Cox's French invader, Gaining, makes U.S. debut in Keeneland's Bewitch

Juddmonte Farms’ homebred Gaining will make her North American debut as the 120-pound high weight in the field of 10 entered for Friday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Bewitch (G3) going 1 1/4 miles on turf.

The Bewitch, for fillies and mares 4 and up, will go as the ninth race on closing day of the Spring Meet with a 5:30 p.m. post time. First post for the 10-race card is 1:05 p.m.

Now trained by Brad Cox, Gaining won the 2018 Prix Fille de l’Air (G3) in France. Florent Geroux will ride the 5-year-old mare, who drew post eight.

The Bewitch will mark the second North American starts for both Phoenix Thoroughbred III’s Sky Full of Stars (GER), a Grade 2 winner in Germany, and Manganaro Bloodstock and West Point Thoroughbreds’ Maroubra (FR), a stakes winner in France.

Sky Full of Stars made her North American debut at Woodbine last October, running seventh in the E.P. Taylor (G1). The Bewitch will mark her 2019 debut.

Julien Leparoux will ride Sky Full of Stars, who will start from post position two for trainer Christophe Clement.

Maroubra is coming off a fourth-place finish in the Orchid (G3) at Gulfstream on March 29.

Joel Rosario will ride Maroubra, who will start from post seven, for trainer Cherie DeVaux.

The field for the Bewitch, with riders and weights from the rail out, is: Beach Flower (John Velazquez, 118 pounds), Sky Full of Stars (GER) (Leparoux, 118), Flower Party (IRE) (Adam Beschizza, 118), Ickymasho (GB) (Jose Ortiz, 118), Peru (GB) (Luis Saez, 118), Samuna (FR) (Tyler Gaffalione, 118), Maroubra (FR) (Rosario, 118), Gaining (GB) (Geroux, 120), Coachwhip (Tyler Baze, 118) and Dynabee (Corey Lanerie, 118).