France: Vandeek wins Prix Morny, qualifies for Breeders’ Cup

Vandeek drew even with post-time favorite Ramatuelle in the final furlong, finally grabbing the lead in the last three strides of a thrilling duel Sunday at Deauville, France, to win the Group 1, US$381,202 Prix Morny, an automatic qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.

Jockey Andrea Atzeni kept Vandeek (4-1), a 2-year-old Havana Grey colt, toward the back of the field of nine before shaking the reins with 300 yards to go in the roughly six-furlong, straight-course race. That was when Ramatuelle (1-1), a Justify filly bred in Kentucky by Yeguada Centurión and trained by Christopher Head, found the lead after stalking the early pace.

Racing on the grandstand side of the course, Ramatuelle and her jockey Aurélien Lamaitre could not repel the late, outside charge by Vandeek, who won by a short neck.

River Tiber (7-2), a previously undefeated Wootton Bassett colt owned by a Coolmore-led partnership that includes American Peter Brant, rallied to finish third, 2 1/4 lengths behind the winner.

The winning time on the turf course described as very soft was 1:09.84 without a run-up for the 1,200 meters, eight yards short of six furlongs. Early fractions were shown as 12.93, 34.55, 45.87 and 57.42 for the first 200, 600, 800 and 1,000 meters, roughly equivalent to one, three, four and five furlongs.

Owned by Shaikh Khalid of Bahrain and trained by Simon and Ed Crisford, Vandeek is undefeated in his three races, all at about six furlongs and all in the past month. He won his debut July 21 at Nottingham, England, and the Aug. 3 running of the Richmond Stakes (G2) at Goodwood, England.

According to Racing Post, U.K. bookmakers shortened Vandeek to 7-2 to win the six-furlong Middle Park (G1) on Sept. 30 and 6-1 for the seven-furlong Dewhurst on Oct. 14, both at Newmarket.

If Vandeek’s connections were to accept an invitation to the five-furlong Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, they would have some expenses and fees paid to get their colt into the Nov. 3 race at Santa Anita.