Quality Road's Clicquot Bests Them All in Cotillion

BENSALEM, PA — Heading into a mouthwatering renewal of Saturday's $1-million GI Cotillion Stakes at Parx Racing, Good Cheer (Medaglia d'Oro), Scottish Lassie (McKinzie) and La Cara (Street Sense) had combined to win no fewer than five Grade I contests over the course of the last 11 months.

But when all was said and done, it was the far less-exposed and extremely well-backed Clicquot (Quality Road), who took over in the final furlong and went on to a narrow victory over Dry Powder (Gun Runner) and Ourdaydreaminggirl (Instagrand) as the pin-up horses played no role in the finish.

Clicquot was away without incident and was content to take up a position towards the back of the pack, as Ashland and Acorn Stakes winner La Cara showed the way in advance of Dry Powder, easy winner of the local Cathryn Sophia Stakes when last seen Aug. 19. Irad Ortiz, Jr. had Clicquot–romping winner of the GIII Indiana Oaks back on July 5–between longshot Indy Bay (Take Charge Indy) and Oaks heroine Good Cheer down the back of the track.

Clicquot was asked to take the gap between Indy Bay and a scuffling Good Cheer three furlongs down and she tracked into it nicely as La Cara and Dry Powder continued to match motors up front. Pulled off the latter's heels in upper stretch, Clicquot confronted Dry Powder with less than an eighth of a mile and prevailed in a driving finish over Dry Powder. Ourdaydreaminggirl, second in the Cathryn Sophia, closed from last to just miss at 42-1, while Frizette and last-out CCA Oaks winner Scottish Lassie (McKinzie) endured a tough trip in fourth.

A debut sixth at even-money behind Indy Bay going seven furlongs at Gulfstream Mar. 1, the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga graduate turned it around in no uncertain terms at Keeneland Apr. 17, streaking clear by six lengths. Prominent throughout when adding a first-level Churchill allowance going a route of ground for the first time May 31, she proved easily best in the Indiana Oaks and was kept in the mothballs with this contest in mind, trainer Brendan Walsh said.

“For her to come and beat these fillies, I thought it was quite an accomplishment for her,” Walsh said. “She was a little keen down the back, but Irad gave her a lovely ride. He just let her settle into herself and she traveled beautifully into the straight.

“If she won at Indiana, the plan was to go here and give her a chance, but she's been working well like a top-class horse does. She's all class, she makes our job easy.”

Walsh was non-committal about a next start for his young filly.

'We didn't really think beyond today,” he said. “We'll see how she comes out of it, but she's going to be a hell of a 4-year-old. It'd be taking a big step again, but who knows?”

Pedigree Notes:

Clicquot is the 17th Grade I winner by Lane's End's Quality Road and the 18th elite-level scorer produced by a daughter of Tapit worldwide, the second by a Gone West-line stallion (Lexitonian, by Speightstown).

Royal Obsession, third in the GII Gazelle Stakes in 2016, was acquired by Don Alberto Corporation for $1.8 million in foal to Curlin at Keeneland November in 2017 and Clicquot is one of three winners from three to the races.

From the extended female family of GISW Magnificent Song (Unbridled's Song), Clicquot has a weanling half-sister by Elite Power and, sticking with the Curlin line, Royal Obsession was most recently covered by Good Magic.

Saturday, Parx Racing
COTILLION S.-GI, $1,000,000, Parx Racing, 9-20, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:42.85, ft.
1–CLICQUOT, 124, f, 3, by Quality Road
1st Dam: Royal Obsession (GSP, $140,857), by Tapit
2nd Dam: Rote, by Tiznow
3rd Dam: Song to Remember, by Storm Cat
1ST GRADE I WIN. ($375,000 RNA Ylg '23 FTSAUG). O-X-Men
Racing IV LLC, Madaket Stables LLC & SF Racing LLC; B-Don
Alberto Corporation (KY); T-Brendan P. Walsh; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr.
$582,000. Lifetime Record: 5-4-0-0, $840,153. Werk Nick
Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Dry Powder, 122, f, 3, by Gun Runner
            1st Dam: Tell All, by Broken Vow
            2nd Dam: Whisper to Me, by Thunder Gulch
            3rd Dam: Word to the Wise, by Diesis (GB)
($525,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP). O-Gold Square LLC; B-Corser
Thoroughbreds LLC (KY); T-Chad Summers. $194,000.
3–Ourdaydreaminggirl, 120, f, 3, by Instagrand
            1st Dam: Itsinthestars, by Astrology
            2nd Dam: Neverthesame, by Scat Daddy
            3rd Dam: Salut d'Amour (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire)
1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($50,000 Ylg
'23 FTKOCT; $50,000 2yo '24 OBSAPR). O-Bran Jam Stable &
Clark, David W.; B-Pippa's Hurricane (KY); T-Louis C. Linder, Jr.
$97,000.
Margins: NK, HD, 2. Odds: 5.30, 7.70, 42.90.
Also Ran: Scottish Lassie, La Cara, Good Cheer, Indy Bay. Scratched: Not Too Late. Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

🍾 #3 CLICQUOT ($12.60) makes it four wins in a row with a victory in the $1,000,000 Cotillion Stakes (G1) at @ParxRacing! @iradortiz was aboard for trainer @brenpwalsh & owners @Xmenracing, @MadaketStables, and SF Racing. Clicquot is a 3YO filly by @LanesEndFarm's Quality Road. pic.twitter.com/bWWfYtZWFr

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