Critérium de Saint-Cloud History: The longer, Classic path
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October, Saint-Cloud
CRITÉRIUM DE SAINT-CLOUD
Group 1, 2-year-olds, 2,000m/1m2f, €250,000
Created in 1901
2023 Winner: TENNESSEE STUD (c2, IRE by Wootton Bassett ex In My Dreams by Sadler's Wells), owned by Westerberg/Tabor/Magnier/Smith, bred by Anne-Marie O'Brien, trained by Joseph O'Brien, ridden by Dylan Browne McMonagle.
Race Record: 2'7"40, by Darshaan in 1983
The race will be run for the 111th time in 2025
The 2024 Edition
Sunday, October 27, 2024, Saint-Cloud Racecourse (Hauts-de-Seine). - Three runners in the Critérium de Saint-Cloud (Gr1) started on heavy ground, and the favourite ultimately dominated. The pacesetter Green Storm (Circus Maximus) tried to make all the running at the beginning of the straight. Still, the punters' favourite, the Irish-trained Tennessee Stud (Wootton Bassett), who took some time to find his balance, rallied in the final two hundred meters. He won by a length and a half from Green Storm.
The winner was having his fourth start, having just finished second to Hotazhell, winner of the Doncaster Futurity Trophy (Gr1) on Saturday. He was bred by Anne-Marie O'Brien, the mother of trainer Joseph O'Brien, and is out of the maiden In My Dreams (Zoffany), a sister to champion Rock of Gibraltar (Danehill), who has already produced Listed winner Jumellea (Zoffany) and an unraced 5-year-old gelding sold last year for 11,000 guineas at Tattersalls.
A colt by Footstepsinthesand was born in 2023. In My Dreams was covered again by Wootton Bassett in 2023.
History
Created in 1901 over 1,400 meters. Increased to 2,000 meters from 1906 to 1913. Reduced to 1,600 meters from 1920 to 1923. Restored to 2,000 meters in 1924. Not run from 1914 to 1919 and from 1939 to 1945. Run at Longchamp in 1954. Penalties were applied until 1986. Promoted to Group 1 status in 1987. The race was cancelled in 2017 due to a protest by a group of industry professionals.
The Critérium de Saint-Cloud was first run on September 16, 1901, the same year as the opening of the racecourse, which was inaugurated on March 15. A little later, it would find its place in the calendar at the beginning of November. Only after the First World War would some of the protagonists of the Critérium de Saint-Cloud would become classic performers.
Among the winners were Motrico (1927, Arc de Triomphe twice), Barneveldt (1930, Grand Prix de Paris), Tonnelle (1936, 2nd Arc de Triomphe), Canot (1937, 2nd Jockey Club and Grand Prix de Paris), and Tricaméron (1938, 2nd Grand Prix de Paris); among those finishing second were Kantara (1928, 2nd Poule d'Essai) and Casterari (1932, 2nd Arc de Triomphe); and among those finishing third were Frisky (1921, Poule d'Essai), Quoi? (1922, Diane), and Gris Perle (1931, 3rd Jockey Club). As for the 1921 winner, Rocking Chair, it was at Auteuil that he would achieve glory by winning the Grande Course de Haies at age 6 in 1925.
After the Second World War, the Critérium de Saint-Cloud accentuated its important role in the breeding program, which earned it promotion to Group 1 status in 1987. Among the winners are Aquino (1950, Ascot Gold Cup), Sica Boy (1953, Arc de Triomphe), Le Loup Garou (1958, Cadran, 3rd Arc de Triomphe), Le Fabuleux (1963, Jockey Club), Carvin (1964, 3rd Jockey Club), Sea Hawk (1965, Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud), Saraca (1968, Vermeille, 2nd Diane), Stintino (1969, Lupin, 3rd Epsom Derby), Rheffic (1970, Jockey Club, Grand Prix de Paris), The Wonder (1980, Jacques Le Marois), Escaline (1982, Diane), Darshaan (1983, Jockey Club), Mouktar (1984, Jockey Club), Fast Topaze (1985, Poule d'Essai, Lupin), Pistolet Bleu (1990, Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, 3rd Arc de Triomphe), Sunshack (1993, Coronation Cup, Royal Oak), Poliglote (1994, 2nd Jockey Club), Polaris Flight (1995, 2nd Jockey Club), Goldamix (1999, 3rd Diane), Sagacity (2000, 3rd Arc de Triomphe), and Waldgeist (winner of the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in 2019).
Among the runners-up are Oroso (1955, Arc de Triomphe), Currito (1957, Prix de la Forêt), Sanctus (1962, Jockey Club, Grand Prix de Paris), Toulon (1970, St Leger), Belgio (1979, Lupin), Hours After (1987, Jockey Club), Snurge (1989, St Leger), Ragmar (1995, Jockey Club), Daylami (1996, Poule d'Essai, Eclipse Stakes, Man O'War Stakes, King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Irish Champion Stakes, Breeders' Cup Turf), Ballingarry (2001, Canadian International Stakes, 3rd Irish Derby), Voix du Nord (2003, Prix Lupin), Fame and Glory (2008, Irish Derby), Morandi (2012, 2nd Jockey Club), and Cloth of Stars (2015, Ganay, 2nd Arc de Triomphe).
The Role of Fillies
It is discreet. Of the 105 winners (with one dead heat), the fillies can claim only 18 victories (or 18%). But their presence is reduced. Result: four victories with Goldamix (1999), Paita (2004), Passage of Time (2006), and Wonderment (2018), three second places (Fauvelia, 2005, Brocottes 2011, and Bereni Ka 2013), two third places (Miss You Too 2012 and Notte Bianca in 2015), and three fourth places.
Nevertheless, the most recent winners have sometimes risen to the top ranks of their generation at 3 years old, as evidenced by their rankings in the Prix de Diane: Saraca (1968, 2nd), Escaline (1982, 1st), Goldamix (1999, 3rd), and Paita (2004, 3rd).
As for Passage of Time, who did not contest the Prix de Diane, she allowed herself to beat Soldier of Fortune, the future winner of the Prix Noailles and the Irish Derby, by three-quarters of a length.
Foreign runners
They won 12 times.
In 1989, the English-trained Snurge finished three lengths ahead of Intimiste. But he had violently veered off course (which his jockey had not controlled), risking causing his opponent to fall. For this fault and despite the ease of the victory, the stewards demoted Snurge to second place, a decision upheld by the appeals committee requested by trainer Paul Cole. In 1995, Polaris Flight won for England and P.W. Chapple-Hyam.
Aidan O'Brien won for Ireland in 2001 (Ballingarry), 2002 (Alberto Giacometti), 2008 (Fame and Glory), 2010 (Recital), and 2023 (Los Angeles, future 3rd in the 2024 Arc).
In 2004, Paita, trained in Germany by Mario Hofer, won in her turn.
2006 it was the turn of Passage of Time, trained at Newmarket by Henry Cecil.
In 2009, Passion for Gold, trained by Saeed Bin Suroor, won in his turn.
In 2015, Robin of Navan won for England ahead of Cloth of Stars, who two years later won the Prix Ganay on the same track.
In 2020, Gear Up for Mark Johnston and England, and in 2022, the Scottish trainer did it again with his son Charlie, thanks to Dubai Mile.
In 2024, Joseph O'Brien, thanks to the success of Tennessee Stud, added his name to the roll of honour after his father, Aidan.
Leading Owners
Brothers Rivaud (5 wins): Motrico (1927) for Max; Cordial (1928) for Maurice; Barneveldt (1930) and Skiff (1934) for the Rivaud partnership; and El Lando (1933) for René.
Susan Magnier/Michael Tabor/Derrick Smith & associates (4 wins): Ballingarry (2001), Alberto Giacometti (2002), Fame and Glory (2008), Recital (2010), Los Angeles (2023), Tennessee Stud (2024).
Edouard de Rothschild (3 wins): Rocking Chair (1921), Tonnelle (1936), and Tricaméron (1938).
François Dupré (3 wins): Telegram (1949), Bingo (1952), and Pas de Deux (1955).
Mahmoud Fustok (3 wins): Tarek (1977), Bon Sang (1981), and Fast Topaze (1985).
Khalid Abdullah (3 wins): Miserden (1988), Sunshack (1993), and Epicuris (2014).
Leading Trainers
François Mathet (8 wins): Telegram (1949), Bingo (1952), Pas de Deux (1955), Upstart (1957), Le Français (1960), Saraca (1968), Rheffic (1970), and Simbir (1972).
Maurice d'Okhuysen (6 wins): Motrico (1927), Barneveldt (1930), El Lando (1933), Skiff (1934), Rhétorius (1946), and Ahmose (1954).
François Boutin (6 wins): Stintino (1969), Gay Saint (1971), Ribécourt (1973), Conglomérat (1976), Providential (1979).
André Fabre (6 wins): Miserden (1988), Sunshack (1993), Sagacity (2000), Linda's Lad (2005), Mandaean (2011), and Waldgeist (2016).
Aidan O'Brien (5 wins): Ballingarry (2001), Alberto Giacometti (2002), Fame and Glory (2008), Recital (2010), Los Angeles (2023).
Leading Riders
- 6 wins each for: Yves Saint-Martin: Fire Crest (1967), Rheffic (1970), Ribécourt (1973), Tarek (1977), Darshaan (1983), Mouktar (1984); and Dominique Boeuf: Pistolet Bleu (1990), Glaieul (1991), Marchand de Sable (1992), Spadoun (1998), Goldamix (1999), Voix du Nord (2003).