The most compelling story at Royal Ascot this week, for American race fans at least, is Tepin's bid to win the Queen Anne Stakes, the first race on Tuesday's opening card of the five-day Royal meeting, but the story at Ascot has become weather, and that story encompasses more than just an American perspective.
The 2016 Royal Ascot meeting,begins with a bang Tuesday, with one of the meet's most prestigious races, the Group 1 Queen Anne, the first race on the strongest top-to-bottom card of the five-day stand. And this year's Queen Anne packs an extra kick for American racing fans since its favorite is the mighty mare Tepin, the 2015 Breeders' Cup Mile winner who has risen during the last year to become one of the top horses in North America.
Almanzor scored an upset win in Sunday’s $1,699,350 French Derby at Chantilly Racecourse in his first start in a Group 1 race.
Harzand, who nearly was scratched from the race after losing a shoe, won the $1.27 million Epsom Derby on Saturday by 1 1/2 lengths over US Army Ranger.
Postponed won his sixth straight race Saturday at Epsom Downs, adding the Group 1 Coronation Cup to top-level victories in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes last summer and the Sheema Classic in March and padding an increasingly gaudy résumé.
Minding overcame trouble in the early stretch to win Friday’s $684,475 English Oaks at Epsom Racecourse, becoming the first filly in 14 years to sweep the English 1000 Guineas and Oaks.
Wings of Desire won the Dante Stakes at York for trainer John Gosden and jockey Frankie Dettori. So did Golden Horn in 2015 before his ringing triumph in the Epsom Derby. But after that, the pair diverges.
Minding can become the first filly in 14 years to sweep the English 1000 Guineas and English Oaks when she starts as a heavy favorite in the Group 1 Oaks at Epsom Racecourse south of London on Friday.
Makahiki avenged a loss in the Japanese 2000 Guineas in April with a nose victory over Satona Diamond in Sunday’s $3.9 million Japanese Derby at Tokyo Racecourse.
Dee Majesty, the winner of the Japanese 2000 Guineas on April 17, will be favored to win his fourth consecutive race in Sunday’s $3.9 million Japanese Derby at Tokyo Racecourse.
