Group 1 Prix Saint-Alary there. That’s considerably tougher company than what she’ll be up against Friday in the one-mile grass race for 3-year-old fillies. She arrived here last month after finishing third in the Group 3 Prix Chloe at Chantilly on June 29.
“This is a little quick off the plane,” said trainer John Sadler. “We wanted to run her in the Oaks, but it took a little time getting her over here.”
Princess Charm was purchased privately by Kosta and Pete Hronis through bloodstock agent Francois Dupuis. Sadler said one aspect of her overseas form that intrigued him was her record on left-handed courses: two wins in three starts.
A field of six was entered in the Sandy Blue, which will go as race 3 and kick off the pick six. Several others in this race were nominated to the Del Mar Oaks, including the unbeaten Zipessa, who trainer Mike Stidham said would be entered in both races. His preference, though, was to run in the Sandy Blue.
KEY CONTENDERS
Princess Charm (U.S. debut)
◗ She has won three times in nine starts, but all of her wins have been at distances longer than the Sandy Blue’s one mile.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 2 Princess Charm. Trainer John Sadler is 16-1-5-1 with a $0.32 ROI over the past five years in turf routes with foreign shippers in the first start following a trainer switch. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Zipessa (Beyers: 80-82)
◗ After winning her sprint debut on Polytrack at Arlington, she shipped west and was a powerful winner in a first-level allowance on turf the first weekend of the meet here. If she runs back to that race, she could be the one to beat.
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Curlin’s Fox (Last 3 Beyers: 76-90-75)
◗ When she’s good, she’s very good, as evidenced by her two downhill turf wins at Santa Anita.
◗ She has been a disappointment in both of her graded stakes tries, including when last of nine in the Grade 3 Senorita as the odds-on favorite.
◗ She seems to do best with plenty of time between starts.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 4 Curlin’s Fox. Trainer Carla Gaines is 22-1-3-2 with a $0.18 ROI over the past two years in turf routes following a layoff of between 45 and 100 days. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
Spirit of Xian (Last 3 Beyers: 84-88-88)
◗ She probably was not at her best last time in the San Clemente over a course that had received a bit of rain July 19.
◗ This is a softer spot. The best finishers from the San Clemente are set to run in the Del Mar Oaks.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 1 Havanna Belle. Trainer Phil D’Amato is 14-6-0-1 with a $7.51 ROI over the past two years in turf routes at Del Mar with last-out winners. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan