Elusive Kate (10 February 2009 – April 2015) was an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. She was one of the leading two-year-old fillies in Europe in 2011 when her wins included the Prix du Calvados and the Prix Marcel Boussac. In 2012 she won the Prix Rothschild and was placed in the Falmouth Stakes, Prix Jacques Le Marois, Sun Chariot Stakes and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. In 2013 she won the Falmouth Stakes and a second Prix Rothschild [citation needed].
| Elusive Kate | |
|---|---|
 Racing silks of Teruya Yoshida | |
| Sire | Elusive Quality |
| Grandsire | Gone West |
| Dam | Gout de Terroir |
| Damsire | Lemon Drop Kid |
| Sex | Filly |
| Foaled | 10 February 2009 |
| Died | April 2015 (Aged 6) |
| Country | United States |
| Colour | Bay |
| Breeder | Clovelly Farms |
| Owner | Teruya Yoshida |
| Trainer | John Gosden |
| Record | 16:7-2-2[1] |
| Earnings | £846,197 |
| Major wins | |
| Prix Six Perfections (2011) Prix du Calvados (2011) Prix Marcel Boussac (2011) Prix Rothschild (2012, 2013) Falmouth Stakes (2013) | |
Background
editElusive Kate was a bay filly with a white stripe and a white sock on her right foreleg, bred in Kentucky by Clovelly Farms. She was sired by the leading American stallion Elusive Quality, whose other progeny have included Smarty Jones, Raven's Pass and Quality Road.[2] Elusive Kate's dam, Gout de Terroir was a half-sister to the Breeders' Cup Classic winner Pleasantly Perfect.[3]
As a yearling, Elusive Kate was sent to the Keeneland sales in September, where she was bought for $70,000 by Blandford Bloodstock.[4] The filly was sent to the United Kingdom to be trained by John Gosden at Newmarket, Suffolk.
Racing career
edit2011: two-year-old season
editElusive Kate made her racecourse debut on 4 June 2011 when she finished fourth of the eleven runners behind Falls of Lora in a maiden race at Doncaster Racecourse. Eleven days later she contested a similar event over seven furlongs at Kempton Park. Ridden by William Buick she started the 5/4 favourite, and won by a head from Kinetica.[5]
For her next three races, Elusive Kate was sent to compete in France, beginning with the Prix Six Perfections at Deauville Racecourse on 30 July. Ridden by Olivier Peslier, she won by one and half lengths from Pestagua.[6] Elusive Kate returned to Deauville three weeks later and was moved up in class to contest the Group Three Prix du Calvados over 1400 metres. She started the 19/10 favourite and led from the start to win "comfortably" by one and a half lengths from Mashoora.[7]
On 2 October Elusive Kate faced a field which included Falls of Lora and the Prix d'Aumale winner Zantenda, and the Anglesey Stakes winner Fire Lily in the Prix Marcel Boussac over 1600 metres at Longchamp Racecourse. Ridden by Buick she led from the start and held off challenges from Zantenda and Fire Lily before drawing clear in the closing stages to win by three lengths.[8] On her final appearance the filly was sent to America to contest the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Churchill Downs. She started favourite but finished eighth of the fourteen runners behind Stephanie's Kitten.
2012: three-year-old season
editElusive Kate did not contest any of the British, French or Irish classic races in the early part of 2012 and did not reappear until the July meeting at Newmarket Racecourse. In the Falmouth Stakes, she was ridden by Frankie Dettori and took the lead in the last quarter mile before finishing second to Giofra. The beaten fillies included Siyouma, Maybe and Golden Lilac. Two weeks later, she returned to Deauville for the Group One Prix Rothschild. Leading from the start, she was never seriously challenged and won "comfortably" from Golden Lilac.[9] On 12 August, Elusive Kate raced against colts for the first time in the Prix Jacques Le Marois over 1600 metres at Deauville. She led until the last 200 metres and finished third behind Excelebration and Cityscape, beaten one and a quarter lengths and a neck. The beaten horses included Moonlight Cloud, Golden Lilac, Most Improved, Fallen for You and Immortal Verse.
Elusive Kate returned to England for the Sun Chariot Stakes over one mile at Newmarket on 29 September. Her chances were compromised when she stumbled exiting the stalls, but she recovered to finish second to Siyouma. On her final appearance of the season, Elusive Kate finished third to Excelebration and Cityscape in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot Racecourse.
2013: four-year-old season
editOn her first appearance as a four-year-old, Elusive Kate contested the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot on 18 June, a race for which the 2011 Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom started favourite. The filly took the lead two furlongs from the finish but weakened in the closing stages to finish fourth of the twelve runners behind Declaration of War, with Animal Kingdom in eleventh.
On 12 July at Newmarket's July Course, only four horses lined up in the Falmouth Stakes, including the 2012 winner, Giofra and Sky Lantern who had won the 1,000 Guineas Stakes and Coronation Stakes. Elusive Kate went on to win by one quarter of a length. There was, however, a Stewards Enquiry following an incident where Elusive Kate hung badly to the left and her jockey, William Buick, hit Sky Lantern in the face with his whip. The result remained unaltered but Buick picked up a three-day ban for careless riding.[10] After the enquiry, Buick said, "on the day she was the best horse, and it's just unfortunate that she did hang left as it would have been nice to see her do it in a straight line".[11] The connections of Sky Lantern appealed against the stewards' decision, but the result was upheld by the British Horseracing Authority's disciplinary panel on 18 July.[12] On 28 July Elusive Kate was sent to Deauville to contest her second Prix Rothschild, despite her trainer's concerns about the soft ground. Starting at odds of 19/10 she took the lead 400 metres from the finish and won easily by two and a half lengths from the Irish filly Duntle.[13] On 11 August, Elusive Kate ran for the second time in the Prix Jacques Le Marois. After racing prominently for most of the way but faded in the closing stages to finish seventh behind Moonlight Cloud.
After a seven-week break, Elusive Kate returned to racing on 28 September, when she was again matched against Sky Lantern in the Sun Chariot Stakes over one mile at Newmarket. The field also included Duntle, the Irish 1000 Guineas winner Just The Judge and the Matron Stakes winner La Collina. She raced just behind the leaders, but after briefly taking the lead two furlongs from the finish she again hung badly to the left and finished fourth behind Sky Lantern, Integral and Duntle. On her final racecourse appearance she finished fifth behind Olympic Glory in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on 19 October [citation needed].
Assessment and honours
editIn the 2012 edition of the World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings, Elusive Kate was given a rating of 116 making her the 170th best racehorse in the world and the tenth-best three-year-old filly.[14]
Retirement
editElusive Kate was retired from racing at the end of 2013 to begin her career a broodmare. She died when giving birth to her first foal in April 2015.[15]
Pedigree
edit| Sire Elusive Quality (USA) 1993 |
Gone West (USA) 1984 |
Mr. Prospector | Raise a Native |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold Digger | |||
| Secrettame | Secretariat | ||
| Tamerett | |||
| Touch of Greatness (USA) 1986 |
Heros Honor | Northern Dancer | |
| Glowing Tribute | |||
| Ivory Wand | Sir Ivor | ||
| Natashka | |||
| Dam Gout de Terroir (USA) 1994 |
Lemon Drop Kid (USA) 1996 |
Kingmambo | Mr. Prospector |
| Miesque | |||
| Charming Lassie | Seattle Slew | ||
| Lassie Dear | |||
| Regal State (USA) 1983 |
Affirmed | Exclusive Native | |
| Won't Tell You | |||
| La Trinite | Lyphard | ||
| Promessa (Family: 16-a)[3] |
References
edit- ^ "Elusive Kate". Racing Post. Retrieved 2013-07-12.
- ^ "Elusive Quality Stud Record". Racing Post. 2012-02-15. Retrieved 2013-06-15.
- ^ a b "Miss Agnes – Family 16-a". Thoroughbred Bloodlines. Retrieved 2013-06-15.
- ^ "Keeneland Association September 2010 Yearling Sale". Racing Post. Archived from the original on 2017-01-27. Retrieved 2012-07-29.
- ^ "British Stallions Studs maiden race result". Racing Post. 15 June 2011. Retrieved 2013-06-15.
- ^ "Prix Six Perfections result". Racing Post. 30 July 2011. Retrieved 2013-06-15.
- ^ "Prix du Calvados result". Racing Post. 20 August 2011. Retrieved 2013-06-15.
- ^ "Prix Marcel Boussac". Racing Post. 2 October 2011. Retrieved 2013-06-15.
- ^ "Prix Rothschild 2012". Racing Post. 29 July 2012. Retrieved 2013-07-12.
- ^ "Falmouth Stakes: Elusive Kate survives stewards' enquiry to win". BBC. 12 July 2013. Retrieved 2013-07-12.
- ^ Greg Wood (12 July 2013). "Elusive Kate beats Sky Lantern in highly controversial Falmouth Stakes". The Guardian. Retrieved 2013-07-12.
- ^ Porteous (18 July 2013). "Elusive Kate keeps Falmouth as BHA dismisses appeal". Racing Post. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 2013-07-18.
- ^ "Elusive Kate Scores Prix Rothschild Repeat". www.bloodhorse.com. 2013-07-28. Retrieved 2023-10-05.
- ^ "The 2012 World Thoroughbred Rankings". International Federation of Horse Racing Authorities. Archived from the original on 2013-10-20. Retrieved 2013-01-19.
- ^ "John Gosden remembers 'lovely' Elusive Kate".
- ^ "Elusive Kate pedigree". Equineline. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2013-06-15.