Dupont takes Italian Guineas

Castle Gandolfo's chances in the Kentucky Derby received a boost Wednesday when Dupont, whom he had beaten into third place in the Fosters-International Trial, won the Group 2 Premio Parioli (Italian 2000 Guineas) at the Capannelle in Rome.

Dupont, 7-1, just got up to beat Fisich by a nose, getting the mile in 1:37.80 on good ground. The 5-2 favorite, Salselon, was sixth in the field of 18.

The Group 2 Premio Regina Elena (Italian 1000 Guineas) went to the 6-1 Sadowa. Keltos bounced back from a dull eighth-place finish in the Dubai World Cup to take the one-mile Group 2 Prix du Muguet at Saint-Cloud on Wednesday. The 6-5 favorite, he came with a late rush under Olivier Peslier to defeat Cornelius by two lengths. He is a candidate for the big European weight-for-age miles this summer and fall. His time on good ground was 1:39.90.

Friday at Newmarket, Kutub seeks his fifth win in a row in the 1 1/2-mile Group 2 Jockey Club Stakes. Owned by Godolphin, he will face High Pitched, also looking for his fifth straight score, recent Group 3 winner Zindabad, and stablemate Marienbard, who is coming off a fast closing fourth in the Dubai Sheema Classic.