Ryan Moore settled last. He always does when the plan is to wait. Carry The Flag, the stablemate, went off in front and set a fierce pace. Two furlongs out, Moore gave Sun Goddess a shake of the reins. She was through the field in two strides.
The winning time was 1m 9.67s. That is 0.53 seconds faster than standard. Eight runners, one winner.
The Race
Sun Goddess, the 5/4 favourite, won the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes (Group 1, 6f) at the Curragh on Sunday 9 August with a display of controlled power. She beat Folsom Blues, trained by Joseph O’Brien and ridden by Dylan Browne McMonagle, by 1.25 lengths. Velozee (11/1) finished a further half-length back in third.
The 6/4 second favourite Celeron, trained by M D O’Callaghan and ridden by Oisin Murphy, finished last of the eight runners and reportedly came back lame. That changes the competitive picture for the rest of the juvenile filly season significantly.
The Significance
Aidan O’Brien has now won this race 18 times. That is a new record. And this was the first time he has won the Phoenix Stakes with a filly.
Ryan Moore has now ridden three Phoenix Stakes winners: Sioux Nation in 2017, Little Big Bear in 2022, and Sun Goddess on Sunday. Here is the angle that makes the story better: Sun Goddess is the daughter of Sioux Nation. Father won this race in 2017, ridden by the same jockey, trained by the same handler. Nine years and one generation later.
O’Brien in the winner’s enclosure: “She’s got serious class. It’s the way she went through the race and when Ryan asked her to start coming, she was literally there in two strides.”
On stepping up in trip: “Ryan said they went fast and he just said when he started to ask her she motored clear. He said she’ll have no problem getting seven furlongs.”
The Context
Sun Goddess has raced five times. She started with a second at Naas, won a maiden at the Curragh, then ran in the Albany Stakes (Group 2) at Royal Ascot on 19 June, beaten a length by Libertango. She returned quickly to win the Airlie Stud Stakes (Group 2) at the Curragh on 27 June. Sunday was her first Group 1 start.
She has now won three races from five starts, her latest victory beating the track standard by over half a second. The form looks solid. The clock confirms it.
What Happens Next
She holds an entry in the Sky Bet Lowther Stakes (Group 2, 6f) at York on Thursday 20 August, the opening race of the Ebor Festival. If she runs there, that is her next public target at six furlongs. After that, the Moyglare Stud Stakes (Group 1, Curragh, 7f, September) and the Cheveley Park Stakes (Group 1, Newmarket, 6f, October) represent the logical autumn options. She is quoted between 8/1 and 10/1 ante-post for the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket next May.
With Celeron reportedly lame, Sun Goddess is the clear leader among juvenile fillies in Ireland and Britain right now. The Lowther Stakes at York in ten days will tell us how she handles stepping away from home ground.
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