Hawksmoor and jockey Julien Leparoux put on a front-running clinic against a stellar field of fillies and mares Friday in the $500,000 New York (G2) at Belmont Park.
Left uncontested on the front end and going progressively slower with each quarter-mile (:24.27, :49:72 and 1:15.57), Hawksmoor kicked into gear for the final half-mile. Holding off all comers, including Quidura who chased from from second throughout, Hawksmoor sped the final four panels in :45.61 and prevailed by a length in a time of 2:01.18 for 1 1/4 miles on the firm inner turf.
“She had the bit, but she was relaxed,” said Leparoux of Hawksmoor. “She can do whatever you want. She proved today that she can go a mile and a quarter. I think she can go even longer if we need to, so she’s very versatile with distance and how the track is. It was a good group of fillies against her, so it was good to see her be able to compete and beat them.”
Owned by Lael Stables and trained by Arnaud Delacour, Hawksmoor returned $25.40 as an 11-1 chance. Quidura held off 12-1 chance Kitten’s Roar by 1 1/2 lengths for second.
Hurt by the soft fractions were the higher-fancied Sea Calisi, 5-2 favorite Suffused, and reigning titlist Dacita, who finished fourth, fifth, and sixth, respectively. Apple Betty and Summersault rounded out the order of finish. Sassy Little Lila, who likely would have provided additional pace if she had ran, was scratched in favor of Saturday’s Just a Game (G1).
A Group 3 winner at Glorious Goodwood and placed in the Fillies Mile (G1) as a juvenile, Hawksmoor’s lone victory at three came in the classic German 1000 Guineas (G2) at Dusseldorf last June. She also placed in the Prix Saint-Alary (G1) and Kilboy Estate (G3) prior to her importation last fall.
Beaten a head in a three-way photo in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) in her U.S. debut, Hawksmoor threw in a dud in the Mrs. Revere (G2), finishing sixth in her season finale, but led all the way to beat Dacita by a head in the Beaugay (G3) in her return to action May 13. Her record now stands at 13-5-0-5, $693,739
Bred in Ireland by Tenuta Genzianella, Hawksmoor is by Azamour and out of the Danehill Dancer mare Bridal Dance, who is also the dam of Group 2-placed Magical Fire. Bridal Dance is a half-sister to Grade 3 winner Millennium Dragon and is from the family of 1993 Horse of the Year Kotashaan and Grade 2 vixen J’ray.
