New York Stakes International Scouting Report: Cankoura

Following his career year in 2025, Francis-Henri Graffard is continuing his momentum in 2026. His stable stars from last season, Calandagan and Daryz, keep rolling at the highest level, and sophomores Rayif and Behrayna have recently stepped up while offering the promise of more to come. 

All four are homebreds representing the Aga Khan Studs, like Graffard’s invader for Friday’s New York (G1), Cankoura. Her stablemate in Saturday’s Just a Game (G1), Mandanaba, hails from the same historic operation as a homebred for Princess Zahra Aga Khan, giving their connections the chance of a Grade 1 double at Saratoga.

Both fillies competed in last year’s Prix de Diane (French Oaks) (G1), where they rounded out the superfecta behind Gezora, then another Graffard trainee. Gezora would add to Graffard’s total of 14 Group/Grade 1 wins – a new single-season record for a French trainer – with a win in the 2025 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1). 

The New York serves up a rematch between Gezora, now a U.S. resident, and Cankoura, who will try to improve upon her third in the French Oaks. While both arguably prefer a tad further than Friday’s 1 3/16-mile trip, their class can compensate. Cankoura’s generous 10-1 morning line should also be factored into the equation. 

Cankoura’s pedigree 

Cankoura is from the first crop of Persian King, the hero of the 2019 Poule d’Essai des Poulains (French 2000 Guineas) (G1), along with the 2020 Prix du Moulin (G1) and Prix d’Ispahan (G1). His class helped him to stay well enough to place in the Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) (G1) and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1). But the son of Kingman was most effective over the mile-to-nine-furlong range, where he ranked as Europe’s highweight older horse. 

Cankoura inherits more stamina (and her gray color) from her dam, the multiple Group 2-winning stayer Candarliya. By 2003 Arc champion Dalakhani, Candarliya defeated males in the about 1 3/4-mile Prix Maurice de Nieuil (G2) in 2016.

Candarliya is also responsible for Group 3 scorer Candala, who was a non-threatening eighth in the 2024 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) at Keeneland. Although Candala’s signature win came in the Prix de la Grotte (G3) over a metric mile, the Frankel filly ultimately needed further. Candala, only eighth in the French Oaks, later placed third in the about 1 1/2-mile Prix de Malleret (G2) and in the Prix Alec Head (G2), back at about 1 1/4 miles. 

Cankoura’s 2025 campaign

After a staying-on sixth in her unveiling as a juvenile on the Saint-Cloud turf, Cankoura blossomed when stretching out to about 1 3/16 miles on the Chantilly Polytrack that winter. She won two straight, rallying to break her maiden by a half-length and crushing a trio of overmatched allowance foes as the 2-5 favorite. 

Up in class but down in trip for the listed Prix des Lilas on turf, Cankoura got no nearer than fourth. Traffic in the stretch didn’t help her cause, yet the 9-10 choice still rattled off her final 600 meters (about three furlongs) in :33.69, according to France-galop.com. Runner-up Eponine would go on to finish second in the Prix de Sandringham (G2) and third in the Lake Placid (G2) at the Spa. She’s slated to return in Saturday’s fifth race. 

Cankoura benefited from the added ground in the about 1 1/8-mile Prix Finlande to score her first stakes win. Tracking the pace on soft going at ParisLongchamp, the 3-5 favorite churned on in workmanlike fashion to edge one length clear. 

The Finlande form wasn’t exactly the type to generate enthusiasm, and Cankoura accordingly went off as a 15-1 shot in the French Oaks. Boosted by better ground and the about 1 5/16-mile distance, she outperformed her odds in a close third. 

Cankoura’s performance was especially meritorious considering her wide draw (post 11). She advanced to challenge favored stablemate Mandanaba, only to be outkicked late by Gezora and Aidan O’Brien’s Bedtime Story.

Cankoura upheld the French Oaks form as the 3-5 favorite in the about 1 1/4-mile Prix de Psyche (G3) at Deauville. Enjoying the quickest ground she’d encountered so far, she closed in :33.95 to assert by three-quarters of a length. 

In her first try versus older distaffers in the Prix Jean Romanet (G1) over the same course and distance, Cankoura was undone by a change in tactics. The 5-1 chance tried to set the pace, and the gambit backfired as she faded to seventh behind stablemate Quisisana. Not too far ahead of her was the favorite, Godolphin globetrotter Cinderella’s Dream, in fourth.

Cankoura’s 2026 reappearance

Cankoura returned from an eight-month layoff in the May 1 Prix Allez France (G3) at Saint-Cloud. Although she settled for fourth behind her co-favored stablemate, Sunly, her comeback effort was the right sort of stepping stone. Cankoura appeared eager under restraint well off the pace, but clocked her final sectional in :33.76 to improve position late. 

Nemone Routh, the Aga Khan Studs’ racing manager in France, described Cankoura’s return to NYRA publicity:

“She finished fourth first out this season, and we weren’t too disappointed with her. She was quite keen that day and fresh. She took a long time to settle, and the rider was under instructions to find cover and settle her. Off the back of that, she came into the straight and hit a bit of a flat spot but then finished her race really well. She had the (second) best sectionals in the straight, and that was after having pulled early, so she’s a very genuine filly.”

Cankoura’s chances in the New York

Cankoura should fit stateside conditions, considering that her most significant pieces of form have come on quicker ground. Those same efforts have also come at 1 1/4 miles or so, racing right-handed. Shaving off a sixteenth of a mile wouldn’t mean a great deal if she secures early position, but it could matter if she’s anchored farther back and deployed late. 

“She breaks well and will be suited by a faster pace,” Routh said.

Routh offered insight into why the team has brought over jockey Clement Lecoeuvre, rather than line up a U.S. rider. The Aga Khan Studs’ number one jockey, Mickael Barzalona, will be at Epsom on Saturday to guide Calandagan in the Coronation Cup (G1). 

“Clement and Mickael do all the work for us in the mornings, so Clement knows our horses very well. We considered taking a local jockey who doesn’t know our fillies, but knows the track and style of racing, but decided to stick with a rider who knows our fillies and knows how they are. 

“He has ridden in America before, just not at Saratoga, and he’s a very good jockey who completely fits with our style of training, and he’s very serious and will study the race. He has deputized quite a lot and quite often when taking the second ride has finished in front of the first.”

The French Oaks itself is a case in point. Lecoeuvre, who rode Cankoura to her maiden win, reunited with her in the fillies’ classic when Barzalona logically sided with Mandanaba. Cankoura outfinished her favored stablemate.