Making his American debut in Friday’s $168,900
River
City H. (G3), Michael Tabor’s BAYEUX (Red Ransom) tracked the pace, then
powered home late to score by 1 1/2 lengths beneath John Velazquez. The Gerard
Butler charge completed 1 1/8 miles on the firm turf at Churchill Downs in 1:48
3/5 to record his first career stakes victory. Dismissed in the wagering at
23-1, Bayeux returned $48.80, $19.40 and $11.40.
Lord Admiral (El Prado [Ire]) rallied from last with an eye-catching move to
grab second by a neck, paying $6 and $4 at 5-1. The 9-2 Ballast (Ire) (Desert
Prince [Ire]) had pressed the pace in second through splits of :24 4/5 and :49
1/5 before taking command, getting six furlongs in 1:13 and a mile in 1:36 4/5,
but tired late to wind up third, giving back $4. The exotics totaled $286.80
(exacta), $1,735.60 (trifecta) and $12,754 (2-5-4-3 superfecta) with Victory
Design (Ire) (Danehill) in fourth. Next came Silver Whistle (Alphabet Soup), Courtnall (Cherokee Run), 9-5 favorite Art Master (Royal Academy), Erroneous I D
(Subordination) and early pacesetter Chief Export (Chief Seattle).
A five-year-old bay gelding, Bayeux improved his record to 24-5-2-3 with
$229,258 in earnings. He hadn’t tried stakes company since May 2004, and his
only stakes placing came as a juvenile, when finishing a close runner-up in the
2003 Somerville Tattersall S. (Eng-G3).
Bred by Darley in Kentucky, Bayeux was purchased for $93,000 at last year’s
Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale. The winner is out of Group 3
victress and Group 1-placed Elizabeth Bay (Mr. Prospector), who has also
produced an unraced juvenile filly named Katoomba (Forest Wildcat).