Stretching out a dicey proposition for Avenue de France after Mabee victory

DEL MAR, Calif. – Despite her career-defining win in Saturday’s Grade 2 John Mabee Stakes at Del Mar, Avenue de France may not run in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Keeneland on Nov. 5.

Trainer Leonard Powell said on Monday that he will take a week to assess race goals in coming months for Avenue de France, but was leaning away from the BC Filly and Mare Turf.

“The Breeders’ Cup is a different ballgame with the Europeans,” Powell said.

Powell said after the Mabee that he had reservations whether Avenue de France will be effective at longer distances. The Mabee was run at 1 1/8 miles on turf. The next race for the female turf division in Southern California is the Grade 1 Rodeo Drive Stakes at 1 1/4 miles at Santa Anita on Oct. 1.

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“I’m not sure she can go that far,” Powell said.

The BC Filly and Mare Turf is run at 1 3/16 miles.

Avenue de France has shown an affinity for turf races between a mile and 1 1/16 miles. The $251,000 Mabee Stakes was her first stakes win at 1 1/8 miles and her fifth stakes win since the beginning of 2021.

Avenue de France ($23.80) won the Mabee by a half-length over 1-2 favorite Going Global and earned a 92 Beyer Speed Figure. Jockey Juan Hernandez made a bold move at the end of the backstretch to urge Avenue de France to the front. She led by 1 1/2 lengths with a furlong remaining.

“It was the best race of her life,” Powell said. “She ran a big race. Juan made a great move to get to the lead early.

“Going Global had no excuses. She came at me and she had every chance to pass me.”

Instead of the Rodeo Drive, Avenue de France may start in the Grade 2 Goldikova Stakes, a $200,000 race at a mile on turf for fillies and mares at Santa Anita on Oct. 29.

Avenue de France, a 5-year-old French-bred mare by the Selkirk stallion Cityscape, races for the partnership of Convergence Stable, Madaket Stables, Jeff Benowitz, Wonder Stables, and Mathilde Powell, Leonard’s wife.

Powell said Neige Blanche, a six-time stakes winner in the last 16 months, is a candidate for the $300,000 Rodeo Drive.

Going Global and Going to Vegas, third in the Mabee, are bound for the Rodeo Drive, a race Going to Vegas won in 2021. Both are trained by Phil D’Amato. In the Mabee, Going to Vegas raced for the first time since a second in the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes at Santa Anita in May.

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“There’s a good possibility they’ll run back in the Rodeo Drive,” D’Amato said on Sunday.

“Going to Vegas needed the run. Going Global can get a mile and a quarter, if properly ridden.”

D’Amato was frustrated by Going Global’s loss, thinking jockey Umberto Rispoli let Hernandez get too far ahead on Avenue de France.

“She ran a good race,” D’Amato said of Going Global. “I give all the credit to Juan for a big ride. It was pilot error on my filly and that’s horse racing.”

Going Global and Going to Vegas are scheduled to be sold at sales in Kentucky in November, D’Amato said.

Earlier on Sunday, the D’Amato trained Comanche Country won her U.S. stakes debut in the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf at a mile. She will have her U.S. graded stakes debut in the Grade 3 Surfer Girl Stakes, a $200,000 race at a mile on turf at Santa Anita on Oct. 9.

“She seems to get better with each race,” D’Amato said.

Comanche Country won her first start in the United States in a maiden special weight race at a mile on July 30. By Highland Reel, Comanche Country races for the partnership of Little Red Feather Racing, Sterling Stables, and Marsha Naify.