Corrida: Sweet Lady off for a new ride

May 24, 2022, Saint-Cloud Racecourse (Hauts-de-Seine). - A fresher weather and a softened turf helped Sweet Lady (Lope de Vega) to take the Prix Corrida (Gr2). Her winning time of 2’14’’11 over 2,100 metres/10.5 furlongs is by far the best since Bateel (Dubawi) in 2018.

Both Bateel and this year's winner took this prize for trainer Francis Graffard in a race that has produced Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe performers such as Pride, Solemia and Trêve. Sweet Lady seems to like Saint-Cloud as she'd won her first Listed race there, the Prix La Camargo (L), and her first Gr3, the Prix de Flore.

She started as the favourite and yet was not looking that well 300 yards out when boxed in the small field. Her owner Francis Teboul (Gemini Stud) breathed again when the rider Ioritz Mendizabal managed to steer the mare out to pip Burgarita (Sea the Stars) on the wire, winning by half a length. The 3rd-placed Amazing Grace (Protectionnist) finished at two lengths.

Sweet Lady now has many options available as long as the ground is soft and the weather is not too warm. The Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (Gr1) would make sense, and so would a British campaign, even long-term views on the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, or a move Stateside for the Breeders’ Cup.

Sweet Lady's bloodline allows her connections to aim high anywhere. Her sire Lope de Vega (Shamardal) has already given 14 Gr1 winners on 4 continents.

As for her dam, High Heel Sneakers (Dansili), she's a Gr2-placed in Britain and a winner at Hollywood Park later on. Before Sweet Lady, she also gave the Listed-winner Toujours l’Amour (Authorized).

Eight of High Heel Sneakers' foals were sold at auction, and the most expensive was Toujours l’Amour, sold at 3 at the Tattersalls December sale for £190,000 to Richard O’Gorman Bloodstock. Sweet Lady had been sold as a yearling in 2019 by Hubert Honoré, and Paul Nataf got her for €100,000 €.