In his seven years of training, Rodolphe Brisset may have landed his first-ever Breeders' Cup starter after Yuugiri's thrilling victory in the Oct. 7 Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes (G2) at Keeneland.
Yuugiri, a starter in last year's Kentucky Oaks (G1) and a grade 3 winner around two turns, this year has thrived as a sprinter, picking up three stakes contests at the six-furlong distance. Saturday's win, however, puts Yuugiri in a different league as she potentially heads to the Breeders' Cup in one of the country's most competitive divisions—the Filly & Mare Sprint (G1). The $350,000 Thoroughbred Club of America was a Win and You're in race for the $1 million Filly & Mare Sprint Nov. 4.
The Shackleford filly found just enough Saturday, as she was collared in the stretch before fighting back to snatch glory by the slimmest of noses over multiple grade 2 winner Wicked Halo.
"I felt like I rode her too," Brisset remarked after the race. "Wicked Halo went by us pretty easily and we would have no shame to be second but at the eighth pole (Yuugiri) just kept digging and trying and we all carried her to the wire. She's tough and always shows up for us. She's a millionaire now. "
Pressing swift early fractions under jockey Flavien Prat, Yuugiri stuck her head in front at the half-mile and maintained a narrow advantage before Wicked Halo swept by her down the lane. Yuugiri wasn't done yet though, and reaching for more, she fired back along the inside fence, battling stride for stride with Wicked Halo to the wire.
Yuugiri ($5.76) won the photo with an official "nose" margin. She ran the six furlongs on a fast track in 1:10.44. Last Leaf was a distant third, five lengths behind the top two.
"She has a big heart and followed it to the wire and got her nose down," Brisset said. "This one is sweet, you know? It's my first stakes (win) at Keeneland. It feels good. We're home here; we love Keeneland. To be able to win one like this here, it means the world."
Kentucky-bred Yuugiri is a homebred for Japan's Sekie and Tsunebumi Yoshihara. She has now banked $1,191,670 and has captured half of her 14 career starts.
What They Said:
"I would've liked to have come out on the other side of the photo but (Wicked Halo) has always been so honest for us. She's extremely competitive."—Steve Asmussen on runner-up Wicked Halo.
Stallion Note
Yuugiri is sired by Shackleford, a son of Forestry and winner of the 2011 Preakness Stakes (G1). Sold to stand in South Korea in 2020, Shackleford counts this year's Santa Anita Handicap (G1) victor Stilleto Boy among the best of his progeny.
Keeneland, Saturday, October 7, 2023, Race 7Entries: Thoroughbred Club of America S. (G2)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Wicked Halo (KY) Tyler Gaffalione 120 Steven M. Asmussen 5/2 2 2Fire On Time (KY) Martin Garcia 120 Dale L. Romans 8/1 3 3Last Leaf (KY) Luis Saez 120 Eddie Kenneally 9/2 4 4Static Fire (KY) Cristian A. Torres 120 Brian A. Lynch 7/2 5 5Happy Soul (KY) John R. Velazquez 120 Wesley A. Ward 8/1 6 6Yuugiri (KY) Flavien Prat 120 Rodolphe Brisset 2/1 7 7Be Like Water (KY) Edgar Morales 120 Victoria H. Oliver 30/1
