Marbre Rose collared the front-running Endless Light in the final jump to win Saturday’s $150,900 Grade 3 Seaway Stakes, at Woodbine.
Trained by Christophe Clement for owner Haras de Saint Pair and Monceaux Stables, Marbre Rose arrived at the seven furlong ‘Poly’ stake from a narrow nose defeat when rallying in similar fashion in the grassy Perfect Sting Stakes on July 3 at Belmont Park.
The Irish-bred daughter of Smart Strike-Manerbe was making her synthetic surface debut in the Seaway after a dozen career starts, all on the turf.
Endless Light, with Eurico Rosa da Silva up, set a moderate pace in the Seaway marking off splits of :23.22 and :46.06 under pressure from Skylander Girl. Pirate’s Trove and the even-money favourite Hillaby stalked the front-running duo into the turn as Marbre Rose, with Alan Garcia in the irons, saved ground while next to last in the field of six.
Pirate’s Trove and Hillaby angled out for the stretch run as they tried to reel in Endless Light, while Garcia made a decisive inside run with Marbre Rose and was all out to catch the pacesetter in the shadow of the wire for a nose score. Cactus Kris rallied from last to earn show money. Marbre Rose covered seven furlongs in 1:22.32.
Garcia, aboard Marbre Rose for the first time, was certain he had judged the finish correctly.
“I was comfortable that I got up,” said Garcia. “I was always comfortable with my filly. Her last two times she had a good kick at the end. I was waiting for the turn for home, looking for room, and letting her run.”
Clement, who remained at Saratoga to saddle Tonalist in the Grade 1 Whitney Stakes, spoke to Garcia on the phone earlier in the day with final instructions.
“He asked me to take her back and save all the ground I could and make one run at the top of the stretch,” informed Garcia. “He said, ‘If you’re good enough, you’re going to win.'”
The trip worked out perfectly for the talented bay who earned her first graded stakes win in the process. Originally raced in France, Marbre Rose won her North American debut on October 12, 2014 in a grassy allowance tilt at Belmont Park. She then shipped to Florida and promptly won the South Beach Stakes, going 7 1/2-furlongs on the Gulfstream Park turf.
Marbre Rose, bred in Ireland by Ecurie Des Monceaux, banked $90,000 in victory while improving her record to 4-3-2 from 13 starts.
She paid $8.60, $4.80 and $3.60, combining with Endless Light ($5.90, $4.90) for a $49.90 (4-5) exactor. A 4-5-7 triactor (Cactus Kris, $6.30 to show) was worth $209.70. Miss Mischief was scratched.
More from Canadian Thoroughbred:
