Vodka romps by seven at Tokyo

Vodka gave nothing else a chance at Tokyo on Sunday with a stylish seven-length triumph in the Grade 1, $1.8 million Victoria Mile. Second in this race last year, the reigning Japanese Horse of the Year split foes at the quarter pole and sped clear under Yutaka Take to the cheers of her many backers who had bet her down to 7-10 favoritism in the 18-runner field.

Longshot Bravo Daisy was second, a length in front of Shonan La Novia, but second choice Kawakami Princess was only eighth, beaten a total of nine lengths. The winning time for the mile on firm ground was a stakes-record 1:32.40, just 0.4 of a second off the track mark.

Trained by Katsuhiko Sumii, Vodka, who had disappointed when unplaced in a pair of turf stakes at Nad Al Sheba this winter, will next defend her title in the one-mile, Grade 1 Yasuda Kinen against males at Tokyo on June 7.

Kranji: Gloria de Campeao scores at 24-1

Gloria de Campeao sprung a 24-1 surprise in the $2 million Singapore Airlines International Cup at Kranji Racecourse on Sunday, holding off the favored Queen Elizabeth II Cup winner Presvis by a head. A distant second to Well Armed in his previous start in the Dubai World Cup, the victorious Pascal Bary-trained Brazilian-bred traveled the 1 1/4 miles on good ground in 1:59.20. Last year's winner Jay Peg finished last of 12, distanced by the field, and will now be retired to stud in his native South Africa.

Earlier at Kranji, Sacred Kingdom returned to form as he collared the pacesetting local hero Rocket Man near the line to take the $680,000 KrisFlyer International Sprint by a neck. Diabolical was third for Godolphin, but defending champ Takeover Target, now 9 years old, faded to eighth.

Trained in Hong Kong by Ricky Yiu, Sacred Kingdom had been the world's highest-rated sprinter after winning the 2007 Hong Kong Sprint, but the Australian-bred had not won for more than a year. On Sunday, he sped the six furlongs in a very fast 1:07.80.