'I'd say the speed gene has been passed down' - Polyvega makes the perfect start for a distinguished family

Lope De Vega filly Polyvega has a rich pedigree and the ability has been inherited on the evidence of her racecourse debut at Chantilly on Sunday.

Owner-breeders the Wertheimer family have made her heritage obvious in the name as she is out of Polydream, whose best day came when she pipped James Garfield in the 2018 Prix Maurice de Gheest.

Polydream, a daughter of Oasis Dream, beat Laurens as a juvenile and won Group races in three consecutive seasons. Her daughter, trained by Carlos Laffon-Parias, showed a decent turn of foot to come comfortably clear in the Prix de la Reine Blanche, a race for two-year-old newcomers over an extended five furlongs.

"Polydream was obviously a filly we all loved and she enjoyed a fabulous career," said Pierre-Yves Bureau, racing manager for the Wertheimers.

"We've always liked this Lope De Vega filly. She's a little bit light but then her mother wasn't the biggest and I think Polyvega may have a bit more strength than her at this stage. It's great for us and I'd say the speed gene seems to have been passed down to her."

Reflecting on the mare so far,  Bureau added: "She was Polydream's second foal. We had a Frankel colt to begin with who hasn't achieved much to date. Behind her we stuck with the speed theme and she has two daughters by No Nay Never. 

"I would say this filly has earned Polydream the right to go back to Lope De Vega next year."

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