The 5-year-old mare Odeliz found herself in an unfamiliar spot leading Sunday in the Prix Jean Romanet at Deauville, and then she found herself in a place she’d never been before at all – the winner’s enclosure following a Group 1 race.
Course experience worked in favor of Ajaya on Saturday, when the colt won the $339,445 Gimcrack Stakes for 2-year-olds at York Racecourse in England.
The American invader Acapulco was good, but not quite good enough to win the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes on Friday at York, settling for second of 19 behind victorious Mecca’s Angel after looming boldly a furlong from home.
A week of upsets in Group 1 races continued at York Racecourse in England on Thursday when Pleascach (8-1) outran 15-8 favorite Covert Love to win the $522,600 Yorkshire Oaks for fillies and mares.
Arabian Queen, a 44-1 shot in North American pari-mutuel betting, shocked the previously unbeaten Golden Horn on Wednesday in the Group 1 Juddmonte International at York Racecourse, turning back the Epsom Derby winner by a head.
The four-race win streak Covert Love has compiled this year began in a modest maiden race on the all-weather surface at Chemlsford City, near London, in early May. The winning streak may be extended when Covert Love starts as the favorite in Thursday’s Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks at York Racecourse in northern England.
In North America, Wednesday is just another sleepy midweek racing day, but Wednesday in England one of the most intriguing matchups of the season, Golden Horn versus Gleneagles, is set to go down at York Racecourse in the Group 1 Juddmonte International.
Soft ground and the straight-course mile at Deauville bring out the best in Esoterique. The 5-year-old mare won the Group 1 Prix Rothschild under those conditions Aug. 3, 2014, and subsequently lost five races in a row but was back in the winner’s circle Sunday after a convincing 1 1/2-length tally over the favored Territories in the Group 1 Prix Jacques Les Marois.
Karakontie makes his first start since an impressive upset win in the 2014 Breeders’ Cup Mile last fall at Santa Anita when he starts Sunday at Deauville in the Group 1 Prix Jacques Le Marois.
Amazing Maria confirmed her status as the leading female miler in Europe with a third consecutive major stakes win in Sunday’s $330,000 Prix Rothschild at Deauville Racecourse in France.
