Vancouver US Stakes Double

Quality Vancouver filly Madone (3f Vancouver x Indian Love Call, by Cherokee Love) soared to new heights when taking out the Group II San Clemente Stakes (1m) on turf at Del Mar on Saturday, while He’spuregold (3g Vancouver x Smart N Classy, by Smart Strike) won his first Black Type event at Monmouth.

The Simon Callahan trained filly settled at the rear of the field before surging forward out wide. She charged to the line to win by half a length taking her overall record to five wins from seven starts with prizemoney topping $330,000.

Four of her wins have come in Black Type races with a Group I assignment next on her agenda.

"We were able to save ground and they were going quick early, so I was happy with our spot early,” said Simon Callaghan.

“He [Juan Hernandez] made a wide early move but it was the right one. She's got a nice turn of foot and she's such a good filly. We'll now look to the [GI] Del Mar Oaks.”

A $120,000 OBS March 2YO purchase this year, Madone runs for Kaleem Shah and is the best of five winners for Indian Love Call, a half-sister by Cherokee Run to stakes-winner Allegre from the family of Group I winners Gold Fever and Boisterous.

A Golden Slipper winning son of Medaglia D’Oro, Vancouver shuttled briefly to the US and has had 34 winners in the Northern Hemisphere from 68 runners and got his second US stakes-winner on Saturday when He’spuregold (3g Vancouver x Smart N Classy, by Smart Strike) captured the $88,400 Irish War Cry Handicap (1m) on turf at Monmouth.

Trained by Kelly Breen, He’spuregold scored a length win taking his overall record to two wins and five placings from eight starts with prizemoney just shy of $120,000.

A homebred for John Bowers Roseland Farm Stable, He’spuregold is a half-brother to Group III winner Valdedictorian and stakes-winner Stay Smart being from good producing Group III winner Classy N Smart.

He’spuregold is the fifth stakes-winner worldwide for Vancouver, who stands this spring at a fee of $22,000.