Overcoming an outside post in a field of 18, Songline won Sunday’s Grade 1 Yasuda Kinen for the second consecutive year at Tokyo Racecourse in Japan, the third horse to record two wins in Japan’s leading springtime race for milers.

With the win, Songline earned a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita on Nov. 4.

Songline raced wide in mid-pack under jockey Keita Tosaki on the backstretch of the one-turn race. Continuing wide behind rivals through the turn, Songline steadily made progress in the final furlong before taking the lead in the last sixteenth.

For a maiden race winner, Miss Thatcher carries a lofty reputation in advance of her first start of 2023 in a six-furlong handicap at Goulburn Racecourse in Australia on Sunday evening.

A four-time runner, Miss Thatcher has not raced since she finished fourth by 1 1/2 lengths in a handicap at 6 1/2 furlongs at Goulburn last September. She raced wide and closed steadily to be closest to the front at the finish.

Miss Thatcher won from a stalking position in a six-furlong maiden race at Wagga Wagga Racecourse last August in her second start.

Paul Lally:

R1: 2-1-4-6

R2: 7-3-1-2

R3: 3-1-4-6

R4: 5-1-4-6

R5: 6-10-4-8

R6: 12-9-2-8

R7: 1-7-3-2

R8: 8-12-11-2

R9: 6-1-4-2

R10: 9-1-2-6

Best Bet R8 N8 Adios

Longshot R6 N12 Self Improvement

Emily Upjohn, who would have won the 2022 English Oaks with any luck, was a brilliant winner of the Group 1 Coronation Cup on Oaks Day 2023. And a little later Friday at Epsom, her jockey and co-trainers, Frankie Dettori and John and Thady Gosden, won the Oaks itself with Soul Sister.  

A great afternoon with more, perhaps, yet to come this weekend. Dettori and the Gosdens have market-mover Arrest for the Derby on Saturday at Epsom and Epictatus on Sunday at Chantilly in the Prix du Jockey Club, France’s Derby.  

Sodashi, a visibly striking white Thoroughbred, has become one of the most popular horses in Japan, not only for her looks but as a Grade 1 winner in that country annually from 2020 to 2022.

The champion 3-year-old filly of 2021 in Japan, Sodashi will have no shortage of admirers, or support from deep-pocketed bettors, when she attempts to beat males for the first time in a Grade 1 in Sunday’s Yasuda Kinen at a mile at on turf at Tokyo Racecourse.

Sammiballerina won for the second time in her career in a handicap at about 6 1/2 furlongs at Muswellbrook Racecourse in Australia on April 10, showing her customary late run.

After comprehensive losses in two high-profile handicaps at Rosehill Gardens and Scone in late April and mid-May, Sammiballerina is back at her home course of Muswellbrook for a handicap at 7 1/4 furlongs on Saturday evening.

On March 31, the New Zealand-bred filly Affaire A Suivre won the fourth start of her career in a maiden race at Cranbourne Racecourse in Australia.

Three months later, Affaire A Suivre may be on the cusp of becoming a multiple Group 1 winner.

SHA TIN SELECTIONS
(Sunday, June 04, 2023)

With wins in two of his last three starts, the Australian gelding Rylan’s Pick is nearing a hike in handicap level to avoid carrying too much weight.

When Rylan’s Pick starts as an expected favorite in a six-furlong handicap at Dubbo Racecourse on Thursday evening, he will be stuck with the role of topweight, but will not have as severe of an assignment as possible.

Rylan’s Pick was assigned 140 pounds, but the presence of apprentice Ronald Simpson reduces the weight to 135.5 pounds, still a hefty assignment.