Six fillies entered in the Moyglare Stud Stakes on Sunday at The Curragh in Ireland share a common trait: All have been beaten by Maybe, the undefeated race favorite.
Defending champion Poet’s Voice will be a strong favorite to win his first stakes of 2011 in Saturday’s Grade 2 Celebration Mile at Goodwood, England, a race that could have implications for the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Churchill Downs in November.
The 4-year-old filly Announce led a Juddmonte Farms one-two sweep in the Prix Jean Romanet, and Dabirsim won the Prix Morny to earn a quote in future-book betting for the English 2000 Guineas of 2012 in Group 1 races at Deauville, France, on Sunday.
Sunday’s Group 1 Prix Jean Romanet at Deauville, France, lost its expected favorite on Friday when Snow Fairy was declared ineligible because of French racing rules pertaining to horses withdrawn from recent races.
Margot Did, one of two fillies in a field of 17, pulled a 20-1 upset in Friday’s Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York, England, giving jockey Hayley Turner a career-best second win at the highest level this summer.
Blue Bunting won her third Group 1 race of 2011 on Thursday at York, defeating Vita Nova by three-quarters of a length in the Yorkshire Oaks.
Hoof It, a winner of 3 of 4 starts this year, makes his group stakes debut in the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes over a straightaway five furlongs at York on Friday.
Twice Over pulled a mild upset in Wednesday’s Juddmonte International Stakes at York Racecourse in England, winning his first Group 1 race since October and giving jockey Ian Mongan the biggest win of his career.
Several high-class 3-year-olds remain in the Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks on Thursday at York in England.
British racing authorities have banned a trainer for four years for de-nerving a horse and administering anabolic steroids to three other horses, according to the Racing Post.
