O’Brien horses scratched from Arc day card

In a major blow to Sunday’s Longchamp card, all horses trained by Aidan, Joseph, and Donnacha O’Brien have been scratched from the races.

The news comes after trainers were informed their feed from GAIN could be contaminated with an illegal substance. Upon testing, Ballydoyle found theirs to be among the contaminated batch.

“Unfortunately the results of the urine samples taken from the horses yesterday have come back positive from the French laboratory,” the Ballydoyle Twitter account tweeted Saturday night. “There is a possibility that the contaminant may have left their system by the time of racing tomorrow however we have no guarantee of this and in order to protect the integrity of racing we have decided to withdraw all our horses from racing tomorrow. Joseph and Donnacha O’Brien will do likewise.”

Among those being scratched are Aidan O’Brien’s four Arc contenders Japan (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), Mogul (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), Sovereign (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Serpentine (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

Uni doubles up in First Lady

More Than Ready’s (USA) G1 Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Uni (GB) followed a similar path to 2019 on Saturday with a victory in the G1 First Lady S. at Keeneland over 1600 metres.

Racing over 5l behind the leader in the first stage, Uni closed the gap in the stretch to prevail by 1l over Sir Prancealot’s (Ire) Beau Recall (Ire) with Newspaperofrecord (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) in third.

“I’m just so happy,” said co-owner Sol Kumn. “This year was tough. When you bring these horses back at this age, you sort of question yourself, ‘did we do the right thing?’ She seemed like she had been doing well the last couple of months so we felt like we did the right thing. Today obviously you feel like we did right by her. Hopefully, she can give us one more big effort. If not, she’s given us everything we could have ever asked for.”

Set to be offered at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale next month after defending her crown in the Mile, Uni hails from a family familiar in Australia as a great-granddaughter of Eljazzi (Ire) (Artaius {USA}).

That mare is also the granddam of Group 1 winner and sire Invincible Spirit (Ire) (Green Desert {USA}), Group 3 winner and Australian resident Acts Of Grace (USA) (Bahri {USA}) and last year’s Champion First-Season Sire Pride of Dubai, among others.

Swiss Skydiver beats the boys in Preakness

Second last out in the G1 Kentucky Oaks, Swiss Skydiver (USA) (Daredevil {USA}) wowed all watching when outdueling the G1 Kentucky Derby winner for a G1 Preakness S. win.

Racing over 1900 metres at Pimlico, Swiss Skydiver sat just behind Authentic (USA) (Into Mischief {USA}) and Thousand Words (USA) (Pioneerof The Nile {USA}) early on before challenging the pace halfway down the backstretch.

From there, a duel developed with Swiss Skydiver just having the advantage over the Kentucky Derby winner. Swiss Skydiver had to dig deep in late in the stretch as Authentic started to gain on her. The filly always stayed at least a head in front to become the first filly since Medaglia D’Oro’s (USA) Rachel Alexandra (USA) in 2009 to win the G1 Preakness.

“She’s just really neat to be around. Robby and I have had a great week,” said trainer Kenny McPeek. “We’ve been getting on her, walking her together, eating breakfast, lunch and dinner together. This is a lifetime experience for both of us and we hope we’re back.”

By More Than Ready's (USA) son Daredevil (USA), Swiss Skydiver is the best racehorse in her family for five generations with the next Grade 1 winner coming under her fifth dam. It was the second Grade 1 win for her after this summer’s Grade 1 Alabama with the filly facing the boys once before when second in the G2 Blue Grass S.

Gufo headlines Declaration of War double

Becoming Declaration of War’s (USA) sixth worldwide Grade 1 winner, Gufo (USA) also provided him the second half of a graded stakes double on Saturday’s Belmont Park card in the G1 Belmont Derby.

Closing from midpack in the 2400 metre race, Gufo closed strongly to win by 1l. Racing as the favourite, the chestnut had to survive an objection but it was quickly put down and the colt declared the winner.

"He won well. I thought he had a great trip from Junior [Alvarado] and when he asked him to quicken, he really quickened well in the stretch. He's a good horse,” said trainer Christophe Clement.

Only three races before that victory, his fellow Grade 1 winning, Declaration of War-sired stablemate Decorated Invader (USA) saw three-quarter brother Fire At Will (USA) win the G2 Pilgrim S.

That juvenile colt led wire-to-wire for an easy 2l victory. Fire At Will is the first foal out of a Kitten’s Joy (USA) half-sister to Decorated Invader from the family of successful sire Stormy Atlantic (USA) (Storm Cat {USA}).

New Grade 1 winner Gufo is a half-brother to multiple graded stakes winner Hogy (USA) (Offlee Wild {USA}) with the pair the only stakes winners in their first three generations.

Essential Quality gives Godolphin Futurity double

A year after winning the G1 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity with Maxfield (USA) (Street Sense {USA}), Godolphin was back in that race’s winner’s circle with Essential Quality (USA) (Tapit {USA}) at Keeneland.

Having the lead nearly all the race, Essential Quality was an easy winner in the end with a 3.25l victory over Keepmeninmind (USA), who gave freshman sire Laoban (USA) his second Grade 1 top two in as many days after Simply Ravishing’s (USA) victory on Friday.

“We’ve had some very nice 2-year-old fillies, but this is probably the best (2-year-old colt) I’ve had as far as talent goes. He’s our first Grade 1 winner as a 2-year-old colt. He means a lot to us. He showed us from Day 1 that he’s special, very talented,” said trainer Brad Cox.

A homebred for Godolphin, Essential Quality is out of a stakes-placed half-sister to Champion Folklore (USA) (Tiznow {USA}), whose grandson Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) is currently aiming for a Japanese Triple Crown bid later this month.

Channel Maker takes back-to-back Grade 1s in Joe Hirsch

Channel Maker (Can) (English Channel {USA}) showed just how tough he is when getting the lead his own way with a gate-to-wire victory in the G1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic over 2400 metres. The gelding had his biggest lead at the wire when winning by 2.5l over German raider Laccario (Ger) (Scalo {GB}).

It was the second straight Grade 1 victory and fourth overall for the 6-year-old gelding, who has won seven of 36 starts for over $2.6 million in earnings.

“You love the horse for the way he fights. His negative side is that sometimes he fights his jockey. He wants his way and sometimes we've had different results, but Manny's ridden this horse perfectly,” said co-owner Randy Hill.

By English Channel (USA), Channel Maker is a full brother to multiple Grade 1 winner Johnny Bear (USA) from the family of fellow Grade 1 winner Auntie Mame (USA) (Theatrical {Ire}).

Ivar impresses in Shadwell Victory

One of the back markers for much of the 1600 metre G1 Shadwell Turf Mile, Ivar (Brz) (Agnes Gold {Jpn}) flew home late to get up by 1l for his third career Grade 1 victory.

Racing in Argentina last year, the colt was a two-time Group 1 winner in that country before being imported to the United States earlier this year where he’s now won two of his four US starts.

“Just an incredible training job on his part to get this horse to turn off like that,” said jockey Joe Talamo. “I was all smiles turning for home when I took him out there. He just exploded.”

Ivar is out of US-bred May Be Now (USA) (Smart Strike {Can}), who is a Group 3-winning half-sister to Grade 1 winner Al’s Gal (USA) (English Channel {USA}) and her stakes-winning full sister Ann Of The Dance (USA).

Wonderful Tonight wins dramatic Pride de Royallieu

It was a dramatic end to the G1 Qatar Prix de Royallieu but in the end, Wonderful Tonight (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) came out the winner of the 2800 metre race.

Taking command inside the final 600 metres, Wonderful Tonight drifted in the final 200 metres with second-placed Pista (USA) (American Pharoah {USA}) doing the same. Despite her sideways track, Wonderful Tonight was able to hold Pista off by 1.25l with neither filly wanting to keep a completely straight path but safe from having their positions taken with Ebaiyra (USA) (Distorted Humor {USA}) 5l behind Pista in third.

“Depending on how she comes out of this race, she might go for the [G1 Qipco British] Champion Fillies and Mares race at Ascot. She will definitely stay in training next year,” said Christopher Wright’s racing manager Crispin de Moubray.

Wonderful Tonight is a half-sister to listed winner Penjade (Fr) (Air Chief Marshal {Fr}) with the pair out of a half-sister to multiple Australian stakes-placed Mr Garcia (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}) among three stakes horses. Under Wonderful Tonight’s third dam is G3 Easter Cup winner Inverloch (Ire) (Fastnet Rock) and European champion and sire Camelot (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}).

Nazeef secures second Group 1 in Sun Chariot

Nazeef (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) got back to her winning ways on Saturday with a victory in the G1 Kingdom Of Bahrain Sun Chariot S., her seventh career victory in 10 starts.

Racing over 1600 metres on the heavy ground, the 4-year-old was always prominent in the nearside group and stayed in that position once the group merged. She took the lead just outside the 200 metre mark and held off Half Light (Ire) (Shamardal {USA}) by 1.5l with Cloak Of Spirits (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) a neck back in third to give Invincible Spirit a 1st-3rd in the race.

“She’s as tough as nails,” Jockey Jim Crowley said. “It’s a great performance from John Gosden to prepare her to be at her best for this. He gave her a break after France and she’s come back to win a proper group 1.”

A Shadwell homebred, Nazeef is out of a stakes-winning half-sister to the Fastnet Rock Group winning duo of Desert Stone (Ire) and Euginio (Ire).

Princess Zoe comes out ahead in Prix du Cadran

Possibly the most popular win of the day was Princess Zoe (Ger) (Jukebox Jury {Ire}) in the G1 Qatar Prix du Cadran.

Looking for her fifth straight victory in her Group 1 debut, Princess Zoe had her work cut out for her with Alkuin (Ire) (Maxios {GB}) rolling on the front end lengths in front of the field. Slowly eating into his lead in the final 600 metres, Princess Zoe was able to get in front just before the line for a 0.5l victory.

“It’s an amazing story, as she was bought for very little in Germany by a friend of mine and has not stopped improving,” said trainer Tony Mullins. “She has such heart and even 100 yards from the line I didn’t know if she would get there, but it’s such a relief and a feeling I’ve never experienced in my life, even though there have been great moments before.”

The contest was clearly between those two with Call The Wind (GB) (Frankel {GB}) 15l adrift and Windstoss (Ger) (Shirocco {Ger}) a further 9l behind him in fourth.

Moving to Ireland where she went into training with Tony Mullins this year, Princess Zoe is a half-sister to German champion Palace Prince (Ger) (Areion {Ger}) as one of five winners out of a half-sister to three German group winners.

Torquator Tasso Holds on in Grosser Preis von Berlin

Kicking off what may be a big weekend for Adlerflug (Ger), Torquator Tasso (Ger) became his sire’s newest Group 1 winner in the Longines 130th Grosser Preis von Berlin.

Racing over 2400 metres, Torquator Tasso wasn’t far behind the leaders throughout much of the running and took over the lead in the final 200 metres. He had to find another gear in the final stage as fellow Adlerflug runner Dicaprio (Ger) tried to take the lead but was able to hold on until the line to win by a nose.

From the same crop as Adlerflug’s G1 German Derby winner In Swoop (Ire), Torquator Tasso’s third dam is a half-sister to the great racemare and broodmare Urban Sea (USA) (Miswaki {USA}). Adlerflug has the chance to register a weekend Group 1 double on Sunday with In Swoop set to run in the G1 Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

Mount Pleasant stays undefeated for Vancouver

Already a juvenile Group 2 winner for Vancouver, South African runner Mount Pleasant (SAF) added a second Group victory to his record Saturday in the G2 Joburg Spring Challenge.

Racing over 1450 metres at Turffontein, Mount Pleasant raced a few lengths off the leader for much of the race before making his run with 400 metres left to run. The colt gained the lead inside the final 100 metres to win by 1l and stay undefeated in three starts.

Purchased for $90,000 at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale, Mount Pleasant is one of two stakes horses from the winning Fastnet Rock mare Life In A Metro. That mare is a half-sister to Group 1 winners Abbey Marie (Redoute’s Choice) and Absolutely (Redoute’s Choice) in addition to G3 Geelong Cup winner Runaway (Manhattan Rain).

Leinster earned Breeders’ Cup berth in Woodford

Registering his second straight victory on the Keeneland turf course, Leinster (USA) (Majestic Warrior {USA}) won the G2 Woodford S. over 1100 metres for a Win And You’re In Spot in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.

Always prominent in the race, Leinster had to hold off Extravagant Kid (USA) (Kiss The Kid {USA}) in the end but prevailed by 0.5l win a blanket finish that saw three horses within 1.75l of the winner.

“He put me on the lead, but we didn’t really want to be there,” said jockey Luis Saez. “We wanted to track somebody. We had a perfect position, and I had a lot of horse. He just took off.”

Leinster will be trying to follow in half-brother Stormy Liberal’s (USA) (Stormy Atlantic {USA}) footsteps with that gelding winning two editions of the Turf Sprint. The pair hails from the family of G3 Sky High winner Master Of Wine (Ger) (Maxios {GB}), multiple Australian group winner Francis Of Assisi (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), and G1 Caulfield Cup third Cliffsofmoher (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) among others.

Lullaby Moon latest stakes winner for Belardo

It was three stakes winners in a week for Haunui Farm’s Belardo (Ire) on Saturday when Lullaby Moon (GB) won the Listed William Hill Two Year Old Trophy at Redcar in England.

Racing over 1200 metres, Lullaby Moon had to dig deep to hold off Zamaani (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) in the final 200 metres after breaking away from the rest of the field. She did just that when winning by 0.5l length over Zamaani with Mamba Wamba (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) 2.75l back in third.

The filly is the first stakes winner and one of five winners for Bold Bidder (GB) (Indesatchel {Ire}), who is a half-sister to two stakes performers.

Catman leads top day for Kitten’s Joy

A previous Champion General Sire in North America, Kitten’s Joy dominated not only the Pimlico card but stakes on three different cards Saturday.

Not known for his juvenile winners, Catman (USA) gave his sire something to advertise when racing over 1700 metres in the Laurel Futurity. Just behind the leader early on, the colt had to dig deep but in the end hit the line a nose in front of Wootton Asset (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) for the win.

It wasn’t long before another Kitten’s Joy joined him on the Pimlico winner’s list with Don Juan Kitten (USA) taking out the James W. Murphy in much the same manner. Racing over 1600 metres, that 3-year-old colt had a large lead turning into the stretch and was able to hold on by a nose at the end over Bye Bye Melvin (USA) (Uncle Mo {USA}).

Those were two of six on-the-board finishes for the stallion as a sire or damsire with Kitten’s Joy also the sire of G1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic third Sadler’s Joy (USA) with three placings by runners out of his daughters led by G2 Pilgrim S. winner Fire At Will (USA) (Declaration Of War {USA}).

Kitten’s Joy’s son Bobby’s Kitten (USA) shuttled to Twin Hills during his first year at stud with his first Australian-bred 2-year-olds hitting the track this season.