Pandora’s Gift Eyes Further American Ventures After Narrow Defeat in Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes

Pandora’s Gift may be gearing up for more American adventures following a close second-place finish in the Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes last weekend. Trained by Stuart Williams, the three-year-old Churchill filly made the journey to Erie, Pennsylvania, after a commendable third-place finish in the Group Three Ballyogan Stakes at Naas in late August.

Having previously triumphed in three all-weather races this year, including the Listed Chelmer Fillies' Stakes, Pandora’s Gift was well-prepared for the synthetic surface at Presque Isle Downs. Under the guidance of jockey Ben Curtis, she took the lead after the turn for home but was narrowly beaten at the wire by the fast-finishing Roses For Debra.

So proud of Pandora's Gift she's run a fantastic race after a tough trip in a race where they broke the track record Big 👏 to my team & all the people who have made this trip possible for us @LorenzoAtzori2 luck Greer shipping Kelly & Pete FairHill @AdrianBeaumont @_benacurtis pic.twitter.com/VBvbpiuHuT

— Stuart Williams (@WilliamsStuart) September 21, 2024

Despite the heartbreaking loss, Williams expressed pride in her performance. "I was delighted with the way that she ran; I thought it was a really brave effort," he said. "A couple of things didn't quite go how we anticipated throughout the race, but we were still really pleased with her. The winner broke the track record, and we were only a neck behind her."

Looking ahead, Williams indicated that there are several races in the pipeline, contingent on how Pandora’s Gift recovers from her latest exertions. "We have a couple of races we could aim for out there. We'll see how she is in the next few days and how she trains," he noted. "The prize money is significantly better than what she could earn here, and the ground conditions have turned against her. She wants fast ground, which was the plan for going to America—to get her on a quick surface."

With further opportunities at Keeneland and Aqueduct on the table, fans of Pandora’s Gift will be eager to see what lies ahead for this talented filly.