Siyouma made the lead at the top of the lane and held on strong to
win the $1-million Grade 1 E.P Taylor Stakes, a Breeders' Cup Win &
You're In event, at Woodbine.
The four-year-old daughter of Medicean-Sichilla, trained by Francois
Doumen and ridden by Gerald Mosse, came into the E.P Taylor off a win in
the Group 1 Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket on September 29, and was
full value for her second top-level score in her first trip across the
pond.
Siyouma rated fifth off the early pace of Kapitale in the 1 1/4-mile
event, through splits of :25.83, :50.53 and 1:39.20, with Pagera just
inside of her in fourth-position. Mosse urged Siyouma to the lead at the
top of the lane with Pagera, under Arc de Triomphe-winning jockey
Olivier Peslier, and Dream Peace, with Ramon Dominguez in the irons, hot
on her heels.
However, Siyouma, despite having to hold on the entire length of the
expansive Woodbine stretch would not be caught notching a 1 3/4-length
score in 2:03.04. Pagera was up for second, a neck in front of Dream
Peace.
Mosse was impressed with his filly's resilience after her winning effort at Newmarket just two weeks ago.
“To be honest, I was not worried about the track, the ground and the
filly," said Mosse. "I was just a bit worried two weeks ago…she was in
the UK and we won a Group 1 already. It was a bit short in timing, but I
told the trainer that if he chose to come, it means we are coming for
something solid.”
Doumen was full of praise for the Irish-bred Siyouma.
"She’s so good and she’s so calm," said Doumen. "She has got such a
wonderful temperament that it allows her to travel beautifully well and
takes all the effort away.”
Peslier, who took the Arc with Solemia just one week ago, had no complaints about his trip aboard Pagera.
"We travelled very well and had plenty of chance to gain the lead and
did very well to be second," he said. "I think it's (the turf) more
heavy, which is not for her, but she ran very well."
Siyouma improved her record to four wins and three thirds from ten
lifetime starts while taking the lion's share ($600,00) of the
$1-million purse.
She paid $7.70, $4.80 and $3.30, combining with Pagera ($11.50,
$6.90) for a $71.70 (3-2) exactor. A 3-2-5 (Dream Peace, $3.10 to show)
triactor was worth $344.10 while a $1 superfecta [3-2-5-12 (Kissable)]
came back $1,423.10.