Executiveprivilege - In Privileged Company

Photo: Eclipse Sportswire
 
With her easy victories in the Landaluce and Sorrento Stakes, Executiveprivilege has given notice that she’s the best two year old filly in California. She joins an exclusive group as only the fifth filly to have completed the Landaluce (originally known as the Hollywood Lassie Stakes) and the Sorrento Stakes double since 1970.


Executiveprivilege, under the guidance of Rafael Bejarano, sat comfortably in third for most of the Sorrento Stakes. She eased up to swing four wide around the final turn and grabbed the lead at the top of the lane. The Bob Baffert trainee was never threatened and finished up with an aggressive hand ride, beating her rivals by an easy 1 ½ lengths. Executiveprivilege traveled the 6 ½ furlongs in 1:16.98.


EXECUTIVEPRIVILEGE (First Samurai - Refugee, by Unaccounted For) remains undefeated, having beaten her foes by a combined 8 ¼ lengths in three starts. The bay filly was a $23,000 yearling purchase at the Keeneland September Sales in 2011.  After working two furlongs in :21.00 flat (video), the daughter of First Samurai was purchased by Watson, Pegram and Weitman at the OBS April Two Year Olds in Training Sale for $650,000.


Executiveprivilege’s sire First Samurai was a precocious youngster, but had his career cut short before the 2006 Kentucky Derby due to injury. As a sire, his offspring are best over dirt and turf, with the occasional synthetic surface winner. His best offspring include the multiple stakes veteran Justin Philip, Natalma Stakes (G-3 1 mile turf) heroine Northern Passion and Le Mi Geaux, the precocious winner of the Grade 3 Schuylerville Stakes. First Samurai’s offspring are best up to 1 1/16 miles although a few have placed at 1 1/8 miles.


Sire:
First Samurai - Race record: 8-5-1-1 ($915,075)
(Giant's Causeway - Freddie Frisson, by Dixieland Band)
Racing highlights:
1st – Hopeful Stakes (G-1)
1st – Champagne Stakes (G-1)
1st – Fountain of Youth Stakes (G-2)
2nd – Hutcheson Stakes (G-2)
3rd – Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G-1)


Female family:
Refugee, Executiveprivilege’s dam, won in her third attempt, going 1 1/8 miles over the inner turf at Belmont as a three year old. On the track Refugee was a solid allowance class mare who placed third in the 1 ½ mile Orchid Handicap (G-2) over the lawn.  As a broodmare, Refugee bore eight foals, seven of racing age. Besides Executiveprivilege, Refugee’s best foal to race is the stakes placed Profit (by Not For Love). Refugee also produced a 2011 full sister to Executiveprivilege.


Refugee was the best foal produced by her dam Polish Maid (by Danzig). Polish Maid won once in three tries and owns no blacktype.  The most notable member of this distaff family is the third dam, 1979 Champion Three Year Old Filly Davona Dale. She earned victories in the Kentucky Oaks, Black Eyed Susan Stakes, CCA Oaks, Acorn, etc.
 
 
Broodmare Sire:
Executiveprivilege’s damsire Unaccounted For carries the bloodlines of the historic Phipps and Whitney families. Unfortunately, he had the misfortune of racing the same year that the Champion Cigar was stealing all of the races.  Still, Unaccounted For earned victories in the Grade 1 Whitney and Jim Dandy Stakes, both at 1 1/8 miles.  As a broodmare sire, Unaccounted For is represented by 10 stakes winners. None have won past 1 1/8 miles.


Unaccounted For-Race record: 17-6-4-2 ($998,468)
(Private Account - Mrs. Jenney, by The Minstrel)
Racing highlights:
1st – Whitney Handicap (G-1)
1st – Jim Dandy Stakes (G-2)
2nd – Jockey Gold Cup (G-1)
2nd – Discovery Handicap (G-2)
3rd – Breeders’ Cup Classic (G-1)


Executiveprivilege is bred along the same bloodlines as Tricky Causeway, winner of the 1 3/8 miles Awad stakes over turf.  Tricky Causeway is by First Samurai sire Giant’s Causeway out of a mare by Private Account, sire of Unaccounted For. 


Executiveprivilege’s prospects:
 
Executiveprivilege appears to be an averaged sized filly.  She has a very smooth gait with no wasted leg action She’s very professional, switching leads when asked and keeping a straight course down the lane.


Executiveprivilege has handled everything asked of her. With her victory in the Sorrento Stakes, Executiveprivilege  has stamped herself as the best two year old filly in California. Her next goal is the Del Mar Debutante (G-1) on September 1, with her long term goal being the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G-1).  Executiveprivilege should handle 1 1/16 miles, but her pedigree is borderline for 1 1/8 miles.  Executiveprivilege isn’t a flashy sort, but she’s sneaky good.

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