Carlton House wins Derby prep for queen, Pisco Sour, out of a Horse Chestnut mare, also entered by Derby
Queen Elizabeth II looks to have the early favorite for the Investec Epsom Derby (Eng-G1) next month after Carlton House uncoiled a late rally to win the Totesport Dante Stakes (Eng-G2) on Thursday at York in his first start this year.
The Kentucky-bred Street Cry (Ire) colt, a gift from breeder Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, was keen to race early but rallied smartly from off the pace to defeat 5-to-4 favorite Seville, who tracked closest to early pacesetter and third place finisher Pisco Sour (out of a Horse Chestnut mare), by 1½ lengths under Ryan Moore.
Juddmonte’s highly regarded homebred World Domination, an Empire Maker colt out of 1997 Vodafone Epsom Oaks (Eng- G1) winner Reams of Verse, pulled jockey Tom Queally in the early stages and stalked Pisco Sour and Seville from third off a muddling pace but weakened to finish fourth in the six-horse field and might bypass the Derby.
Carlton House, who now is pegged as the early favorite for the Derby on June 4, is out of Group 2 winner Talented by Bustino and is a half brother to Group 3-placed stakes winner Friston Forest.
Queen Elizabeth has never won the Derby and was last represented in the race in 1981, when Church Parade finished fifth to Shergar – extract Thoroughbred Times
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TOTESPORT DANTE S. (Eng-G2) YORK, England, May 12, $241,453, 3yo, abt15⁄16mT, good, 2:13.49. 1st—CARLTON HOUSE, 126, B. c. 3, Street Cry (Ire) SD—Talented (GB), by Bustino (GB). Owner—Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II; Breeder—Darley (Ky.); Trainer—Sir Michael R. Stoute. $139,203. 3-2-1-0, $147,933 2nd—SEVILLE (GER), 126, . c. 3, Galileo (Ire)—Silverskaya, by Silver Hawk. $52,768. 3rd—PISCO SOUR, 126, Dk b. or br. c. 3, Lemon Drop Kid—Lynnwood Chase, by Horse Chestnut (SAf). $26,409. Margins: 1 1/2, 2 1/2, 3 1/4. Also ran: World Domination 126 ($13,168), Ashva 126 ($6,596), Yaseer (Ire) 126 ($3,310).
