Asia
Lim’s Kosciuszko showcases superiority
The outstanding Singapore-based Lim’s Kosciuszko (Kermadec {NZ}) defended his title in the Lion City Cup on Sunday.
The reigning Singapore Horse of the Year was winning for the 15th time from 19 career starts.
The 6-year-old was ridden by Chin Chuen Wong and won from Golden Monkey (Star Turn) ridden by Hugh Bowman, while Mr Malek (NZ) (Swiss Ace) finished third.
As a yearling Lim’s Kosciuszko was passed in at the 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale, he was later reoffered and passed in at the 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale.
Europe
Sioux Nation's Ocean Quest too good for Ballyogan rivals
Jessica Harrington-trained 3-year-old filly Ocean Quest (Ire) (Sioux Nation {USA}) posted a close-up fourth in Royal Ascot's G1 Commonwealth Cup when last seen and was rewarded for her consistency with an all-the-way win in Sunday's G3 Tally-Ho Stud Irish EBF Ballyogan S. at Naas.
The March-foaled chestnut closed her juvenile campaign with a second in the G3 Round Tower S. at the Curragh and followed up with a win in Navan's Listed Committed S. on sophomore, she returned with a second here in the G3 Lacken S. in her penultimate start.
Swiftly into stride and on the lead against the far-side rail from flagfall, the 10-11 favourite was set alight passing the quarter-mile marker and lengthened clear thereafter to easily account for Aussie Girl (Ire) (Starspangledbanner) by 3.75l.
“We gave her time after Ascot, as we know she likes a bit of give in the ground, and that's why we put her away,” explained Harrington. “I think she'll go on anything actually and she's a very classy filly. Ascot (for the G1 British Champions Sprint) in October is the main target and she's in at Haydock (for the G1 Sprint Cup). We didn't enter her for Irish Champions weekend because it's five furlongs, but she gets a free entry for that now. If it came up heavy, maybe. This summer we've had no idea what ground we're going to get, you can have good-to-firm in the morning and abandoned in the afternoon. We know she goes on heavy, she's won on heavy and she's gone on good-to-firm. She's a very versatile filly, she's classy and speedy.”
Jack Darcy outwits rivals for Grand Prix de Deauville success
Paul and Oliver Cole trainee Jack Darcy (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) seized immediate control of Sunday's G2 Lucien Barriere Grand Prix de Deauville and was never headed in the feature to complete an afternoon Pattern-race treble for the British raiding party.
On the front end from flagfall and leading his rivals in single file, the 54-5 outsider-of-five was scrubbed along off the home turn and kept finding under continued rousting in the straight to hold Al Nayyir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) by 1.25l for a career best.
Jack Darcy's route to this stakes breakthrough included seven prior attempts at black-type level, adding to a runner-up finish in last term's Listed Prix Nureyev at this Normandy venue with a second in this month's G3 Glorious S. at Goodwood. He lined up for this returning off a sixth-of-seven effort in last week's G3 Geoffrey Freer S. at Newbury. The Cole yard has now annexed six editions of the contest, the run being initiated by Ibn Bey (GB) in 1988.
“We expected a race devoid of pace, we'd talked about it at length with his entourage and the plan was to set a false pace from the front,” explained winning rider Cristian Demuro. “He has a lot of raw talent, so we decided to kick for home early and make it as difficult as possible for the opposition. The trip was something of a question mark and, in a race without too much pace, his stamina was less of a problem. He proved to be very tough, as British horses often are.”
Part-owner Edward Gascoigne added, “Jack Darcy likes to lead and Cristian (Demuro) rode him perfectly. We looked at the entries and the race seemed like a good opportunity. Ollie (Cole) said he was really well and in good form after Newbury, which is why we decided to run and Junko's withdrawal certainly helped. He's tough, but he also has speed. Distance-wise, he's very adept if the pace is right and, if the pace isn't too strong, he can stretch out as he did today. He was in complete control, it's a fantastic victory and we're very happy.”
United States of America
Anarchist punches Breeders' Cup ticket via Del Mar's Pat O'Brien
Seven times second in his 11 previous trips to the post and still eligible for a second-level allowance, Anarchist (USA) (Distorted Humor {USA}) earned an all-expenses-paid berth into the field for this year's GI BigAss Fans Dirt Mile with a hard-fought success in Saturday's G2 Pat O'Brien S. at Del Mar.
Anarchist joined the Doug O'Neill barn this past winter, having broken his maiden at Ellis Park for Chris Davis last summer, and was second in his first four outings for the barn, including the G3 San Simeon S. sprinting down the hill on March 5 and the April 22 G3 Kona Gold S. on the main track. A 0.75l winner of the G3 Jacques Cartier S. at Woodbine on May 13, the bay was runner-up to champion Elite Power (USA) (Curlin {USA}) in the G2 True North S. at Belmont on June 10 and again in this track's GI Bing Crosby S. on July 29.
The Wine Steward stays unbeaten with Funny Cide win
Unbeaten and already a stakes winner in his first two starts, The Wine Steward (USA) (Vino Rosso {USA}) kept his perfect record intact with a gutsy performance in Sunday's Funny Cide S. at Saratoga. Back facing New York-breds for the first time since his 6l debut win at Belmont on May 28, the even-money favorite had to overcome a wide draw and a bumpy beginning. Caught outside throughout, he turned for home four abreast, set his sights on pacesetter El Grande O (USA) (Take Charge Indy {USA}), and dug in to just get past that rival in the final jumps.
“He kind of bobbled out of there a little bit,” said winning jockey Manny Franco. “I wanted to be forward and I had to stalk four wide, but I knew I was on the best horse. If he's going to win, he's going to win from here. I didn't make things complicated; I just wanted to stay there and made my move when I thought it was the right time. I'm glad he got it done.”
'No evidence' of issues with tracks, according to NYRA's O'Rourke
In the wake of two fatal breakdowns during the Travers Day program on Saturday, New York Racing Association (NYRA) officials faced the questions of if they should immediately cancel the remaining races on the card at Saratoga Race Course and whether to run on Sunday. After fact-finding sessions both days, NYRA President and CEO David O'Rourke said the courses were deemed safe for competition – the jockeys were in agreement – and racing continued as scheduled.
The catastrophic leg injuries that led to two horses being euthanised Saturday brought the total of equine deaths to 12 since the start of the unusually rainy season July 13. According to the New York State Gaming Commission's Breakdown, Death, Injury and Incident Database, four of the fatalities were related to training injuries and eight to racing. Six of the eight deaths were from incidents in races run on the turf courses. Seven were musculoskeletal injuries and one was believed to be a heart attack.
The two dirt breakdowns occured in the stretch with unbeaten, high-profile 3-year-old horses well on their way to victories in seven-furlong Grade 1 races: Maple Leaf Mel (USA) (Cross Traffic {USA}) in the G1 Test S. on August 5 and New York Thunder (USA) (Nyquist {USA}) in the G1 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial on Saturday.
In the minutes after the New York Thunder injury, O'Rourke said NYRA had to consider whether to immediately close on the biggest day of the Saratoga season.
“Everything is going through your mind at that point,” he said.
After consulting with his staff and a number of other people, O'Rourke elected to run the remainder of the card, including the GI Travers S.
New York Thunder (USA) | Image courtesy of Sarah Andrew
“I was speaking with the Gaming Commission at the same time, the stewards at the same time, about the situation that we're in,” he said. “Obviously, there's board members here. Many of them, if not most of them, are horsemen. The decision was made to continue the card because we have no evidence that there's anything going on with these racetracks.”
There were no further injuries.
After what he described as a sleepless night, O'Rourke said that he and Glen Kozak, NYRA executive vice president and track superintendent, started talking with trainers at 6:30am (local time) on Sunday and later talked with jockeys and veterinarians. At 12:45pm (local time) the NYRA announced that the 11-race program would be held.
John Velazquez, co-chairman of the Jockeys Guild, said the riders met with O'Rourke and expressed confidence in the conditions.
“We didn't find any issues at all,” Velazquez said. “The tracks feel safe. We didn't come up with anything that we were concerned with.”
“We didn't find any issues at all (with the Saratoga track). The tracks feel safe. We didn't come up with anything that we were concerned with.” - John Velazquez
Velzaquez acknowledged that the injuries are unsettling and said that NYRA should continue its reviews.
“We've definitely had some really horrendous breakdowns,” he said. “We are very saddened about it. There are going to be more investigations and more things we have to do and hopefully we find more answers. It will be days or weeks, whatever it is, but right now the tracks feel safe and let's continue.”
Saturday, Nobel (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), an Irish-bred 4-year-old was injured in the gallop-out after the fifth race on turf. Two hours and 20 minutes later, New York Thunder broke bones in his left front leg in the Jerkens.
Immediately after Nobel's injury, O'Rourke said he, staff members and Dr Scott Palmer, the Equine Medical Director for the Gaming Commission walked the turf course to look for problems. Since more than 11 inches of rain have fallen during the meet, prompting NYRA to move 59 races off the grass to the dirt, the rail has been placed far out in the middle of the course. On Saturday, the rails were down and the horses were running on very good turf. Still, Nobel was injured.
“We wanted to take a look at it,” O'Rourke said. “One easy solution was to pull everything off the turf. They were on fresh ground. I'm out there with experts and what I'm looking for is unanimous consensus. Not a majority. Everyone's consensus of opinion was that the turf course was in immaculate condition in the lanes we were in.”
Saratoga Race Course | Image courtesy of Saratoga Race Track
When New York Thunder went down between the eighth pole and the sixteenth pole, O'Rourke said Kozak reviewed the surface.
“Glen installed this track and is quite familiar with moisture and the measurements and everything,” O'Rourke said. “It's nothing off about the track. I'm convinced, I'm confident in that moment of that, but I want more information. Sometimes you need more time. We made the decision to continue the card.”
Afterward, O'Rourke said the NYRA staff continued to look at the two turf courses and the dirt main track to help develop data that could be useful in Sunday's review.
“This has been a tough meet, so this has been a topic,” he said. “It's not like all of a sudden we started taking a second look. After racing, the track guys are doing their thing. Some of them, I think, were here all night.”
“It's not like all of a sudden we started taking a second look. After racing, the track guys are doing their thing. Some of them, I think, were here all night.” - David O'Rourke
Sunday's card was completed without incident, but O'Rourke said the investigation is far from complete. Noting that the NYRA is a non-profit, he said continuing to race on Saturday and Sunday was not related to revenue, but to safety.
“This is about how do we get it right, when and how we're making decisions and why,” he said. “And my first job right now is to check off the tracks because that's the question I'm getting quite a bit. I came out of that, on that aspect, confident that every piece of information or resource that I think is applicable, that we have access to, is telling me the same thing.”
Canada
Cairo Prince colt runs off the page in Simcoe S. at Woodbine
The sale-topper from the 2022 Canadian September Yearling Sale, My Boy Prince (USA) (Cairo Prince {USA}), did not disappoint when he built on his second out maiden-breaking score from June 18 by romping home in the Simcoe S.
After that 6l win at Woodbine last time out, trainer Mark Casse was forced to shut him down because of a foot abscess, but the grey colt rebounded nicely to go off as the 1-5 favorite here.
“He's tremendously nice,” said jockey Sahin Civaci. “He improved a lot from his last race and he just seems to be getting better and better. I like to play the break with these types of races. There could be some cheap speed that might try to go really fast, so I broke out really well. I didn't feel that much pressure.”
