Three Chimney’s homebred Royal Approval is on her way to the Breeders’ Cup following Sunday’svictory in the $100,000 Matron S. (G3) on the Belmont Park turf course.
The 2-year-old daughter of Tiznow has won her last two starts and upped her earnings to $117,400 with Sunday’s win.
Ridden with confidence from the outset by Irad Ortiz, Jr., Royal Approval sat just to the outside of pacesetter Union Gables. After a half-mile in :46.28, she moved up along side the leader, then willingly took over with a furlong to run, winning by a length in 1:09.10 on the firm turf.
“I rode her like the best horse in the race,” Ortiz said. “She broke well, she put me right there and when I asked her to go, she was there.”
Trainer Wesley Ward has a pair of Breeders’ Cup options for his filly.
“We definitely will go to the Breeders’ Cup with her,” Ward said. “I’ll sit down with [Three Chimneys Farm vice chairman] Doug Cauthen and [chairman] Mr. [Goncalo Borges] Torrealba and see just which direction they want to go: the [Juvenile Fillies Turf] or the Juvenile Turf Sprint. Just after talking to Irad, the mile [Juvenile Fillies Turf] might be the better option for her, but again, we’ll sit down and see how she is.”
Pedigree notes from the TDN
Three Chimneys purchased Royal Approval’s dam Touch the Moon for $450,000 at the 2014 Fasig-Tipton Florida sale. The 8-year-old mare produced a colt by Connect in 2019 and a colt by Will Take Charge this year. She was bred back to Palace Malice. Royal Approval’s third dam, Here I Go, is the dam of GI Kentucky Oaks winner Summerly.
