Omaha returns in style
Omaha Beach (USA) (War Front {USA}), last seen taking the G1 Arkansas Derby in April before an entrapped epiglottis and subsequent surgery knocked him out of the G1 Kentucky Derby, returned to take the G1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship. By doing so he reasserted his claim to the title of most talented horse in training in America as he reeled in the brilliantly fast Shancealot (USA) (Shanghai Bobby {USA}) over a trip far short of his best.
Traveling nicely at the top of the stretch beneath Hall of Famer Mike Smith, Omaha Beach shot through an inviting opening along the inside in the lane and gamely nosed out Shancelot on the line. “He’s a throwback to those classic horses,” Smith said.
“He can do anything. Three quarters to a mile and a quarter. He’s extremely fast and he’s got tremendous stamina. When you need him to be quick, he is. He can do it all. The only thing that surprised me today was that I had to stay inside. His last work was his best one, no question. Today, he hit his best stride late.”
Spendthrift Farm acquired Omaha Beach's breeding rights earlier this year.
Uni does it again
Uni (GB) (More Than Ready {USA}), the 3-1 second choice to her stablemate Rushing Fall (USA) (More Than Ready {USA}), stopped the clock in 1:32.87 to win Saturday’s G1 First Lady S. at Keeneland, easily eclipsing the previous track record.
“It’s another addition to her tremendous career as a miler,” said winning jockey Joel Rosario. “She’s real solid when she’s put at this distance and she’s gone to multiple tracks and has shown that kick.”
Uni is one of 24 worldwide Group 1 winners for the outstanding shuttler More Than Ready (USA), who stands at Vinery Stud Stud again this season.
Momentous day for Walsh
Godolphin homebred Maxfield (USA) (Street Sense {USA}) provided Brendan Walsh with his first Grade 1 winner in Saturday’s Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity. The victory earned the bay colt an expenses-paid berth into the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita on November 2.
“I’ve been around a lot of good horses, and good horses breathe different air,” said Walsh. “I always knew (winning my first Group 1 race) would be special but to win it here for [Godolphin] it’s extra special. Fantastic. Indescribable.”
Maxfield is the 65th black-type winner, 31st graded winner and 11th Group 1 winner for Street Sense (USA), himself a wide-trip third in the 2006 Breeders’ Futurity en route to a 15-1 upset in the Juvenile. He is the fourth new Group 1 winner out of a daughter of Bernardini (USA) in 2019 (Serengeti Empress {USA}), Hunter O’Riley (USA), Dunbar Road and Angel of Truth.
WinStar's Constitution on fire
Tiz the Law (USA) (Constitution {USA}) posted a head-turning romp for his first season sire in Saturday’s G1 Champagne S. at Belmont Park.
Despite the Champagne carrying an automatic berth to next month’s G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, the winning connections said it was unlikely that Tiz the Law would show up at Santa Anita. “I don’t think so,” trainer Barclay Tagg said. “It’s a little bit close and it’s a long way away. We can always go to California another year, but we can only go to the Kentucky Derby one year."
Second on the first season sires list by earnings, Constitution (USA) is having the kind of year stallion managers dream of with three graded stakes winners in his first crop, the most among his class to date. Tiz the Law marked Constitution’s first career Group I winner and the young sire nearly made it two in the span of about 10 minutes when Gouverneur Morris (USA) finished second in the G1 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity.
Group 1 for Artie Schiller's son
Bowie’s Hero (USA) (Artie Schiller {USA}) emerged victorious in the G1 Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland on Saturday. “We’ve always had the confidence in this horse. He’s had some tough trips," said assistant trainer Josh Flores. "Today Flavien [Prat] was able to put him in the right spot and he was able to fly home.”
Frankel's Anapurna prevails
It was almost inevitable that the inaugural running of the Qatar Prix de Royallieu as a Group 1 contest over 14 furlongs would fall to John Gosden and it was Frankie Dettori who ensured that result when making virtually all on Anapurna (GB) (Frankel {GB}).
There was a lengthy stewards’ inquiry into interference caused by the winner late on, but the result was left to stand.
“She saw the trip out well, is very tough and is clearly a very talented filly,” Dettori said. “This win was my 17th Group 1 success of the season, which is a personal best and I’m very happy.”
“There are a number of possibilities for her before the end of the season and she might stay in training next year,” added assistant trainer Thady Gosden . “It’s up to the owners if she runs again, but there is the [October 19 G1 QIPCO British Champions] Fillies & Mares at Ascot and possibly the Breeders’ Cup, we’ll see."
The Gosden-trained Enbihaar (Ire) (Redoute's Choice) finished third.
Brook back to her best
She had been 66-1 when winning the G1 1000 Guineas on Newmarket’s Rowley Mile last May and the ever-underestimated Billesdon Brook (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) came back to the Heath as underdog again on Saturday before capturing Saturday’s G1 Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot S. with a degree of authority.
“She’s a very special filly in the yard and she never looked like getting beaten today,” trainer Richard Hannon said. “She looks great and I thought she would run very well. The staff at the yard have done a great job and this looked a really hot renewal. I don’t know if she’ll stay in training but if you keep Classic winners in training it’s what racing needs.”
Holdthasigreen takes the Cadran
Making all in the testing ground prevalent at ParisLongchamp, Holdthasigreen (Fr) (Hold That Tiger {USA}) reversed last year’s placings in the G1 Qatar Prix du Cadran with Call the Wind (GB) (Frankel {GB}) for a popular success.
Afterwards, part-owner and former trainer Claude Le Lay outlined the battle that the 7-year-old had to endure to get back to this peak. “He had run two moderate races, which can happen, but two below-par efforts in a row is not him at all,” he explained.
“We ran some blood tests on him and the results came back bad, showing a severe blood disorder so we put him under treatment. We knew he was coming back in great form, but you can never be confident they will be fit enough after three months off. He definitely had his ground for the first time in a very long time."
