Dance in the Mood finally wins

Dance in the Mood returned to top form on Sunday as she won the initial running of the $1.6 million Victoria Mile at Tokyo for her first victory since the Japanese 1000 Guineas on April 11, 2004.

Second behind Ticker Tape in the inaugural edition of Hollywood Park's American Oaks on July 3, 2004, Dance in the Mood (5-2) broke a 10-race losing streak in the Grade 1 mile for fillies and mares. She led a parade of Sunday Silence fillies and mares across the line as 1 1/4-length runner-up Air Messiah and third-place Dia de la Novia are also by the late American stallion. The winning time on good ground was a swift 1:34.00.

Trained by Kazuo Fujisawa and ridden by Hiroshi Kitamura, Dance in the Mood had showed improved form last time when second to Daiwa Major in the Grade 2 Yomiuri Milers Cup. Rhein Kraft, the 7-5 favorite, missed the break on Sunday and finished seventh, beaten by five lengths. Dance in the Mood could meet recent Champions Mile winner Bullish Luck in the Yasuda Kinen on June 4.

At Kranji Racecourse in Singapore, Cosmo Bulk gave Japan another big international victory in the $1.9 million International Cup. Coming just seven weeks after the big victories in Dubai by Heart's Cry and Utopia, Cosmo Bulk defeated the locally trained King and King by 1 3/4 lengths with Hong Kong-based Bowman's Crossing third. Valixir, 14th in the Dubai Duty Free, flunked again, coming home last of 13, beaten 34 lengths. Cosmo Bulk was clocked in 2:06.50 for the 1 1/4 miles on a yielding turf course.