Breeding & Racing Magazine

Aust-Bound Mauralakana Wins US Gr1 Beverly D

In the US, Victorian breeder Bob Scarborough's French-bred 5YO mare Mauralakana (Muhtathir-Jimkana, by Double Bed) notched a Gr1 triumph (& 4th successive stakes victory) with a 1.25-lengths wining margin in the US$750,000 Gr1 Beverly D (9.5 furlongs on turf) for fillies & mares at Arlington Park in Chicago. Mauralakana (ridden by Kent Desormeaux for trainer Christophe Clement) defeated 4YO mares Communique (Smart Strike-Martinique, by Pleasant Colony) & UK-bred Toque De Queda (Dansili-Bazbina, by Highest Honor). Mauralakana (a US$900,000 purchase by Grant Pritchard Gordon's Badgers Bloodstock on behalf of Scarborough at the 2007 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale) is a half-sister to stakes-winner Petit Calva & her dam Jimkana is a full-sister to Gr1 Dubai Duty Free winner Jim And Tonic; she "was bought as a broodmare prospect for Australia & the plan is for her to be covered by September 1 & then go to Australia," noted thoroughbredtimes.com. At her previous 2 starts Mauralakana won May's Gr2 Sheepshead Bay Handicap (11 furlongs on turf) at Belmont Park in New York & then June's Gr2 New York Stakes (10 furlongs on turf) at Belmont Park; & earlier this year she won March's Gr3 The Very One Handicap (9 furlongs on turf) at Gulfstream Park in Florida, then finished runner-up in the Gr3 Orchid Handicap (12 furlongs on turf) at Gulfstream & then won April's Listed Mairzy Doates Handicap (11 furlongs on turf) at Calder in Miami. Mauralakana made her initial 9 starts in France (as a 2YO in 2005 she won the 2005 Gr3 Prix de Cabourg over 1200m at Deauville & finished 3rd in the Gr1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere-Grand Criterium over 1600m at Longchamp, plus in 2006 she won the Listed Prix Imprudence over 1400m at Maisons-Laffitte & placed in the Gr3 Prix De Psyche over 2000m at Deauville); transferred to the US, she placed in both 2006's Gr1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge (9 furlongs on turf) at Keeneland & Gr3 Noble Damsel Handicap (8 furlongs on turf) at Blemont Park, before winning 2007's Gr3 Locust Grove Handicap (9 furlongs on turf) at Churchill Downs & placing in the Gr3 Glens Falls Handicap (11 furlongs on turf) at Saratoga. Overall she now has 11 wins & 6 placings from 26 starts for US$1,449,512 earnings.