Slam Dunk Racing and Medallion Racing’s Beau Recall had come close in four stakes, most notably missing by a whisker in the Del Mar Oaks (G1), but finally got her name in all-capital black type in Saturday’s $201,380 Royal Heroine Mile (G2). Despite an unexpectedly tepid pace, the Simon Callaghan filly rolled from the back of the pack to score by three-quarters of a length. Jockey Joel Rosario, aboard for the first time, was completing a turf stakes double after Fatale Bere in the Providencia (G3).
The tempo figured to be at least honest, if not outright fast, with a few speedy types in the line-up. But the quickest of them all, 2-1 favorite Enola Gray, got off a tad slowly, and the whole scenario changed. Madame Stripes found herself in front through an opening quarter in :24,12, against her will as she practically begged Mongolian Shopper to take over.
Enola Gray moved up on the clubhouse turn, poked her head in front of a restrained Mongolian Shopper, and set modest fractions of :47.39 and 1:11.02 as they raced virtually three abreast. Meanwhile, Rosario had the 4-1 Beau Recall anchored at the rear, absolute last through the first half-mile and a joint trailer at the six-furlong split.
Cornering for home, Madame Stripes re-asserted herself and struck the front. The Argentine import wasn’t establishing separation from the field, though, and she would soon find herself outkicked.
Beau Recall, winding up down the center of the course, produced the sharpest turn of foot to finish the firm-turf mile in 1:34.52. Thundering Sky, who was maneuvering for a seam in the stretch, found room between Madame Stripes and Enola Gray and snatched second by a half-length. Enola Gray tired to fourth, followed by Sassy Little Lila, Sophie P, Instant Reflex, Midnight Crossing, and the long-way last Mongolian Shopper.
An Irish import by Sir Prancealot, much like co-owner Slam Dunk Racing’s Madam Dancealot who took the March 18 Santa Ana (G2) in her latest, Beau Recall has bankrolled $356,958 from her 12-3-4-0 line. The bay took up residence in Southern California after breaking her maiden in a Tipperary claimer as a juvenile, and won promptly over this course and distance in her debut for Callaghan. Since then, Beau Recall had endured an eight-race losing skid, including seconds to Sircat Sally in the Honeymoon (G2), Senorita (G3), and China Doll in addition to her near-miss in the Del Mar Oaks. She was most recently fourth when shortening up down the hill in the Las Cienegas (G3).
Bred by Tom Wallace, Beau Recall was a €17,000 Tattersalls Ireland yearling purchase by her original trainer, Adrian McGuinness. She is a half-sister to Polish classic winner Summer Lane and English stakes-placed Coolminx. Their dam, the winning Greta d’Argent, is a Great Commotion half-sister to stakes victor and multiple Group 2-placed stayer Winged d’Argent.
Quotes from Santa Anita
Trainer Simon Callaghan: “I was worried when they went pretty slow in front. We were hoping for some hot fractions, but she’s just got such a turn of foot and a real big heart. She’s small in physique, but she’s such a tough filly. She deserved it. She had been running so many good races and just coming up short. She really deserved it today.”
Nick Cosato of Slam Dunk Racing: “Joel gave her a great ride today. She was back there and they set fairly moderate fractions. He rode her to perfection. He broke great on her and Simon has done such an amazing job.
“Beau Recall is my all-time favorite…She has that big prophet’s thumb on the side of her neck. It supposedly brings good fortune, but I’ve never had a horse with it. She’s just so sweet, she’s like a pet. Yet, if you get behind her, she’ll kick ya! That run, she’s not big…there’s just a lot to like about her.”
Jockey Joel Rosario: “I was running from behind but she broke really well…For a second, I had fallen back a bit but she was happy where she was and I didn’t want to pressure her if she didn’t really want to go. I was ready when she wanted to do it. She ran the way she wanted to and really had a tremendous finish. I was waiting for her because I wanted her to really follow the speed. By the three-eighths pole I tapped her a little, worked her up a bit and that’s when she just took off really well.”
Rajiv Maragh, who rode runner-up Thundering Sky: “She ran great. They got the jump on me around the turn, but I had to wait. I wanted to wait to the last minute for her to make her run. She finished really good…I don’t think she saw the winner.”
Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux on Madame Stripes in third: “We didn’t get any help up front. That :24 in the first quarter were pedestrian. Normally we are 12 lengths back, but they were going so slow, I was out front. It turned into a sprint the last three-sixteenths and that is not her cup of tea. She could have gone around again. I thought she was phenomenal today under the circumstances.”
