Oct. 16 (UPI) — The Godolphin empire flexed its muscles in the U. S. in weekend races, winning 3 top-tier grass-court classics at Keeneland and Aqueduct for two trainers.
On the world stage, City of Troy won the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday in such impressive fashion that co-owner Michael Tabor compared Frankel. Oh, really.
Count your regular flyer miles on Emirates Airline and you’re good to go.
Godolphin split his hollow cards in Saturday’s race for 3-year-old fillies and won with both hands. Trainer Saeed bin Suroor led Mawj to victory in the $600,000 Queen Elizabeth II Category I Cup at Keeneland and Charlie Appleby’s filly Eternal Hope arrived here. of the speed to win the $200,000 Sands Point Category II Cup at Aqueduct.
Mawj arrived in Keeneland after a break of almost eight months and with just two wins in a round in Dubai in his 2023 record. It looked very new in the early stages of QE II, taking jockey Oisin Murphy straight into the lead and setting up some quick early fractions.
He continued straight forward, turning into the stage ahead, then handling Lindy’s lag by offering to gain to the middle of the length. Mission of Joy finished third. Mawj, via Exceed and Excel and mare Modern Ideals, by New Approach, finished in 1:48. 06.
Bin Suroor, who earned his 500th win in the organization, said it was still to be decided whether Mawj would make it to the Breeders’ Cup Mile or Filly.
“He felt it again,” Murphy said of Mawj. We did some pretty fast sections in the first part of the race, but she’s a superstar filly. He discovered many of them. He has a wonderful center and a wonderful mind. “
At Aqueduct, jockey Jamie Spencer was content to let Eternal Hope set the initial speed, complex between the horses before the segment and battled to the rope with Neecie Marie, winning on the one-length part. Highland Grade was third.
Eternal Hope, a Teofilo filly from the Dubawi mare Voice of Truth, 1 1/8 miles on turf with a performance of 1:53. 56.
It was the second U. S. victory for Eternal Hope, following the Jockey Club Oaks Level III at the same field on Sept. 16. Neecie Marie also finished in second place, only the winner.
Saturday’s victories build on the good luck of Friday’s Godolphin Raid in Keeneland. In this one, Appleby and Spencer combined for Bold Act to win the $300,000 Grade III Sycamore Stakes in 1 1/2 miles.
New Approach’s gelding missed the start for a while and got stuck on the horses’ railing for the first 1 1/4 miles. But Spencer rode it for luck, they gave it to him and he fought his way through his rivals to win. 3/4 duration on the lead cellist.
Appleby said before he and Spenser headed to Aqueduct that Bold Act would likely focus on the big winter races in Dubai, with the Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic being the main focus.
2020 men’s grass champion Channel Maker finished second-to-last out of 12 at Sycamore and co-owner Adam Wachtel said after the race that the 9-year-old, who has competed in seven Breeders’ Cup races, has been retired. . .
Tony Ann and Caravel, the Breeders’ Cup defending champion, walked straight through the house as a team in Sunday’s $350,000 Grade II Franklin Stakes at Keeneland, with Tony Ann getting the green light on his much-loved rival’s neck. Train for Artemus to overtake leader Twigentle Gleaming for 3rd place.
Tony Ann, a 5-year-old Cairo Prince mare trained by Phil D’Amato, ran 1,400 meters on smart turf in 1:02. 42 with Flavien Prat leading the way. For Tony Ann, it’s his fifth win in 10 starts, but the first in a high-stakes race. Caravel won six-step bets, adding Franklin last year.
Saturday’s $125,000 Floral Park Stakes emerged from the grass of the Aqueduct on the neglected main course, with Scottish Star rallying to score 1 1/2 lengths safely. Scottish Star, a 6-year-old Argentinian mare, ran 1,800 meters in 1:11. 29 with Kendrick Carmouche for master Todd Pletcher.
Millie Girl, a 5-year-old Hard Spun mare trained by Catherine Day Phillips, ran 1 1/16 miles on grass in 1:41. 96 for jockey Rafael Hernandez.
Three-time Grade I winner Echo Zulu, a top contender for the Breeders’ Cup or Dirt Mile sprint race, interrupted an educational consultation Friday morning at Santa Anita, fracturing his sesameums.
His contacts reported that Saturday’s surgery was successful, but that the next few weeks will be for his survival.
The Steve Asmussen-trained Gun Runner filly has wins in 11 starts. She won the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies and finished second in the filly.
Spun Glass was late to win Saturday’s $150,000 (Canadian) Ontario Fashion Stakes by a half-length ahead of compatriot Awesome Treat, heavy favorite, Our Flash Drive, finishing seventh.
Spun Glass, a visiting mare from Maryland’s Hard Spun for master Michael Trombetta, ran 1,800 yards in the all-weather field in 1:08. 64 with Luis Contreras in irons.
My Boy Prince is too smart for 8 rivals in Saturday’s $250,000 (Canadian) Cup and Saucer Stakes at Woodbine. Favorite colt Cairo Prince led from start to finish and won by 1 1/4 lengths.
Sahin Civaci ran for coach Mark Casse and owner Gary Barber, completing 1 1/16 miles on smart turf with a record time of 1:43. 30. The race, reserved for Canadian foals, is an indicator of the following year’s King’s Plate.
My Boy Prince has 3 wins, two in the all-weather course and two seconds, adding the Grade I Summer Stakes on grass. He is a logical candidate for year-end honours and, depending on the surface selection of his connections, may also be in the mix for the 2024 King’s Plate.
Odds favorite Copper Tax took an early lead in Saturday’s $100,000 Rocky Run Stakes at Delaware Park and went berserk in the heat to win by 6 3/4 lengths. Thedingoateyobathrough, with a ghastly name, finished second.
On Sunday, at the Woodbine all-weather course, Tripolina overcame a hole in the back of the box to win the $125,000 Display Stakes (Canadian) by 2 3/4 lengths with Two Ghosts.
Tripolina, a Constitution filly trained by Kevin Attard, ran 2,000 meters in 1:21. 81 with Kazushi Kimura in irons, beating her male rivals.
Tripolina was eliminated from Sunday’s $125,000 Glorious Song Stakes under the same conditions, but reserved for fillies. That race then went to A Little Frisky, a daughter of Army Mule, who had to finish in the bottom 8 after a slow start. With Ryan Munger on the kip, he came home in 1:21. 87.
Candy Aisle bounced back smartly in second-to-last place to win Saturday’s $75,000 Manzano Stakes at Albuquerque, pulling away on the final 180-degree turn to win by four and 1/4 lengths.
Candy Aisle is a filly by Gun Runner bred in Kentucky from the mare by Street Cry, Rosalie Road. Felipe Valdez rode for Master Todd Fincher. She finished last in her only previous start, Aug. 6 at Del Mar, when she ran on green.
The discussions also go beyond Blarney, as the colt Justify, bred through a Galileo mare, is now 3 out of 3 and hasn’t figured out anything to do with him. Coach Aidan O’Brien told Dewhurst City that Troy is a “very unusual” colt who never gets tired.
“He’s our Frankel,” said Tabor, one of Coolmore’s “guys,” according to the Racing Post. That’s how we feel now. Maybe every once in a while we’ll have an egg on our face, but I like to communicate before the occasion and I think this horse can be anything. “
Tabor and O’Brien are no strangers to enthusiasm, and even hyperbole. Jockey Ryan Moore, much more reserved, got less carried away.
“It’s a silly comparison and this horse has a long way to go,” Moore said of the Frankel comparison. “But he’s exciting right now and what he’s done so far has inspired me. He’s a very rare horse, I think. “
Ylang Ylang claimed a half-length win over favourites Shuwari in Friday’s bet365 Fillies Mile Group 1 at Newmarket – a score more impressive than the raw numbers suggest.
As the two closed in on the leader near the 2,000-meter marker, Shuwari slid into Ylang Ylang’s path, forcing jockey Ryan Moore to adjust his trajectory and restore his filly’s attention. Notice that the Fire took advantage of this to take a brief lead yet. He settled for 3rd place, between his two rivals.
Ylang Ylang, a Frankel filly representing the ‘boys’ at Coolmore, earned her third win while in her third position in Group 2 Rockfel Stakes in her previous outing. “She’s a very exciting filly for next year,” said Racing Post teacher Aidan. O’Brien. ” I’d say she’s a classic filly. “
Godolphin added to their weekend bonus with 3 wins on Saturday at Newmarket, led by Highland Avenue in the Group 3 Darley Stakes. Highland Avenue got off to a late start, winning by four lengths after 1 1/8 miles.
The 5-year-old Dubawi gelding, led by William Buick, had made 10 starts in two-and-a-half years of winning.
It’s their fourth straight win in Grade 1 and the position in contention for the honors of the 3-year-old fillies, who will accompany last year’s junior filly crown. The filly Duramente has only had 3 starts this year, with no time out of the gates of the Triple Crown.
Her 6-length dominance over freshman Yushun Himba or Japanese Oaks was a resounding victory and Sunday’s one-length score over a past Masked Diva is more professional though still impressive.
“I’m grateful to have won the Triple Crown,” said winning jockey Yuga Kawada, who is also in a tight war for the Japanese riders’ championship with Christophe Lemaire.
“He’s a horse with wonderful ability, so I gave him the most sensible priority to let her run comfortably and find a smart way for her. I made sure his win when we had an open area in turn three.
“He has a wonderful future and his long-term dreams are very open. But first, I’d like to congratulate her on getting the Triple Crown. “
Saturday’s Everest, valued at A$20 million, will be a true sprint, with the most productive sprinters Australia has to offer chasing the most grass-court races in the world.
The son of So You Think earned his victory in 12 starts with Sam Clipperton in shackles.
“I thought I had too much equipment, they wouldn’t beat it,” Clipperton said. “I still couldn’t say it out loud, that’s how I felt and he just proved me right. “
It was a rare weekend for Godolphin, as his 3-year-old son, Cylindre, had every chance at the end of the race but dropped to finish fifth.
On the map below, Fangirl dominated Group I King Charles II Stakes, winning by 2 3/4 lengths over the favorite, M. Brightside.
This is the first edition of the event, formerly the George Main Stakes, under the nickname of the new British monarch.
And in Caulfield, Alligator Blood won by 2 lengths in Group 1, Neds Might and Power Stakes, while Griff beat Neds Caulfield Guineas in Group 1 by 2 lengths from Vow and Declare.
California Spangle benefited from a better run through Hugh Bowman to win the Group 2 Sha Tin Trophy Handicap on Sunday, laying the groundwork for a Group 1 title defence at the Hong Kong Mile on December 10.
California Spangle is the first horse to win back-to-back Sha Tin Trophy races since 2017 and 2018, when Beauty Generation achieved the feat.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club eased its regulations on riders’ travel elsewhere during the season and Bowman was in his home Australia on Saturday, where he was suspended for 3 days for reckless driving.
This is in addition to a two-day ban imposed on him on Oct. 14 in Happy Valley.
However, California Spangle teacher Tony Cruz gave a vote of confidence to the cyclist, who replaced Zac Purton after the latter opted to sign up for Beauty Eternal.
“He’s been the star horse on my team,” Cruz said of California Spangle. “He’s the only star horse on my team right now. And Hugh Bowman will ride him in the races to come. “