SHADWELL TURF MILE

(GRADE 1)

WHILE Belmont Park hosted its stakes smorgasbord, Keeneland offered its own extravaganza of weekend stakes, including the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile which included multiple Grade 1 stakes winner Miss Temple City and 13-time winner Heart To Heart.

David O’Meara walked onto the Keeneland main track and pumped his left fist as he greeted fifth-place finisher Mondialiste after the stakes. The fist pump wasn’t for Mondialiste, although the veteran ran hard to pick up a $30,000 cheque.

O’Meara’s gesture was for Suedois, the French-bred six-year-old who reeled in favorite Heart To Heart to win the $1 million turf stakes at Keeneland last Saturday.

Owned by George Turner and Clipper Logistics, Suedois used the Solonaway Boomerang Stakes at Leopardstown on Irish Champions Weekend as a springboard to America, earning his eighth career win with wild rally from seventh under Danny Tudhope.

“We’ve been here a couple of times before. We were here for the Breeders’ Cup with Mondialiste who finished second and here in this race last year,” O’Meara said. “(Keeneland) puts on really good prize money. It was a toss-up over taking him to France for seven furlongs or here for a mile. His previous start at a mile, he won it, and we were keen to keep him at the same distance.”

A son of Le Havre, Suedois pushed his career earnings past $1 million in his globe-trotting career.