Sales Graduate Champagne Room Captures Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies
Champagne Room turned the tables on her Southern California rivals and held off a late charge from ‘TDN Rising Star’ Valadorna (Curlin) to capture the G1 14 Hands Winery Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. The bay, who broke her maiden in Del Mar’s G2 Sorrento S., gave trainer Peter Eurton his first win at the World Championships. Second on debut in a five-furlong dash at Del Mar July 16, Champagne Room won the Aug. 6 Sorrento convincingly as the 6-5 favorite and completed the trifecta behind reopposing Union Strike (Union Rags) in the GI Del Mar Debutante going seven furlongs Sept. 3. Recently an even fourth behind Noted and Quoted (The Factor) in her two-turn debut in Santa Anita’s G1 Chandelier S. Oct. 1, she was dismissed at odds of 33-1 as American Gal (Concord Point) was sent postward as the slight 4-1 choice. Champagne Room raced in traffic early and stepped forward to secure an ideal spot tracking the pace set by Noted and Quoted from the outside as American Gal was unable to save ground from the 12-hole, traveling seven-wide around the opening bend. Champagne Room remained locked on the outer flank of the pacesetter through measured fractions of :23.77 and :48.19 and dialed up the pressure through six panels in 1:13.01. The bay struck the front turning for home and had enough gas left in the tank to hold off Valadorna’s late kick by just under a length.
“I wasn’t feeling utterly confident [down the stretch],” Eurton said. “She was actually moving pretty well. She was getting a little tired, but there wasn’t anyone catching her. I’m feeling pretty good right now. This means an awful lot to me.” Winning rider Mario Gutierrez added, “I had a perfect trip. She broke really sharp. I was able to settle behind the speed and when I asked her, she ran with all her heart today.”
The winner also represents the first Breeders’ Cup success for Joe Ciaglia, a longtime partner in ownership with the Alesia family, who has recently added new partners to the mix with acquisitions like Champagne Room–who was acquired by Ciaglia for $310,000 at OBS April this year “We go to the sales with Larry Zap and Peter Eurton, we give them the opportunity to buy what they think is right,” Ciaglia explained. “And they only buy horses that they love, and they love this one. So it’s great to have a group of people that can support us and buy in together. It’s a lot of fun winning as a group.”
From Thoroughbred Daily News