Almond Eye returns a dominant winner
Star Japanese mare Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) has powered to a seventh Group 1 win with an effortless victory in the G1 Victoria Mile at Tokyo.
Having her first start since being well-beaten in the G1 Arima Kinen, Almond Eye was back to her brilliant best, with Christophe Lemaire settling her closer to the pace than expected and unleashing her famous sprint halfway down the straight.
She opened her winning margin more with each stride and won by over 4l, with Lemaire having barely asked her for an effort.
Almond Eye defeated Sound Chiara (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), with defending champion Normcore (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) in third.
The other stakes race on the Tokyo card, the Listed Ritto S. was taken out by Success Energy (Jpn), who is by Australian-bred stallion Kinshasa No Kiseki.
Preakness rescheduled for October 3
On the day the Preakness S. was originally set to be run, it was announced during Saturday’s NBC broadcast of American Pharoah’s (USA) Preakness win that the rescheduled Preakness S. will be held on October 3 at Pimlico Race Course, the first time it will be held in the Fall.
The race will also be bucking recent tradition even more this year when held four weeks after the Kentucky Derby instead of its traditional two weeks. However, the Preakness has held various dates on the late Spring calendar throughout its 145 year history with the race run only four days after the Kentucky Derby the year Sir Barton won the first Triple Crown in 1919.
“Under normal circumstances, I would have stood today at Pimlico Race Course with Ms. Stronach to present the Woodlawn Vase to the winner of the 145th Preakness S.” said Governor Larry Hogan when announcing the new date on NBC. “But, as we all know, these are not ordinary circumstances. I am delighted that we were successful in working with 1/ST, the Maryland Jockey Club and all who are connected to Maryland’s Thoroughbred racing industry to set the new date of October 3".
In a year that has seen all three Triple Crown races have to be rescheduled, a date still has not been announced for the Belmont S. With racing set to get back underway in New York on June 1, it is expected the rescheduled date of that race will be announced shortly.
New York racing to return June 1
During his Saturday afternoon briefing, New York governor Andrew Cuomo announced that racing in the state can resume on June 1, two and a half months after the tracks ceased racing in mid-March.
As is the case around the country – and around the world – New York tracks will race without spectators for the foreseeable future and has a comprehensive safety plan to ensure racing continues safely.
"NYRA and the New York racing community are thankful for Governor Cuomo's steady leadership throughout this public health crisis and we applaud his decision to authorise the resumption of horse racing, without fans, beginning on June 1," said Dave O'Rourke, NYRA’s president and CEO. "This is a reasoned and responsible decision by Governor Cuomo that will enable horse racing to resume in a way that prioritises health and safety while recognising that NYRA is the cornerstone of an industry responsible for 19,000 jobs and US$3 billion in annual economic impact.”
NYRA’s Belmont Park was scheduled to hold the Belmont S. on June 6 before COVID-19 caused most tracks in North America to shut down. O’Rourke has said that a schedule of race dates and a stakes schedule – including the date of this year’s Belmont S. – will be released shortly.
Champion Monomoy Girl returns a winner
Opening day of this year’s Churchill Downs meet saw the return of a fan favourite to the winner’s circle when Monomoy Girl (USA) (Tapizar {USA}) bolted home in her first race since winning the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Distaff.
The 2018 Eclipse Champion 3-Year-Old Filly had been sidelined with a variety of issues over the past 18 months but trainer Brad Cox had her ready to go for her 5-year-old debut. Running over 1600 metres with regular jockey Florent Geroux aboard, the mare bided her time in the middle of a tightly packed field and looked eager to run whenever Geroux asked.
That came with 400 metres to ask as Geroux moved her to the outside of the pack and she quickly took over the lead at the 300 metre mark. Monomoy Girl started to tire in the final 150 metres but still had more than enough energy to hold off second placed Red Dane (Ity) (Red Rocks {Ire}) by 2.75l at the line.
“I was pretty confident when she came off the turn," Cox said. "It seemed like everybody behind was under a full drive and she seemed like she had something left. It’s a very positive race off the layoff, she was able to sit in behind some horses, broke well, (and ran a) very positive race.”
A half-sister to Cox’s Grade 2 Risen Star winner Mr. Monomoy (USA) (Palace Malice {USA}), Monomoy Girl won five Grade 1s in 2018 including the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks. She is out of Drumette (USA) (Henny Hughes {USA}), a half-sister to Grade 3 winning Drum Major (USA) (Dynaformer {USA}), who sold for US$1.85 million at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton November Sale just four years after bringing US$75,000 at the Keeneland November Sale.
