Rougir (FR)

Originally based in her native France, Rougir won her first Group 1 race there on Oct. 3, 2021, when she took the Prix de l'Opera Longines at Longchamp by a nose. Off that performance, the daughter of Group 1 winner Territories shipped to the United States for the first time for the Grade 1 Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Del Mar on Nov. 6. She finished a non-threatening seventh after getting into some traffic trouble early.

For her 2022 season, Rougir joined the powerhouse Chad Brown barn and made her first start for that stable in the Grade 3 Beaugay Stakes at Belmont Park on May 14. She rallied wide in the stretch to win as the odds-on favorite. 

Rougir was sent off at odds on again in her second 2022 start, the Grade 1 New York Stakes at Belmont on June 10, but the 0.65-1 favorite failed to fire and finished fifth of seven in a race won by stablemate Bleecker Street.

Kept at the top level of competition in her division throughout the year, Rougir went on to record a fourth-place finish in the Grade 1 Diana Stakes at Saratoga on July 16, followed by a disappointing fifth-place finish in her next start in the Beverly D. at Churchill Downs (formerly at Arlington) on Aug. 13.

Rougir got her revenge in her next start, which came in the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes at Woodbine on Oct. 8.  Rougir raced near the rear of the nine-horse field going 1 1/4 miles, overcame trouble, and then unleashed a furious stretch rally to get up in time to win by a neck in a time of 2:02.62. Rougir paid $12.60 to win as the 5.30-1 second choice on the tote board.

Rougir is owned by Peter Brant and Michael Tabor, the latter of the Coolmore Group. Brant and Coolmore purchased her for almost $3.4 million at the Arqana December 2021 breeding stock sale in France before moving her to the U.S.