Grace among an amazing day for European recruits at Gulfstream

Moyglare Stud’s sales purchase Amazing Grace was one of a number of European imports to make their mark on the Florida Derby card at Gulfstream Park on Saturday.

Bred by Dr Christoph Berglar, the mare is one of two Group winners produced by the Berglar-bred Melbourne Cup winner Protectionist, who stands at Gestut Rottgen. 

Out of the Listed winner Amabelle and from the family of 1993 Park Hill scorer Anna Of Saxony, Amazing Grace was a model of consistency in three seasons in Germany, placing in a Group race at two, landing the Diana Trial at three and winning a Group 2 at Baden-Baden last season as well as finishing second in the Group 1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis.

Amazing Grace was purchased by Moyglare for €850,000 at the last Arqana December Sale and has moved to Christophe Clement in America. On her debut for the stable, she came with a late rally up the rail under Joel Rosario to give Clement an eighth winner in the Grade 3 Orchid Stakes. Stablemate Atomic Blonde, a German-bred daughter of The Grey Gatsby, was closed down for third and had come out of that same Arqana sale for €340,000.

“I'm not sure there are that many races I've won eight times," said Clement. "I'm not sure what that means. I'm getting old. That's what it means. They've been training together. We were excited to see them run. It's a good story. Everybody's happy. They were very good purchases.”

Amabelle herself was bought by Australian Bloodstock at Arqana, in foal to Protectionist, in late 2021.

At the start of a long card, Jack Sisterson's arrival Behind Enemy Lines made a fine US debut in winning the black-type Cutler Bay Stakes. It was a first winner at such level Stateside for Coolmore's young sire Sioux Nation. 

The British-bred colt had gone unsold at last year's Goffs Dubai Sale and had made two starts for Joseph O'Brien, including an easy win at Dundalk in early January, but now belongs to Talla Racing, Rockingham Ranch and David Bernsen. Sold quite well as a foal and a yearling at Tattersalls, he was bred by the Brigadier Partnership out of unplaced Invincible Spirit mare Autumn Snow, who is from the family of Ultra.

"All he had to do was bring his works to the afternoon, and we thought it was going to be a big performance," said Sisterson. "I have to give all the credit in the world to the owners for allowing me to be patient with him. 

"A lot of guys want to get them here and run straight off the plane. But we thought he was a good horse when he arrived, and we trained him that way, and it's paid off for them."

Sisterson suggested the American Turf Stakes on the Kentucky Derby card at Churchill Downs as an option.

Clement would also land the Listed Sanibel Island Stakes in impressive style with the British-bred Breath Away, a daughter of Juddmonte's Bated Breath who has now won two of her three career starts.

Stephen Hillen signed the filly at 230,000gns at Tattersalls Book 1 and a suggestion that she would be a good fit for America is because she is a full-sister to Simply Breathless, who performed well for Clive Cox before winning the Grade 3 Wilshire Stakes for Neil Drysdale. They were bred by Deborah James and Highgate Stud out of winning Nayef mare Darling Grace.

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