Europe
Sea The Stars' Hukum prevails in King George war
After all that build-up, Saturday's G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II Qipco S. had to live up to the billing and it managed it with a stirring finale provided by Shadwell's Hukum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}) as the older horses ruled the roost at Ascot. Kept away from fast ground after his defeat of Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) in the G3 Brigadier Gerard S. at Sandown in May, the Owen Burrows-trained full brother to Baaeed (GB) managed to get the upper-hand on the game Westover, while King Of Steel (USA) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) kept on to finish third. The disappointment of the race was the dual-Derby victor Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) who disappeared out of view turning for home with jockey Ryan Moore giving up the unequal struggle and easing the favourite out of the race.
“I've always believed in this horse and he's out of his brother's shadow now,” winning rider Jim Crowley said. “That was something special. It went real smoothly and although Westover got first run on me it gave me something to aim at. He's so tough and it never felt like he was going to come off second best there.”
For Owen Burrows, the outcome was a dream scenario which 12 months ago would have seemed fanciful to even the biggest romantic. “He's an absolute star, isn't he? It is a big team effort, especially from my head lad who rides him every day, John Lake, and this season for whatever reason he's shown a lot more speed.
“I can't put into words what it means,” he added. “The guys back at Shadwell rehabilitated him after his injury at Epsom, so huge credit to them. It was the type of injury that wouldn't retire a horse, but he'd just won a Group 1 and he was five so hats off to Sheikha Hissa for giving him a chance. This horse has been a huge part of my career. He was my first Royal Ascot winner, first Group 1 winner and he won in Dubai when we first went out after the sad passing of Sheikh Hamdan.”
Rosallion becomes Blue Point's third stakes winner on King George undercard
Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's homebred Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) became his first-crop sire's third stakes winner when scooting to an impressive 4l triumph in Saturday's Listed Flexjet Pat Eddery S. at Ascot.
“He's a good horse, we always thought he was a good horse and he's my (G1 2000) Guineas horse,” said trainer Richard Hannon after doubling his win tally in the contest. “The further he goes, the better he goes. He's in the (G1 Vincent O'Brien) National S. in Ireland and will obviously be in the (G1) Dewhurst. He's not a small horse, he has loads of scope and he behaves like a very good horse. We're thinking about next year.”
Sacred Angel dominates the Princess Margaret
Purchased privately by Nurlan Bizakov following her success in the Newmarket July Festival's six-furlong fillies' maiden, the Charlie Johnston-trained Sacred Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) provided instant justification for the acquisition by making all in Ascot's G3 Bateaux London Princess Margaret S. on Saturday.
Electric from her outside stall under Jason Hart, the 16-1 shot who was a £52,000 (AU$106,500) purchase for original owners the Titanium Racing Club at the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale, had pressure throughout but shook it off to go clear inside the final furlong. Veering left in the run to the line, the grey daughter of the Listed Tipperary S. winner Sacred Aspect (Ire) (Haatef {USA}) had three lengths to spare over Pretty Crystal (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) at the line.
This was a first Group win for Charlie Johnston since taking up the licence in his own name at the famed Middleham stable and he said, “She is improving dramatically, very much so. On her first run at Pontefract I thought she was the best horse on the day, but she was quite green and got beat by two horses who'd had experience. If you had told me then that within two starts we'd be at this level, I'd have thought 'I'm not so sure about that' but she took a nice step forward at Newmarket and a step forward again.
“The owners obviously sponsor quite a high-profile race in France (the G1 Prix Morny) and on the back of that I would suspect they will want her to go there next. Possibly the (G1) Cheveley Park at the end of the year will be the obvious real highlight target.”
Dark Angel's Alflaila to the fore on the Knavesmire
Shadwell's ultra-consistent Alflaila (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) had not been sighted since annexing October's G3 Darley S. at Newmarket, but was ready, willing and able to deliver a decisive burst for a career best in Saturday's G2 Sky Bet York S. on the Knavesmire.
The Owen Burrows trainee, who also saluted in last term's G3 Strensall S. at this venue, employed patient tactics from flagfall and settled into a smooth rhythm with just one rival behind until turning for home. Taking closer order in the straight, the 5-1 chance quickened stylishly to challenge inside the final furlong en route to a 0.5l verdict from the dual Group 1-placed G2 Prix Eugene Adam victor My Prospero (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}).
“It was a very good training performance and, obviously, Owen Burrows' horses are running very well at the moment,” said rider Andrea Atzeni. “Now that I'm a freelancer, I was able to commit to the ride. I have sat on him twice at home as Owen was very keen for me to get to know the horse. He hasn't run for a while, but his work was good. With the likes of My Prospero and Royal Champion running, it was a competitive race for such a small field and it was a very good race.”
Frankel's Task Force a new TDN Rising Star at Salisbury
There was a buzz about Juddmonte's Task Force (GB) (Frankel {GB}), the 10th foal produced by unique dual Classic heroine Special Duty (GB) (Hennessy {GB}), as he went postward as the even-money favourite for Saturday evening's Starman At Tally Ho Stud British EBF Maiden S. at Salisbury. He proved why as he returned with a TDN Rising Star rosette after delivering a deeply promising 3.25l success in the six-furlong contest.
“Mr (Ralph) Beckett had me on Friday morning just to sit on him and to get a feel,” explained winning rider Rhys Clutterbuck. “He did a quick bit of work and he felt special. Mr Beckett told me he was very professional out of the gate, so I shouldn't have any problems getting a nice position. I got him into a nice position so that I was able to see how the race developed and he put the race to bed quite nicely. He probably wants seven furlongs in time and, ideally, it would have been more in our favour if there had been a little bit more rain. I think he'd like it softer, but he handled that (good) ground very well today.”
United States of America
Forte survives inquiry in Jim Dandy thriller
Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's champion Forte (USA) (Violence {USA}) just got up to nail the pacesetting Saudi Crown (USA) (Always Dreaming {USA}) by a nose and had to survive a stewards' inquiry in a roughly run renewal of Saturday's G2 Jim Dandy S. in the Saratoga slop.
All dressed up with nowhere to go approaching the quarter pole, Ortiz Jr. forced his way out at the top of the stretch and Forte bumped repeatedly with Angel of Empire (USA) (Classic Empire {USA}) as they straightened. Racing in between rivals down the lane, Forte kept on fighting from very tight quarters and showed the heart of a champion to nail the narrow G3 Dwyer S. runner-up, who was drifting out several paths late himself, on the money.
“You're the one with a target on your back and you've got another stable (Brad Cox) with three horses in there,” winning trainer Todd Pletcher said. “We were expecting some race tactics. I think once he was able to get himself in the clear and the horse on the lead (Saudi Crown) kept drifting out, out, out and maybe into the eight path at one point. Irad (Ortiz, Jr.) said that compromised him a little bit from moving forward sooner.”
Pletcher added, “He loves the game. He's always been that way, he's always trained super. He's very competitive in the afternoons, he's an intelligent horse.”
Ortiz Jr. said, “I was close to the rail (looking for room in the stretch run). The horse in front stayed there. I had a chance to hit the clear, I did. As soon as I hit the clear, my horse went forward.
He continued, “The horse in front, I don't know if he saw something, but he was getting out bad. He kept coming out, coming out, but I'm on his heels. It was hard to stop at the moment of the race. I was right there. I was close to making the lead. At the same time, I have the other horse (Angel of Empire), finally we get straight and he corrects his horse and we get to the wire and thank God, we get a head in front at the end.”
The Jim Dandy is the traditional local prep for the G1 Travers S. on August 26, a race that Pletcher had indicated is the main summer goal for Forte.
Elite Power noses out Gunite in Vanderbilt, keeps win streak going
Now, that's how you celebrate a birthday.
Champion sprinter Elite Power (USA) (Curlin {USA}) came charging down the sealed, sloppy stretch at Saratoga to nail Gunite (USA) (Gun Runner {USA}) by a head in Saturday's G1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. on Hall of Famer Bill Mott's 70th birthday.
“It looked like Gunite certainly had the jump on him turning for home,” Mott said. “Great, great, great effort on this horse. He's a big, strong horse, heavy horse. He handled (the off track) well, but it doesn't have to be his best surface and I think it's great. There was that question beforehand. You just don't know. It's like trying a new distance for the first time. When you try a new track surface, you just don't know what's going to happen. But class came through.”
Elite Power's winning streak also includes last term's G1 Breeders' Cup Sprint at Keeneland on November 5, the G3 Riyadh Dirt Sprint in Saudi Arabia on February 25 and the G2 True North S. at Belmont Park on June 10.
“For him to put up a streak like this against top competition just really boils down to him being a really good horse,” Mott said. They don't do it by accident.”
Mott added that Elite Power would likely target the G1 Forego S. at Saratoga on August 26.
New York Thunder roars to victory in the Amsterdam
Undefeated in three career starts, but facing a steep trifecta of challenges to scale, trying dirt, Graded company, and the tough New York circuit for the first time, New York Thunder (USA) (Nyquist {USA}) set sizzling fractions on the front end of Saratoga's G2 Amsterdam S. Friday and held sway to win by 7.5l while eased up late despite spending most of the stretch on his wrong lead.
“I wasn't really worried (about the fractions),” said winning trainer Jorge Delgado, the nephew of this year's G1 Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Gustavo Delgado. “I worry in the mornings because he breezes so fast that it scares you.
“I have really good chemistry with (rider Tyler Gaffalione) and I can feel when he has a lot of horse. I saw him looking back and I know he had a tonne of horse; he wouldn't play like that unless he had tons of horse. Once he asked the horse, I knew my horse was prepared and it was just so fun.”
Occult dominates rivals in Monmouth Oaks
It was a Halloween exacta come early as Occult (USA) (Into Mischief {USA}) dominated the G3 Monmouth Oaks over a determined Foggy Night (USA) (Khozan {USA}), giving jockey Feargal Lynch the black-type double in New Jersey.
“She's a very big filly who needs time to find her stride and get into a nice rhythm. She'll keep going all day once she gets into her stride, so stamina was never an issue with her. I saw there was some cheap speed in here, so I let them go,” said the winning rider. “At the half-mile pole, I was just trying to find a way clear. Because she's such a big striding filly, you think you're going nowhere. But when I watch the replay, I am sure I will be impressed with the way she was moving. It's all about rhythm and momentum with a big horse like that.”
When asked if he'd been given any specific instructions to adhere to, Lynch replied: “Chad Brown never really ties you down with any instructions. He's great to ride for that way. We have a lot of faith in each other. He just said, 'Get a good trip and win'.”
Tyson keeps punching in Seagram win
Never off the board in his four prior career starts, Tyson (USA) (Tapit {USA}) avenged his sole defeat, a third behind Treason (USA) (Constitution {USA}) in the G2 Eclipse S. on June 4, with a win last time out over that rival in the G3 Dominion Day S. on July 1.
“He's a really nice horse,” said Rafael Hernandez. “(trainer) Josie (Carroll) told me, 'Raffi, just play it by ear. It's a small field, just see what happens and try to give a good race to the horse.' He'll do anything you want him to do. He showed up today.”
“It's one of our best pedigrees, one that we've cultivated for more than 30 years,” added owner/breeder John Sikura. “I have great admiration for Mike Tyson, and I thought this is a special horse, so I wanted to name him Tyson. Wonderful horse, beautifully bred and I want to thank everyone at the farm for the great job they've done, and Josie, for being a magnificent trainer and holding this horse together and getting him on the right track. It looks like he's going to be a champion.”
Senor Buscador upsets San Diego
If there is a will, there is a way, and the 'Senor' found a way. Senor Buscador (USA) (Mineshaft {USA}) mowed down rivals late in the G2 San Diego H. to pick up the second Graded stakes victory of his career at 13-1 odds.
After the race, both rider and trainer Todd Fincher, who picked up their first stakes win of the meet here, were thrilled with the effort and echoed similar sentiments about the horse's propensity to leave the blocks on the slower side.
“I told him (jockey Geovanni Franco) to just let the horse do his thing, don't panic and start riding early,” said Fincher after the race. “He's got one strong kick. He'll start picking them up at the half-mile pole on his own. Wait as long as you can, then push the button. He'll never do anything but fall back out of the gate, so we needed a good set-up.”
