Gleneagles, Golden Horn finally meet

In North America, Wednesday is just another sleepy midweek racing day, but on Wednesday in England, one of the most intriguing matchups of the season, Golden Horn vs. Gleneagles, is set to go down at York Racecourse in the Group 1 Juddmonte International.

Golden Horn is the unbeaten winner of the Epsom Derby still writing his place into racing history: If he were to win Wednesday and win again in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, he’d be considered one of the best colts in recent memory.

Gleneagles has won seven of nine starts, finishing fourth in his career debut and being disqualified in the Jean-Luc Lagardere last fall in France after crossing the line first. While Golden Horn was getting ready for his Derby romp, Gleneagles was impressively winning the English 2000 Guineas.

Both 3-year-olds have been taken out of recent races because of concerns over soft ground. Golden Horn was scratched from the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes by trainer John Gosden and owner Anthony Oppenheimer the morning of the race, while Gleneagles’s camp, the Coolmore group and trainer Aidan O’Brien, swerved from the Sussex Stakes and the Jacques Le Marois looking for firmer going.

They will get it Wednesday at York, a left-handed course that’s flat by English standards, a circumstance that could help Gleneagles see out the International’s one-mile, two-furlong, 88-yard distance. Gleneagles, by Galileo and out of a Storm Cat mare, has raced no farther than a mile, and though he and Solow sit at the top of the European miler class, a lofty perch, he’ll face a stern challenge containing Golden Horn at a distance probably closer to the latter’s ideal.

Golden Horn won his career debut by only a head (but watch the race; it was a brilliant run) and has not been hard pressed in winning five more starts since. After his decisive Derby score, he flippantly turned back the good older horse The Grey Gatsby – who will try again in the International – to win the Group 1 Coral Eclipse Stakes going away in his first try against elders. The 3-year-olds in the International get an eight-pound break in the race, 132 to 124, from the older horses.

The Grey Gatsby appears to have found his best form from a strong 3-year-old season again this summer, but he is double-digit odds in antepost wagering on the International, bettors having seen clearly that Golden Horn was his better in the Eclipse. The third choice behind the big two names, in fact, is another 3-year-old, Juddmonte’s Time Test. Trained by Roger Charlton, Time Test makes his Group 1 debut but has won three of five starts and was notably impressive while stepping up to Group 3 competition and crushing foes in the Tercentenary Stakes at Ascot earlier this summer.

Post time for the International is set for 10:40 a.m. Eastern. The card’s supporting feature is the Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes, for which Storm the Stars – the horse who came closest to beating Golden Horn – is the antepost favorite.

Night of Thunder retired

Night of Thunder, who upset Kingman in the 2014 English 2000 Guineas, has been retired from racing and will stand at stud next season for Darley. By Dubawi, Night of Thunder won four of 11 starts and annexed the Group 1 Lockinge for his most important win since the Guineas.