Written by Kristen Manning
Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Racing in the well-known red and yellow colours of the emerging global force, the China Horse Club, Princess Grace (USA) (Karakontie {Jpn}) is one of the major chances in Saturday's G1 Empire Rose S. at Flemington.
And trainer Chris Waller is looking forward to seeing the 7-year-old put her best hoof forward as she tackles elite-level company for the seventh time.
“The only box she has left to tick is a Group 1 win,” he told TTR AusNZ on Thursday morning.
“She has done everything else,” he said of the mare who has done such a great job with her six victories in Group company and her five placings in Group 1 races.
“The only box she (Princess Grace) has left to tick is a Group 1 win.” - Chris Waller
“She has performed so well not just in Australia but in America as well,” said Waller, adding that he is happy to see her returning to her pet trip (eight starts - three wins, four placings) on the back of her G2 Rose Of Kingston S. second to Life Lessons (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}), a 1400-metre race in which the subsequent G2 Tristarc S. winner Wrote To Arataki (NZ) (Wrote {Ire}) was third.
“She will appreciate stepping out to the mile,” he said.
“She has a slightly tricky draw but she has got the ability to overcome that and she is a genuine top three chance.”
Princess Grace joined the Waller stable after she was purchased by the China Horse Club at last year's Fasig-Tipton Lexington November Sale.
Princess Grace (USA)
It took US$1.7 million (AU$2.644 million) to secure the well performed and well-related mare with Coolmore and Qatar Racing also putting in bids.
The Club's Australasian representative Michael Smith said it was a matter of love at first sight for the team, noting that “we loved her as a type, she is a beautiful medium sized mare with great angles and a lot of quality”.
“That, combined with her tremendous CV that we thought could translate to Australia was what really attracted us to her.”
Bred in the United States by Susan and John Moore who have risen through the ranks from hobby to successful breeders, Princess Grace made a winning debut in a Colonial Downs maiden in August 2020.
“We loved her (Princess Grace) as a type, she is a beautiful medium-sized mare with great angles and a lot of quality.” - Michael Smith
Successful at five of her next six starts, she rose rapidly through the grades winning four in a row at Group level at different tracks on differing surfaces.
Her first feature win, the G2 Mrs Revere S. at Churchill Downs, came on dirt after the race was transferred from the turf and she won that race in easy fashion after gaining a big lead a fair way from home - described by Cobra Farms' (where she was raised) Mike Owens as “a very classy filly”.
Eight months later kicking off her 4-year-old campaign in the G3 Dr James Penny Memorial S. on grass at Parx Racing, Princess Grace showed plenty of ticker chasing down the leaders with her trainer Mike Stidham noting that she had inherited her will to win from her dam Masquerade (USA) (Silent Name {Jpn}).
“We were lucky enough to train her mother and she was exactly the same - if she was in a battle down the stretch she'd usually get her head in front.”
He reiterated those comments a month later when Princess Grace added to her resume the G2 Yellow Ribbon H. at Del Mar, again showing plenty of heart.
Watch: Princess Grace (USA) winning the G2 Yellow Ribbon H.
“I will tell you this - this filly is tenacious and one of the most hard-trying fillies I've ever trained. Her mother and she was just like that—not quite as talented, but always digging in and trying to win every time out.”
The following month winning the G3 Ladies Turf S. at Kentucky Downs, Princess Grace had supporters worried after a slow start saw her settle further back than usual but Stidham was not so concerned - “she's so versatile,” he said.
Placed in Group 2 and Group 1 races at her next two starts, Princess Grace went for a spell and second-up next time in was back in the winner's circle with a second win in the Dr James Penny Memorial S.
Always in control in the lead as she took her prizemoney tally to beyond $1 million, Princess Grace was in the placings (twice in Group 1 races) at her final three American starts before heading to the sales.
Princess Grace (USA)
It was in April this year that she made her debut for the Waller yard, looming up to win the G2 Sapphire S. before her condition gave out at her first run in six months. But she was nicely primed for her second-up assignment, the G3 Hawkesbury Crown in which she overcame trouble in running to record an easy win as favourite.
Spelled in preparation for her spring campaign, Princess Grace was then thrown straight into the deep end contesting three Group 1 races in a row - run down only late when splitting stablemate Fangirl (Sebring) and Zaaki (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}) in the Winx S. before another brave second in the G1 Memsie S. won by the in-form Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) - beating home I Wish I Win (NZ) (Savabeel) and Alligator Blood (All Too Hard).
Fourth in the G1 Makybe Diva S. before her Rose Of Kingston S. second, Princess Grace jumps from barrier 12 on Saturday with Jamie Spencer to ride.
Whatever she does, Princess Grace will remain a prized member of the China Horse Club Australian team with Michael Smith noting that “she has been a marvel”.
“She acclimatised so well to Australian conditions from the word go,” he said as he looks forward to Saturday.
“She (Princess Grace) acclimatised so well to Australian conditions from the word go.” - Michael Smith
“She looks really well and her work on Tuesday morning was good. She has drawn wide in a lovely field of mares so she will need to be at her best but her runs behind Mr Brightside and Fangirl would be some of the top form in the country and if she brings that they will know she’s there.”
Due to retire to stud next year, Princess Grace is a daughter of the the Niarchos family's triple Group 1 winner Karakontie (Jpn) who took out the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere, the French 2000 Guineas and the Breeders' Cup Mile.
Princess Grace is one of that Gainesway resident's 13 stakes winners (two of whom have won Group 1 races) amongst his 118 winners. Her dam Masquerade (Silent Name {Jpn})- a bargain Fasig-Tipton October Yearling Sale purchase at just US$15,000 (AU$23,500) - won six of her 28 starts (filling placings on a further 10 occasions) and was twice stakes placed.
She is also the dam of the talented Group 1 placed 4-year-old Catnip (USA) (Kitten's Joy {USA}) who has won four of his first nine starts including the G3 Monmouth S.
Watch: Catnip's (USA) exhilirating win in the G3 Monmouth S.
Masquerade is one of the five winners (from as many to race) produced by Present Colors (USA) (Prized {USA}), also dam of the prolific galloper Vuelo Colorido (Per) (Meadow Flight {USA}) and the Group 3 mare Svea Dahl (USA) (Honor Grades {USA}).
The former, who was successful at Listed level, won 21 of his 47 starts whilst the latter also knew how to find the line - winning 10 of her 25 starts and going on to produce the Listed winner Amazing Tale (USA) (Tale Of The Cat {USA}) whose daughter Hearty Lass (Wandjina) is a multiple city winner in Australia.
Bred on a 3 X 3 cross of Sunday Silence (USA), Princess Grace boasts a fascinating pedigree. She is a descendant of the legendary matriarch La Troienne (Fr) (Teddy {Fr}) as is Karakontie's sire Bernstein (USA), as is Karakontie's second damsire Woodman (USA).
Princess Grace is one of many successful graduates of the Fasig-Tipton Sale, one which Michael Smith looks forward to attending.
Teo Ah Khing and Michael Smith | Image courtesy of Inglis
“Boyd Browning and his team do a tremendous job putting together an elite collection of fillies and mares to bring to market. There is always great depth and variety and I can’t wait to get on the ground to see the physicals as it looks another stellar catalogue.”
