Filly edged out in Grade Two company at Presque Isle Downs.
.Pandora's Gift, the talented filly trained by Stuart Williams, may be heading back to the United States for more high-stakes races after her brave effort in the Grade Two Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes this past weekend. Despite narrowly missing out on victory, the Churchill filly left her connections proud with her performance, reaffirming her ability to compete on the international stage.
The three-year-old filly, known for her prowess on synthetic tracks, had already shown her potential earlier this year with three all-weather victories, including the Listed Chelmer Fillies’ Stakes. Her latest trip to the U.S. came on the back of an impressive third-place finish in the Group Three Ballyogan Stakes at Naas in late August, setting the stage for her bold transatlantic challenge.
With Ben Curtis in the saddle, Pandora's Gift took to the track at Presque Isle Downs in Erie, Pennsylvania, determined to make an impact. She raced with confidence, holding her own against a strong field of contenders. After a smooth break, Curtis positioned her well, and as the race unfolded, she looked poised to secure the win. Taking the lead after the turn for home, Pandora's Gift powered forward, eyes locked on the finish line.
However, the relentless charge of Roses For Debra, who stormed down the stretch, denied Pandora’s Gift a victory by the narrowest of margins. It was a heartbreak for Williams and his team as Roses For Debra set a new track record, but the performance of Pandora's Gift left no doubt about her growing capabilities on the global racing scene.
So proud of Pandora's Gift she's run a fantastic race after a tough trip in a race where they broke the track record Big 👏 to my team & all the people who have made this trip possible for us @LorenzoAtzori2 luck Greer shipping Kelly & Pete FairHill @AdrianBeaumont @_benacurtis pic.twitter.com/VBvbpiuHuT
— Stuart Williams (@WilliamsStuart) September 21, 2024
"I was delighted with the way that she ran, I thought it was a really brave effort," said Williams, reflecting on the close finish. "A couple of things didn't quite go how we anticipated throughout the race but we were still really pleased with her. The winner broke the track record and we were only a neck behind her."
The near miss has done little to dampen the spirits of Pandora's connections, with Williams already looking ahead to further American races if the filly recovers well from her efforts. "There are a couple of races we could aim for out there," he said. "Obviously, we're going to see how she is in the next few days and how she trains. Then we will decide whether we want to run in those races, they're at Keeneland and Aqueduct and at Grade Three and Two level, stakes races."
Pandora's Gift, with her fondness for quick ground, is ideally suited for the fast surfaces found in the U.S., which factored into the decision to send her abroad in the first place. "The prize money is a lot better than she could be running for here and the ground's gone for her here too. She really wants fast ground, so that was the plan with going out to America, to get her on a quick surface," Williams added.
Her run at Presque Isle Downs showcased Pandora’s potential to mix it with some of the best, and while she narrowly missed out on a win, the signs are promising for future opportunities in the U.S. If her next races are anything like her recent outing, Pandora's Gift could soon be adding to her resume with major American wins.
The plan for Pandora's immediate future now rests on how she recovers from this latest effort. Should she come out of the race in good shape, fans can expect to see her back on U.S. soil, possibly at the prestigious Keeneland or Aqueduct tracks, where she will aim to claim another victory in Grade Three or Grade Two level stakes races.
As Williams and his team monitor her closely, there is a sense of anticipation around the next steps for Pandora's Gift. Her adaptability and strength have given rise to hopes of greater things to come, and her connections are eager to explore the lucrative opportunities across the Atlantic. The racing world will be watching closely to see if Pandora's Gift can convert her near miss into future triumphs as she continues her U.S. adventure.
