The starting line-up for Cagnes-sur-Mer: Older Horses

Quiet Zain, ridden by Mickael Barzalona, winning the Quinte Prix du Palais du Tokyo at Longchamp.

Quiet Zain (Youmzain out of a Sulamani mare), a six-year-old two-time Quinte winner, carries Bryan Gusdal’s colors. Effective on any ground or surface, QZ is a bulldozer of a horse who runs 2,400 meters and possibly longer. He will make his Cagnes debut on either Jan. 14 or Jan. 18.

Pantomime, ridden by Mickael Barzalona, winning the Prix du Gazon d’Acheres in Maisons-Laffitte

Pantomime (Mastercraftsman out of a Green Desert mare), now eight years old, runs for Paul Philippeau, Brian Dunn, Kay Minton and Roger Straus. She’s a big grey mare who runs from the front and wants either top of the ground or fibersand. Can run anything from 2,400 and longer. Nicely placed at 28 in the handicaps, she’ll start on Jan. 20.

Ray of Hope (Layman out of a Verglas mare) loves Cagnes, and at age 10, he’ll be having his final season in the sun. Ray has won five handicaps in Cagnes sur Mer and if he wins one more, he’ll hold the record! He’s ready to go for it! He’s a great horse and he certainly isn’t showing his age. He is a specialist at 2,000 meters on the fibersand. He carries a 28.5 rating into the meeting and will start on Jan. 21.

The starting line-up for Cagnes-sur-Mer: Four-year-olds

Aborigene, ridden by Greg Benoist, winning the Prix de l’Etang Neuf in Chantilly.

Aborigene (George Vancouver out of a Johannesburg mare) runs for Jacques Jarnet and Paule Descargues. So far Aborigene has been the little horse that could. He runs on the turf from 2,000 to 2,400 meters and now we’ll have to see if his small size stops him from being effective against older horses. But he has a great attitude and leaves his heart on the track every time, so we’re expecting him to do well. Working off a rating of 29, his first run will be Jan. 23.

El Viso in the Maisons-Laffitte training center, rond Poniatowski, ridden by Olivier Thirion

El Viso (Camelot our of an Elusive City mare) is owned by Bryan Gusdal and Kay Minton. He seems to have plenty of ability but is a very nervous horse at the track, so hopefully the Cagnes experience will agree with him. He runs 2,000 meters and longer, and we’re still testing his distance limits. He likes to come from behind and loves the fibersand. Fairly rated at 28.5, his first run will be Jan. 18.

Glorious Emaraty at the Tattersalls July 2019 Horses in Training sale.

Glorious Emaraty (George Vancouver out of a Kheleyf mare) carries Roger Straus’s silks with co-owners Brian Dunn, Kay Minton and Susanne Born. Another horse with plenty of ability who has been reluctant to show it so far, Glorious is our only sprinter in Cagnes this year. That gives him plenty of options on both surfaces at distances from 1,300 to 1,500 meters. His last run in Deauville was promising, and he will debut in Cagnes on Jan. 14 or 15, still working off a prohibitively high rating of 34.5.

Midas Girl at the Tattersalls October 2019 Horses in Training sale.

Midas Girl (Dabirsim out of a Kodiac mare) will carry Kay Minton’s colors with co-owner Tim Rarick. Her last run in Deauville was impressive as she closed from dead last to finish third in a maiden. She was running sprint distances in England but that was clearly not her sport, despite having speed breeding. We think her distance is 2,000 meters and if she can confirm her Deauville run, she will make money in Cagnes. She is running off an initial rating of 32.5, which is higher than it should be, so will run the claimer on Opening Day, Jan. 13.

Starstruck, ridden by Mickael Barzalona, taking the Prix des Haras at St Cloud.

Starstruck (Masterstroke out of a Montjeu mare) will carry the colors of Roger Straus and is co-owned by Susanne Born, Brian Dunn and Manuela Groll. She’s been an absolute star in 2019 winning three races for us, but that means she’s coming into Cagnes with a high rating of 34. She’s a gazelle on heavy ground and runs any distance from 2,200 meters on up, the longer the better. She has already beaten older horses, so she comes with solid experience. Her comeback race will be Jan. 18.

One week, two winners!

Ray of Hope runs a clinic on winning in Cagnes-sur-Mer

Chicken dinner! Ray of Hope gives us our first win of the year (and of the Cagnes meeting). Good old Ray absolutely loves it down here and the wide draw was no problem at all. He was in control from start to finish and won without a single crack of the whip.
From Gina Rarick on Facebook

Ray was cursed with the worst draw on the 2000m fibersand course in Cagnes, 16 out of 16. However, Mickael Forest, who knows the horse perfectly, ran it just right, taking control of a field that never threatened. It was a demonstration by the jockey and horse team that controlled events from beginning to end.

Ray has now run 11 times in Cagnes-sur-Mer, with an incredible record of 4 wins*, 4 seconds, and a 6th. Only twice was he out of the money.

*Ray actually won 5 races but was distanced once to second.

Bleu Astral holds on for the win!

Coralie Pacaut held on to win with Bleu Astral. Crossing the finish line first, by a short nose, ahead of  Magic Mystery who was finishing very strong. Coralie managed the ride very well taking advantage of an open rail to pick up ground on the backstretch, then gain and hold on the lead until the end.

This marks Bleu’s first win since his long layoff because of an injury in 2017, and a job well done by all of the team to bring him back to form. Special credit goes to Cat Ternynck and Kimara Hoste for helping him in his rehabilitation.

QZ wins a Quinté

Quiet Zain easily taking the Prix d’Antibes Quinté handicap.

Quiet Zain (Youmzain) won the Prix d’Antibes Quinté handicap February 17, 2018, in Cagnes-sur-Mer. It was a first for him and for the yard.  Michael Forest placed him in perfect position behind the leaders and pulled out in the stretch with plenty of horse to leave the field behind.

QZ, as he’s known at the yard, had the perfect draw at 6 in the fifteen-horse field and was quickly placed behind the leaders, drafting number 13 – Fair Trade (Tertullian)  – who would end up with 5th place.

The race took place on the fibersand track over a distance of 2400 meters (1.5 miles). Time of the race was 2’29”58. Quiet Zain paid 8.40 euros to win.

Video replay of the race