Tuesday noses out an unlucky Emily Upjohn in English Oaks
Friday was Tuesday’s day at Epsom Downs in England, where the filly won the Group 1 Oaks – even if she probably wasn’t the best horse on the day.
Tuesday, who was foaled on this day, June 4, in 2019, was home in the Oaks by a desperate nose over race favorite Emily Upjohn, who put in a withering late and wide run after a terrible start badly compromised her chances.
Tuesday, racing from the rear of the Oaks field alongside Emily Upjohn, was able to slip through along the inside under Ryan Moore, while Frankie Dettori on Emily Upjohn peeled out widest of all coming around famed Tattenham Corner and into the homestretch. The two excellent fillies converged through the final half-furlong, with Emily Upjohn appearing to hold all the momentum before Tuesday put forth one final response that carried the day. Emily Upjohn had her nose in front one stride before the wire and one stride past it, but Tuesday got a favorable head bob and the victory.
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Take nothing away from the winner, though, as both horses blistered their final 400 meters over a good course, Emily Upjohn clocking 21.75, Tuesday 22.35 according to official sectional timing. Final time for the 1 1/2 miles was 2:37.83. Tuesday paid $16.80 to win in the U.S. Nashwa, like Emily Upjohn trained by John and Thady Gosden, finished third, 3 1/4 lengths behind the top pair, while Tuesday’s stablemate Concert Hall was fourth.
The victory was a record 41st in a British classic for trainer Aidan O’Brien, who brought Tuesday to a peak 12 days after she finished second in the Irish 1000 Guineas. That followed a third-place finish in the English 1000 Guineas and Tuesday, as expected, appreciated the move from those one-mile contests into the 1 1/2-mile Oaks.
Tuesday is owned by Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, and Westerberg and was bred by Coolmore. By Galileo out of Lillie Langtry, by Danehill Dancer, Tuesday is a full sister to Minding, who won the 2016 Oaks.
Hukum cruises in Coronation
Hukum ran the race of his life, powering away from defending champion Pyledriver to win the Group 1 Coronation Cup earlier on the card.
Jockey Jim Crowley sat chilly on Hukum as horses all around him came under pressure approaching the final quarter mile of the 1 1/2-mile Coronation Cup, and when Crowley finally asked, Hukum gave plenty. Leaving Pyledriver in his wake, Hukum drew away to a 4 1/4-length victory, stopping the timer in 2:36.40 over good ground. High Definition finished third, while favored Manobo struggled home fourth.
Hukum, trained by Owen Burrows for Shadwell Estate Ltd., won his first Group 1, and won it in style. The 5-year-old is by Sea the Stars out of the Kingmambo mare Aghareed, making him a full brother to 4-year-old Baeed, Europe’s top miler.