International Scouting Report: 2026 Flower Bowl

Most Flower Bowl (G2) entrants with prior European form have already raced stateside, so we’ll touch upon the less familiar ones and concentrate more on Brian Meehan’s fascinating U.S. debutante, Esna. 

Chief among the imports are reigning Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) heroine Gezora and fourth-placer Cathedral, who have gone in different directions this term. While the regressing Gezora has yet to recover her old spark since transferring to Bill Mott, Cathedral keeps plugging away as a stakes bridesmaid.

Cathedral

Now that Cathedral has officially taken up residence with Chad Brown, she’s eligible to make the long-awaited breakthrough. The well-bred daughter of Too Darn Hot was competing usefully for Amo Racing’s principal trainer in Britain, Kevin Philippart de Foy, but she has the profile to blossom here. 

As noted in the scouting report ahead of the Diana (G1), Cathedral might prefer a stronger stamina test than she was going to get over 1 1/8 miles on Saratoga’s inner turf. That wasn’t her only obstacle in the Diana, which turned out to be a paceless race on yielding ground – the opposite of what she came for – and she wound up fourth.

In the 1 1/4-mile Flower Bowl, Cathedral finally gets her first chance at a longer distance since last fall’s Breeders’ Cup. She also has the potential for a decent pace scenario, if Gezora’s stablemate, Opulent Restraint, is there to go to bat for her. 

Note that Cathedral’s British form has been boosted since the scouting report. The mare who beat her in the May 3 Dahlia (G2) at Newmarket, Jancis, just missed in the E.P. Taylor (G1). Their other common race, the Duke of Cambridge (G2) at Royal Ascot, likewise has stood up well, especially through the streaking winner Blue Bolt and the troubled third Friendly Soul, recent winner of the Prix Vermeille (G1).

Esna

Interestingly, three-year-old filly Esna also has some pieces of interlocking form with Cathedral, but perhaps her most alluring form comes in her own age group.

Fourth to Aidan O’Brien’s star filly Diamond Necklace in last October’s Prix Marcel Boussac (G1) on Arc Day, Esna was most recently a strong second at Deauville to Godolphin’s highly regarded Hassaleh, a candidate for the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) at Keeneland.

Esna first tipped her hand when breaking her maiden versus males at Sandown, overturning the odds-on Morshdi. A winner next out, Morshdi later added the Feilden S. at Newmarket in his sophomore bow before losing the plot and being gelded. 

After a ring-rusty fourth in her Pretty Polly S. comeback at Newmarket, Esna moved forward to win the Fillies’ Trial at Newbury. She proved her stamina at the 1 1/4-mile trip as well as her game attitude, although the form was nothing special. Outpaced briefly and collared, Esna fought back and outstayed her rival. 

Esna’s next expedition across the Channel was a debacle in the Prix de Diane (French Oaks) (G1). Marooned in the far outside post, she chased the Ballydoyle pacemaker out wide and folded. Draw a line through it.

Benefitting from more patient tactics in her two ensuing starts, Esna turned the page with a pair of seconds at a mile. She didn’t have the clearest of passages to launch her rallies, but the way she persevered hints that she’d be happy to stretch out again in U.S. conditions.

In the July 25 Valiant (G3) at Ascot, Esna was runner-up to the solid four-year-old Kon Tiki, who had been fourth in that loaded Duke of Cambridge. The Valiant fourth, Touleen, was coming off a messy second to Precise in the Coronation (G1) at Royal Ascot. Moreover, the Valiant fifth, Pina Sonata, had beaten Cathedral early this season on Kempton’s Polytrack. Pina Sonata and Touleen have subsequently run one-two in the Sept. 13 Sceptre (G3) at Doncaster. 

Back in her own age group last time in the Prix de Lieurey (G3), Esna muscled her way through traffic into contention, but just lacked the quicker turn of foot of favored Hassaleh. She was beaten all of a length in the manner of a filly wanting more ground. The third-placer in the Lieurey, Fortuna Diamond, had been second to Sunlit Uplands at Hamburg, and she’s since scooped up a listed race at Cologne this past Sunday. 

Esna has demonstrated more stamina than you’d expect for a filly by the sprinter Starman. She’s out of a Galileo mare, and Esna’s “nephew” was Group 2 winner Jayarabe, who showed loads of talent for Meehan before his ill-fated venture in the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1). 

It would be poignant if Esna could pick up the baton from Jayarebe and advertise the family on the international stage. She’s got the dark-horse vibe, and new rider Jamie Spencer figures to be a good match for her. 

“I think the idea of coming to Belmont was to really bring her up a level,” Meehan told NYRA publicity. “When we were looking at races, the Flower Bowl seemed the most sensible option. Obviously, I have no fear about taking a horse to the U.S. to race. It’s been a lucky place for me in the past, and Belmont Park, in particular.

“I have had two Grade 1 winners there – the Man o’ War (when Red Rocks upstaged Curlin in 2008) and the Gazelle (when Buy the Sport stunned Lady Tak in 2003) – and mainly on top of support of some American-based owners like Andrew Rosen, who has been a huge supporter to me over the years, and Paul Reddam, who owned Red Rocks.

“I guess also the fact that it’s the opening meeting at Belmont, as well, has a certain attraction from a personal level. Sensibly, it was the right race for the filly, and I think the track will suit her really well. I’m very excited to bring her and looking forward to running her.”

Sunlit Uplands 

Sunlit Uplands suffered a brutal beat in her U.S. premiere in the Ballston Spa (G2), prompting controversy about whether the stewards should have disqualified the wayward winner, And One More Time. But the salient point is that the progressive four-year-old is arguably better than ever and raising her game over here. A critique of her merits on past form may miss the forest for the trees.

Still, it must be pointed out that Sunlit Uplands was unable to land a blow in British stakes, although she did just miss third in last November’s Fleur de Lys S. on the Lingfield Polytrack. Stuart Williams, who took over the training this season for co-owner Rae Guest, has enterprisingly campaigned her to gain black-type on the Continent. 

Indeed, before the Ballston Spa, Williams told NYRA that it was “ambitious” to pursue the Grade 2 at Saratoga. He was emboldened by the success of his European brethren during the meet, and in comments to At the Races, he explained its suitability compared to the potential spots closer to home. 

Sunlit Uplands was on the upswing before her transatlantic venture, even if her Continental form was not overly eye-catching at the time. Runner-up in the June 7 Premio Royal Mares at San Siro in Milan, she upset Godolphin favorite Fortuna Diamond in the July 5 Hamburger Stuten Meile (G3). Both came on soft going, so she won’t mind residual moisture in the ground.

The overarching questions are whether Sunlit Uplands has improved enough to tackle the big guns, and whether she has the stamina to be effective at this distance. She has yet to race beyond 1 1/16 miles.

Although Sunlit Uplands is by the sprinter Sands of Mali, she can claim some help from her dam’s side. Her second dam, Insight, won the 1999 E.P. Taylor (G1) and 1998 Prix de l’Opera (G2).

Favorite Memory

Favorite Memory hasn’t had a real chance to do herself justice in her two starts stateside for Cherie DeVaux. It wouldn’t be a total shock if she eventually gets her act together. 

Her better form in Britain came over further, notably a third to Fairy Glen in last November’s 1 5/8-mile River Eden S. on the Lingfield Polytrack. Favorite Memory was actually the co-favorite with Fairy Glen, who went on to win the Balanchine (G2) during the Dubai Carnival and upset male stayers in the Dubai Gold Cup (G2) on World Cup night.

Favorite Memory holds pedigree interest as a Frankel filly from the immediate family of Stay Thirsty, Tamarkuz, Without Parole, and Rebel Red, who came so close against El Cordobes in last year’s Sword Dancer (G1). Graded black-type would enhance her broodmare resume, and chances are she’ll find the right spot for it sooner or later.