Chamrousse (horse)

Chamrousse
Sire	Peaks and Valleys
Grandsire	Mt. Livermore
Dam	Loose Park
Damsire	Stop the Music
Sex	Mare
Foaled	2008
Country	United States
Colour	Bay
Breeder	Arthur B. Hancock III & James H. Stone
Owner	Arthur B. Hancock III
Trainer	Niall O'Callaghan
Record	8: 4-1-3
Earnings	$359,585
Major wins
Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (2002)
Horse (Equus ferus caballus)
Last updated on June 18, 2011

Chamrousse (foaled in February 1999 in Kentucky) is an American Thoroughbred filly racehorse. She won four of her five starts and finished in-the-money in every single one of her eight outings. The daughter of Peaks and Valleys will best be remembered for posting a two a half length score as the favorite in the mile and an eighth Grade II $200,000 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes at Pimlico Race Course on May 17, 2002.^[1]

Racing career

Chamrousse had a very brief racing career making it to the track only eight times over ten months before being retired. After breaking her maiden in November 2001 Chamrousse went on to win an allowance race at Fair Grounds Race Course in January 2002. In early February 2002 Chamrousse raced in the grade three Silverbulletday Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course at a mile and one sixteenth and finished third to Take Charge Lady. In March Chamrousse finished third again to her rival Take Charge Lady in the grade two Fair Grounds Oaks at Fair Grounds again at a mile and one sixteenth. In April Chamrousse finished third in her third straight graded stakes race in the grade two Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn Park to See How She Runs at a mile and one sixteenth.

Both trainer Niall O'Callaghan and owner Arthur B. Hancock III opted to give her a small break and skipped the Kentucky Oaks. But on the third Saturday of May, her connections decided to send her to the defacto second leg of the Filly Triple Crown, the Grade II $200,000 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes at Pimlico Race Course. When the gate opened in that race, a 24-1 longshot Shop Till You Drop was sent to the lead by jockey Harry Vega and posted initial fractions of 23.5, 47.5, and 1:12.4. Chamrousse went off as the 3-5 post time favorite and stalked her to the inside the whole way around the club house turn and down the back stretch. With a patient rating trip under jockey Jerry Bailey, she made her move at the top of the stretch, dueled briefly with the pacesetter at the three sixteenth pole. Then Chamrousse drew off to win by two and a half widening lengths stopping the clock in 1:51.61 for the one mile and one eighth mile feature. Autumn Creek at 8-1 followed the pair around the course and finished eleven lengths back in third. Winning jockey Jerry Bailey said, "I've never ridden her before, but I ride them better that way."

In the last week of June Chamrousse finished a game second in the grade one Mother Goose Stakes at Belmont Park at 1 mile and 1/8.

References

1. ^ Pedigree On-line Thoroughbred Database