Dance in the Mood takes Victoria Mile

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 landing the Japanese 1000 Guineas on April 11, 2004.

Second behind Ticker Tape in the inaugural edition of the Hollywood Park's American Oaks on July 3, 2004, the 2.90-1 Dance in the Mood was breaking a ten-race losing streak in this Grade 1 mile for fillies and mares. She led a parade of Sunday Silence distaffers across the line as 1 1/4-length runner-up Air Messiah and third-place Dia de la Novia are also by the late, great 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. The 7-5 favorite Rhein Kraft missed the break and finished seventh, beaten by 5 lengths. Dance in the Mood could meet recent Champions Mile winner Bullish Luck in the Yasuda Kinen on June 4.

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