Battle Won gets HK invitation

Battle Won is the only American-trained horse to be invited to any of the four Hong Kong International Races at Sha Tin on Dec. 12.

Battle Won, trained by Charles Simon, won ungraded turf stakes in his last two starts at Keeneland and Kentucky Downs. He has been asked to run in the $1.28 million Hong Kong Sprint, a straight five-furlong dash in which he would meet the undefeated Hong Kong champion Silent Witness as well as the recent Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp winner, Var, and the Sprinters Stakes winner, Calstone Light O.

There will be American participation through France in the Hong Kong Vase as Team Valor's Prix Vermeille winner Sweet Stream, trained in Chantilly by John Hammond, has a spot in that 1 1/2-mile, $1.8 million contest, in which she could meet defending champ Vallee Enchantee.