It has been only three years since Andre Fabre won the Poule d’Essai des Poulains (French 2000 Guineas) and two years since he won the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (French 1000 Guineas), and Fabre appears to have a chance to sweep both French classic races Sunday at Longchamp in Paris.
Animal Kingdom, the Kentucky Derby and Dubai World Cup winner, will start in the Queen Anne Stakes rather than the Prince of Wales’s Stakes when he races at the Royal Ascot meet in England next month.
Ruler of the World was a moderately impressive six-length winner of the Group 3 Chester Vase on Thursday in England, but it says much about the state of the prospective Epsom Derby field that his win over three unproven opponents vaulted Ruler of the World near the top of antepost betting on the Epsom Derby.
Secret Gesture, a maiden race winner in her final start of 2012, can solidify her status as a contender for the Group 1 English Oaks on May 31 when she makes her first start of 2013 in Saturday’s Betfred Oaks Trial Stakes at Lingfield Racecourse, near London.
Verxina, second in the Grade 1 Japanese Oaks in 2012, will be favored to win the first Grade 1 of her career in Sunday’s $1,908,722 Victoria Mile for fillies and mares on turf at Tokyo Racecourse.
Godolphin plans to have longtime trainer Saeed bin Suroor take over the Newmarket training yard of suspended trainer Mahmood al Zarooni.
A month after the retirement of unbeaten superstar Black Caviar, the Australian sprint division carries on with two Group 1 races Saturday.
This year’s Chester Vase runs only five deep, and there is not anything close to a proven Group-level stakes runner in the bunch. Ruler Of The World and Feel Like Dancing have made but one start apiece, though this pair should attract attention since both won at first asking.
Camelot, the 2012 Epsom Derby winner, made a successful 2013 debut winning the Group 3 Mooresbridge Stakes by 1 3/4 lengths Monday at The Curragh in Ireland.
Sky Lantern, who finished eighth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita last November, gave British champion jockey Richard Hughes his first British classic win in Sunday’s $620,000 English 1000 Guineas at Newmarket Racecourse in England.
