Australian-bred stakes winner at Saratoga

Oleksandra, an Australian-bred son of former Arrowfield shuttle stallion Animal Kingdom (USA), scored a black-type victory during the prestigious Saratoga summer race meeting on Saturday.

Ridden by Joel Rosario for trainer Neil Drysdale, the five-year-old mare made a slow start in the Listed Smart N Fancy S., but produced a strong kick in the straight to win the sprint feature by a length.

It was Oleksandra’s fifth win from 11 career starts, her first at stakes level, and boosted her career earnings past US$240,000.

Oleksandra was bred by Team Valor Pty Ltd in New South Wales, and she races in their distinctive green and red colours, which were carried by Animal Kingdom himself in his Kentucky Derby and Dubai World Cup wins.

Oleksandra is out of Alexandra Rose (SA) (Caesour {USA}), who won the G2 Golden Slipper at Greyville and the G3 Monrovia H. at Santa Anita.

The Smart N Fancy S. was the first leg of a black-type double at Saratoga on Saturday for Animal Kingdom, who also sired the G2 Lake Placid S. winner Varenka (USA).

Medaglia d’Oro sires Grade 1 double

Darley stallion Medaglia d’Oro (USA) sired a Grade 1 double at Del Mar on Saturday.

His first elite winner was Cambier Parc (USA), who stormed home from the back to win the G1 Del Mar Oaks. It was her fourth win from seven starts, and her third at stakes level.

In the very next race, Higher Power (USA) exploded away from his rivals in the straight to win the prestigious G1 Pacific Classic by five and a quarter lengths. The four-year-old entire has now had 12 starts for five wins.

Medaglia d’Oro, who shuttled to Australia from 2010 to 2017, has sired a total of 1312 winners from 1900 runners worldwide. There have been 133 individual stakes winners, with 23 at Group or Grade 1 level.

Medaglia d’Oro’s sons at stud in Australia include Astern, Nostradamus, Vancouver and newcomer Bolt d’Oro (USA).

He also made an impact in New Zealand earlier this year with the G1 New Zealand Derby victory of his son Crown Prosecutor.

Dunbar Road stars in Alabama

Three months after just missing a start in the Kentucky Oaks, Dunbar Road (USA) (Quality Road {USA}) made up for it with an emphatic victory in Saturday’s G1 Alabama S. at Saratoga.

Ridden by Jose Ortiz, she powered clear and won by two and three-quarter lengths, the fourth victory of her five-start career.

“It's very special to win our first Alabama,” trainer Chad Brown said. “The Alabama and the Travers are the two biggest races here, and to win one of them is very special.”

Street Boss filly wins Catch A Glimpse

After winning a maiden race by 14 lengths last month, Fair Maiden (USA) (Street Boss {USA}) stepped up to stakes class and won Saturday’s Catch A Glimpse S. at Woodbine.

Trained by Eoin Harty and ridden by Emma-Jayne Wilson, Fair Maiden streaked to victory by seven and a half lengths. She has now had three starts for two wins and a second placing.

Fair Maiden’s sire Street Boss will stand for $27,500 at Darley’s Northwood Park in Victoria this spring.

Group 2 win for Showcasing filly

Tropbeau (GB) claimed a second black-type victory with a strong performance in the G2 Prix Du Calvados at Deauville.

A last-start winner of the G3 Prix Six Perfections over the same course and seven-furlong (1400m) distance, she delivered a repeat result in the hands of jockey Mickael Barzalona. Tropbeau has now had four starts for three wins.

“She’s a really hardy filly and keeps improving with every run,” said Hugo Lascelles, representative of owner Lady Bamford.

“She’s had four quick races since being bought at the Arqana May breeze up sale, and that speaks volumes about her quality.

“Mickael Barzalona is convinced she’ll stay further, and her trainer thinks she is a possible Guineas filly for next year.”

Showcasing shuttled to Haunui Farm in New Zealand for seven seasons, siring 157 winners from 274 Southern Hemisphere runners including 18 at stakes level.

His overall total is 366 winners from 642 runners, with 38 stakes winners headed by Group 1 winners Advertise (GB) and Quiet Reflection (GB).

Sea the Stars filly wins Nonette

Terebellum (Ire), a daughter of quality stallion Sea the Stars (Ire), won Deauville’s G2 Shadwell Prix de la Nonette in just the third start of her career.

The three-year-old filly had won by four and a half lengths on debut, but was undone by underfoot conditions in the Listed Abingdon S. in June. She rebounded in style on Saturday and scored by a length and three-quarters.

“She’s a very nice filly, who we bought here at Arqana as a yearling, and I’m not surprised she won,” trainer John Gosden said.

“Frankie (Dettori) was very impressed with her when she won first time out, but she got bogged down in very heavy ground at Newbury.

“The ground was okay for her today and she travelled well through it. She’s a filly we’ll see again in the race like the G1 Prix de l’Opera at Longchamp (October 6).”

Glorious Journey takes Hungerford

Blue-blooded Glorious Journey (GB), by Dubawi (Ire) out of a Group 1-winning mare, earned a shot at next month’s G1 Prix de la Foret at Longchamp with victory in the G2 Hungerford S. at Newbury.

A last-start eighth behind Ten Sovereigns (Ire) (No Nay Never {USA}) in the G1 July Cup, the four-year-old gelding tracked the early pace before taking over in the straight. He responded strongly when challenged, holding on by half a length.

Glorious Journey was ridden by James Doyle for trainer Charlie Appleby.

“We thought quite a bit of him as a 2-year-old and he has got a fantastic pedigree, but we just lost him a little bit,” Doyle said. “I think dropping back in trip was Charlie’s idea, and it has been the making of him.”

Aga Khan filly bounces back

Carrying the colours of His Highness the Aga Khan, Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal {USA}) bounced back from a failure in the Epsom Oaks to win the G3 Give Thanks S. at Cork.

The Dermot Weld-trained filly cruised to the lead in the last two furlongs (400m) and appeared to be idling en route to victory by two and a half lengths.

Tarnawa has now won three of her eight starts, two of them at Group 3 level, having also won the Blue Wind S. at Naas.

“She is very consistent and has now won a second Group race, and I think she is getting better,” Weld said. “She had a busy spring, is tough and had a nice break since the Oaks.

“I was disappointed at Epsom, the ground might have been a little bit quick for her, but she did not come down the hill at Epsom. Horses either do or don’t handle the track.”

St Leger target for Mastercraftsman 3-year-old

The G1 St Leger at Doncaster on September 14 is the target for Technician (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), who showed abundant stamina to win the G3 Geoffrey Freer S. at Newbury.

Technician wore down the favourite Morando (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) in the closing stages to win by three-quarters of a length. It was his first Group win, and he is now the winner of three of his seven starts.

“We will have to talk to everybody, but the St Leger has been on our radar for a while,” said Freddie Meade, assistant trainer to his father Martyn. “I think the extra trip and the ground, the way it could be at Doncaster, might make it a logical step.”