Enable wins second King George in battle for ages
It was a battle that will go down in the history books but in the end, Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) got the best of Crystal Ocean (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and came out the winner in her second G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes.
The 5-year-old mare was trapped wide in mid-pack as Norway (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) set the pace up front ahead of two of his Ballydoyle stablemates. Enable had dropped back to the back of the field as Frankie Dettori tried to give his mount some cover in the 2200m as Norway set a strong pace up front.
With 600 metres left to run, Norway started weakening as Crystal Ocean and Enable began to make their runs, striking the front quickly. It was then that the pair started to battle in one that won’t soon leave people’s memories with little separating them in the final 400 metres.
Enable always had a slight advantage but Crystal Ocean wasn’t ready to bow out, continuously coming back at the Champion mare throughout the battle. At the line, Enable had her biggest margin of the dual when finishing a neck in front of Crystal Ocean with Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) in third. Believe’N’Succeed (Exceed and Excel) son Anthony Van Dyck (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) finished 10th with Aidan O’Brien citing unsuitable ground for his performance.
Dettori was quick to admit that the battle was a tough one for his ninth Group 1 victory since late May but gave full credit to his mount.
“That was the hardest-fought race I’ve ridden in during my career,” Dettori told Thoroughbred Daily News. “I haven’t slept for a day and I’m absolutely exhausted, physically and emotionally. She really surprised me today with her will-to-win and courage and she is an amazing horse in every way. I don’t know what to say, I love her.”
Enable is now headed to York in late August though it isn’t yet decided if she will try to win a second G1 Darley Yorkshire Oaks or run in her owner-breeder’s sponsored G1 Juddmonte International.
Imperial Hint breaks track record in second Alfred G. Vanderbilt win
Making his first start since finishing third in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen in late March, Imperial Hint (USA) (Imperialism {USA}) was an impressive winner in the G1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap at Saratoga when breaking the track record for 1200m.
Imperial Hint sat just behind the leading duo of Mitole (USA) (Eskendereya {USA}) and Strike Power (USA) (Speightstown (USA}), who set a hot pace as they dueled for the lead. As the pair faltered at the 400 metre mark, Imperial Hint looked like a fresh horse as he flew past the leaders. While it looked like he may have a challenge with about 300 metres left to go, he shrugged off the rest of the field and raced to a four length victory in 1:07.92 ahead of Lookin At Lucky’s (USA) (Diamond Oops {USA}).
"He's an amazing horse," said jockey Javier Castellano. "He did it again. It's very impressive. He did this last year in the same race. It's unbelievable. He's a very good horse and I always have a lot of confidence in him. He's a little horse with a big heart. He's not a huge horse, but he has a lot of talent.
"I knew they were going pretty quick early in the first part of the race. I had a perfect position in the race tracking them. Turning for home, the way he did it was very impressive. He wanted to go. He was feeling good and gave me everything he had today."
It’s the second Vanderbilt victory for Imperial Hint, who won the race by 3 ¾ lengths last year before going on to win the G1 Vosburgh Stakes that Autumn before finishing third in the G1 TwinSpires Turf Breeders’ Cup Sprint.
Cistron wins Group 1 for The Factor
Cistron (USA) (The Factor {USA}) became The Factor’s second Grade 1 winner on Saturday at Del Mar when he won the G1 Bing Crosby Stakes over 1200 metres.
Cistron jumped well from the barriers and went straight to the lead with two horses close behind. As the field turned into the straight, Desert Law (USA) (Desert Code {USA}) was his only challenger and continued to battle to the wire. While Desert Law pushed him all the way, Cistron refused to give in and won by half a length with Jalen Journey (USA) (With Distinction {USA}) 2 ¾ lengths back in third.
“We were comfortable up there. He was running well on the lead,” jockey Victor Espinoza said. “I wanted to save something for the stretch and I was able to. I didn’t get a lot of pressure up front and that helped. At the finish I still had lots of horse. He’s an amazing horse.
The win was a special one for the Triple Crown-winning Espinoza, who suffered a serious injury at Del Mar a year ago just a few days before the race.
“I was thinking about that today,” he said. “Life is interesting, isn’t it? How things happen; how they unfold. One thing I learned early in my career, you don’t give up. You don’t ever give up. And when I win a race, I enjoy it so much. Each win is special.”
A five-year-old, Cistron won his first Graded stakes in April and has five top three finishes from six runs this year. He is one of five winners from five runners out of Major Allie (USA) (Officer {USA}) and the mare’s only stakes winner. The Factor shuttled to Newgate Farm from 2014 to 2017 and has 36 winners from his first two Australian crops.
Tax prevails in Jim Dandy
In a competitive edition of the G2 Jim Dandy, it was G1 Belmont Stakes fourth place finisher Tax (USA) (Arch {USA}) who outlasted the competition to win the 1800 metre race.
Taking the early lead, Tax led around the first turn before G1 Preakness Stakes winner War Of Will (USA) (War Front {USA}) flew past him down the backstretch and settled on the lead a few lengths ahead of the field. Entering the far turn, War Of Will started tiring as Tax joined him mid-turn before taking the lead at the top of the straight. War Of Will refused to give up until the final 200 metres when Tax was joined by race favourite Tacitus (USA) (Tapit {USA}), who was rebounding after a bad stumble at the start.
It was a tough battle between Tax and Tacitus until the final 50 metres when Tax started pulling away to give jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. a three-quarter length win over his brother Jose on Tacitus. Global Campaign (USA) (Curlin {USA}) finished third 3 ¾ lengths behind the pair with War Of Will settling for fifth behind Laughing Fox (USA) (Union Rags {USA}) after setting the pace.
After the victory, trainer Danny Gargan said the gelding will likely head to the August 24 G1 Travers Stakes over the same track if everything goes according to plan.
"[It] is the goal, so hopefully if he comes out of this well, we're in the Travers," he said. "I think he likes this track and he likes it here, so that's something we're pushing towards and hoping we make. It's a wide-open division, he was unfortunate a couple of times. The Derby was a throw-out race because of the way the break went and the way the track was. If you take the Derby out, he's run as good as anyone all year. With the right trip and the right situation, he can be right there."
One of three winners from his Giant’s Causeway (USA) dam Toll (USA), Tax is from a half-sister to the dam of Medaglia d’Oro’s (USA) Grade 1 winning daughter Elate (USA) and from the family of former shuttle stallion Congrats (USA) (A.P. Indy {USA}).
Night Of Thunder Gets First Stakes Winner With Under the Stars
Former Darley Australia shuttle stallion Night of Thunder (Ire) registered his first stakes winner from his first crop on Saturday when 2-year-old Under The Stars (Ire) took out the G3 Princess Margaret Keeneland Stakes at Ascot.
Running over 1200 metres down the straight, the filly was at the back of the field after a tardy break but stayed in touch with the field. With 400 metres left to run, P J McDonald swung his mount out from behind the pack and she made a big run to catch the leader in the final 100 metres. Under The Stars was able to pull away by half-length at the line over Aroha (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) with Living In The Past (Ire) (Bungle Inthejungle {GB}) a head behind her in third.
The fourth foal from her winning dam, Under The Stars is one of 13 winners for her sire, who shuttled to Australia in 2016 where he covered 96 mares.
