CPI HOTELS Czech Turf Stakes for Vert Liberte

On Saturday, September 24, the eleventh raceday of this season took place in Chuchle Arena Prague. Its highlight was the most important comparative test for three-year-olds and older horses at the "derby-distance" (1,5 mile), the 44th CPI HOTELS Czech Turf Stakes (Class A, 600 ths. CZK). In the end, the four-year-old gelding Vert Liberte with jockey Petr Foret won by almost three lengths.

Second place, just like in the Czech Derby, was taken by 3yo colt Stronger Together, the defender of last year's triumph in this race, 5yo Czech-bred mare Wellunca, finished third by a neck. Vert Liberte reached his fourth career win, Petr Foret wrote his name to the list of winners of the race for the third time, owner Jiří Trávníček (DS Pegas) for the second time and trainer Dalibor Török for the first time.

The second Class A race was the 86th ARQANA Dr. Gerscha Memorial Stakes (7f, 150 ths. CZK) for two-year-old horses. In it, she turned even her second career start into a full success the BoKaBau stable filly Salt Mix, which brought the first Czech win in the highest class race for trainer Václav Luka this year. Václav Janáček, five-time Czech and seven-time Spanish champion, was in the saddle of Salt Mix. He won the Gerscha Memorial Stakes for the second time (first two years ago in the saddle /coincidentally/ by Vert Liberte), trainer Luka and the Bošek couple, owners of the stable, for the first time.

Trainer Michal Kalčík and owner of The Sons of Sharpour stable Josef Saller Jr. achieved two wins in the other races of the day.

Results