Apapane and Saint Emilion had finished in a dead heat the last time they met in the Japanese Oaks on May 21, but it was a different story at Kyoto on Sunday as Apapane beat her rival into last place in the Grade 1, $2.1 million Shuka Sho.
Twice Over got first run on Vision d’Etat as the enterprising tactics employed by Tom Queally gave the winning 4-year-old son of Observatory his second successive victory in the Group 1, $602,000 Champion Stakes.
Frankel enhanced his tall reputation at Newmarket on Saturday with an impressive score in the Group 1, $507,000 Dewhurst Stakes, maintaining his perfect record while handing the disappointing Dream Ahead and Saamidd their first defeats.
Fame and Glory may bypass the Breeders’ Cup Turf, Aidan O’Brien revealed on Friday. CIting the “hard race” the 4-year-old son of Montjeu had in finishing fifth in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on Oct. 3, O’Brien said it was “quite possible” that Fame and Glory would not travel to Churchill Downs.
The Champions Day card at Newmarket on Saturday will be highlighted not by the prestigious Champion Stakes, but by Britain’s definitive juvenile contest, the $504,000 Dewhurst Stakes, a seven-furlong Group 1 featuring a clash between Frankel and Dream Ahead.
Goldikova will have company on her trip to Churchill Downs in search of a third Breeders’ Cup Mile title. On Wednesday her owners, the Wertheimer brothers, announced that they intend to run their Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud winner, Plumania, in either the Breeders’ Cup Turf or the Filly and Mare Turf.
The stars will be come out at Newmarket on Saturday afternoon when the headquarters of British racing will conduct its annual Champions’ Day program. Topping the bill are a pair of red-hot Group 1’s, the Champion Stakes at 1 1/4 miles for 3-year-olds and up, and the seven-furlong Dewhurst Stakes, Britain’s definitive 2-year-old contest.
Japan’s Breeders’ Cup Classic hopeful, Espoir City, had his six-race winning streak ended on Monday when he finished second to the record-setting Oro Meister in the Nambu Hai Mile Championship at Morioka.
Behkabad will aim for the Breeders’ Cup Turf on Nov. 6 at Churchill Downs, where he could have a chance to avenge his loss to Workforce in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
Outofthecoulds lived up to his name by coming from well off the pace to win the $100,000 Jack Diamond Futurity for 2-year-old colts and geldings on the final day of the Hastings meet Monday.
