Horse racing: Amy C an import to follow for trainer Chad Brown

No secret in her U.S. debut for Chad Brown, Amy C lived up to 0.95-1 favoritism in a June 25 allowance at Belmont Park. Moreover, the British-bred sophomore did so in a manner suggesting that graded stakes are in her future.

Successful U.S. debut

Breaking a beat slow, Amy C was bumped in a squeeze play out of the gate and found herself last. Jockey Irad Ortiz was unfazed, keeping her comfortable and unhurried about five lengths behind a waltzing pacesetter.

Up front, Miss Delicious was having things all her own way through fractions of :24.95 and :49.17 on the firm Widener turf. When she picked up the tempo into the stretch of the 1 1/16-mile affair, Miss Delicious had her rivals at an insurmountable disadvantage – except for Amy C.

Under confident handling, Amy C readily swept past the entire field, overhauled Miss Delicious, and won going away by three-quarters of a length in 1:41.54. She showed sharp acceleration to prevail in a slow-early, fast-late race shape, with Trakus recording her final quarter in :22.17.

Amy C’s performance was also noteworthy since she was employing new tactics on a new surface. Both of her prior starts had come on Polytrack, where she’d led early.

Amy C’s French starts

Previously based in England with trainer Henry Spiller, Amy C ventured across the Channel twice for maidens at Deauville. The Franconson Partners’ homebred nearly wired her about 7 1/2-furlong debut on Dec. 19, only to be collared by Godolphin’s Sky Angel. That result looked better after Sky Angel went on to miss narrowly in the April 8 Prix Imprudence (G3) and most recently finished second in the German 1000 Guineas (G2).

Amy C graduated in her second try over the same track and trip March 6. Controlling the pace throughout, she stretched 2 1/2 lengths clear while reeling off her final 400 meters (about a quarter-mile) in :22, according to Jour de Galop. Runner-up Wooturn won next time out and subsequently placed third versus males in the Prix de Pontarme.

Jockey Theo Bachelot told RaceSharp.com how highly he regarded Amy C:

Amy C was very impressive at Deauville and I think she has a lot of quality.  I was very confident going into the race, as Henry (Spiller) was confident she had improved again at home.  She had run so well on debut and that form had worked out nicely, which was another boost to her chances.

She is a talented filly and she showed on Saturday what I felt she was capable of doing after I rode her first time.  She is still learning, but I can see her climbing the grades and she is certainly one to follow.

Spiller revealed to the same outlet that Amy C was likely bound for a classic trial:

We were very hopeful going to Deauville.  Her last piece of work was very pleasing and she had improved a lot from her debut, when runner-up over the same course and distance in December.  We will step her up in grade now and we may well look to run her in either an English or French Guineas trial.

Before Amy C could take a class hike in Europe, she was privately purchased through bloodstock agent Hubert Guy and exported. Amy C now races for the partnership of Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, and Robert V. LaPenta.

Amy C’s pedigree

Amy C is inbred to Danzig, with both her sire and broodmare sire hailing from his male line. She is from the first crop of Charming Thought, a Group 1-winning juvenile for Godolphin and now a Darley sire standing at Dalham Hall Stud in Newmarket. By Oasis Dream, and from the family of globetrotting star St Nicholas Abbey, Charming Thought scored his signature victory in the 2014 Middle Park S. (G1).

Amy C’s dam, Alzahra, is an unraced daughter of Exceed and Excel whose success as a sire transcends his native Australia. Exceed and Excel mares have produced the likes of 2019 Epsom Derby (G1) winner Anthony Van Dyck as well as last year’s Belmont Oaks (G1) heroine Magic Attitude.

This is the family of Chipotle, who just captured the June 16 Windsor Castle S. at Royal Ascot, and dual classic-winning champion Attraction, herself the dam of Group 2 scorer Elarqam.