Prix du Calvados History: Juvenile Fillies on their way to the mile

August, Deauville

PRIX DU CALVADOS

Group 2, 2-year-old fillies, 1,400m/7f, €130,000

Created in 1970

Last winner: SIMMERING (f2, GB by Too Darn Hot and Cashla Bay, by Fastnet Rock), owned by Al Shaqab Racing, bred by Lofts Hall Stud, trained by Ollie Sangster, ridden by D. Browne McMonagle.

Record-time: 1’21’’1, Proviso (2007)

The race will be run in 2025 for the 56^th time.

The 2024 edition
 

Deauville, Saturday, August 17th, 2024 – Joint-favourite Simmering (Too Darn Hot) showcased her class in the €130,000 Prix du Calvados (Gr2), a prestigious race for 2-year-old fillies over seven furlongs, winning with an impressive three-length margin. The British raider asserted her dominance over the other market leader, Fraise des Bois (Zelzal), who was held back in a race led by Love Talk (Ten Sovereigns). Love Talk ran a valiant race to finish fourth, just a length and a half behind the third-placed Iron Bird (Showcasing), who was always prominent in tracking the leaders.

This was Simmering’s fourth career start and her first under the Al Shaqab Racing banner. She had previously finished third on debut at York behind Arabie, among the favourites for Sunday’s Sumbe Prix Morny (Gr1). She then followed up with a second-place finish at Ascot behind Fairy Godmother before securing her maiden victory in a Group 3 contest over six furlongs at Ascot.

Purchased for £70,000 at Tattersalls by her trainer, Ollie Sangster, and her former owner, Justin Casse, Simmering is out of Cashla Bay (Fastnet Rock), a winner at Newmarket and a daughter of Rose Blossom (Pastoral Pursuits), who won five races including a Group 3 at York. Cashla Bay has a yearling colt by Time Test entered in the October sales at Newmarket.

History
 

Created in 1970, the Prix du Calvados offers 2-year-old fillies an early chance to take each other on in a Group race, having acquired this status in 1977. Contested over 6 ½ furlongs from 1970 to 1976, its distance was increased to 7 furlongs from 1977.

The Prix du Calvados winners’ list includes the names of several fillies who have gone on to great things, such as Theia (1975, Prix Marcel Boussac), Exclusive Order (1981, Prix Maurice de Gheest), Maximova (1982, Prix de la Salamandre), Almeira (1983, Prix Marcel Boussac), Helen Street (1984, Irish Oaks), Whalkilyric (1986, dam of Hernando, Prix du Jockey Club), Oczy Czarnie (1988, Prix de la Salamandre), Verveine (1991, Prix de l'Opéra), Six Perfections (2002, Prix Marcel Boussac, Prix Jacques Le Marois), Elusive Wave (2008, Poule d'Essai), Elusive Kate (2011, Marcel Boussac, Falmouth Stakes, Prix Romanet twice) and Polydream (2017, Prix Maurice de Gheest).

The race was sponsored by the Haras du Logis, the Haras des Capucines (from 2005 to 2012), the PMU, Longines, The Jockeys' Association, and by Shadwell, the breeding operation of Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum.

Foreign winners
 

TWELVE of the last 26 winners were trained abroad, and only one was not from Britain; that is Joanna (2009), trained in Italy by Bruno Grizzetti. The first foreign winner was Helen Street, winner in 1984 and trained by Dick Hern.

Owners
 

• Michael Sobell (3 wins): Waterway (1978), Helen Street (1984), Arousal (1989).
• Mohammed Al Maktoum & Godolphin (3 wins): Cox Orange (1992), Kareymah (1998), Beyond Reason (2018).
• Wertheimer Family (3 wins): Blushing Gleam (1995) for Jacques, Polydream (2017), Accakaba (2021) for Wertheimer & Frère.
• Niarchos Family (2 wins): Whalkilyric (1986) for Stavros, Six Perfections (2002) for Niarchos Family.

Trainers
 

• François Boutin (4 wins): Joberane (1973), Bernica (1980), Whalkilyric (1986), Savannah’s Honor (1987).
• Jacques-Charles Cunnington (2 wins): Virgin (1976), Almeira (1983).
• Christiane Head (2 wins): Maximova (1982), Blushing Gleam (1995).
• Dick Hern (2 wins): Helen Street (1984), Arousal (1989).
• Elie Lellouche (2 wins): Verveine (1991), Queen Bee (2014).
• André Fabre (3 wins): Cox Orange (1992), Proviso (2007), Tropbeau (2019).
• Peter Chapple Hyam (2 wins): Woodland Melody (1997), Cours de la Reine (2004).
• Mick Channon (2 wins): Ascension (2000), Ya Hajar (2001).
• Richard Fahey (2 wins): Sandiva (2013), Fev Rover (2020).

Riders
 

• Yves Saint-Martin (3 wins): Theia (1975), Lady Jane Grey (1977), Rayonnante (1985).
• Freddy Head (3 wins): Maximova (1982), Savannah’s Honor (1987), Fairy Path (1994).
• Christophe Soumillon (3 wins): Cours de la Reine (2004), Great Page (2015), Fev Rover (2020).