HAPPY VALLEY SELECTIONS
(Wednesday, May 24, 2023)

Liberty Island enhanced her dominant position among Japan’s 3-year-old fillies with a six-length win in Sunday’s Grade 1 Japanese Oaks at Tokyo Racecourse, her first start at 1 1/2 miles.

Ridden by Yuga Kawada, Liberty Island ($2.90) closed from seventh in a field of 18 to take the lead in the final furlong, easily beating 7-1 Harper, one of her chief rivals. Dura (102-1) was a surprise third, closing from well off the pace.

Liberty Island won even though Kawada said the filly “was quite tense” before the start.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Canadian Hall of Fame jockey Irwin Driedger died at 66 in Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto on Saturday night after a long battle with cancer.

A native of Russell, Manitoba, Driedger set an Assiniboia Downs record of 161 wins in 1979 before surpassing it in 1980 with 180 victories. In 1981, he made 214 trips to the winners’ circle.

The last time Sir Kerm raced he flew through the final furlong of a handicap at 4 1/2 furlongs to finish second at Newcastle Racecourse in Australia last October.

The abbreviated sprint was too short for Sir Kerm to display his best. A six-furlong handicap at Kembla Grange on Monday evening is a more suitable distance for the 4-year-old gelding’s first start of 2023.

Longer sprints and a race at 1 1/16 miles have changed the career of He’s a Copy Boy, a leading contender in a one-mile handicap at Taree Racecourse in Australia on Sunday evening.

He’s a Copy Boy was beaten in his first six starts at distances ranging from five furlongs to 6 1/2 furlongs. The best he did in that span was a third at 6 1/2 furlongs on March 7, which proved to be foreshadowing for his next two starts.

Tom Wood:

R1:          4-12-1-2

R2:          7-9-8-4

R3:          1-4-8-3

R4:          10-4-2-3
R5:          8-7-2-9

R6:          1-2-11-5

SHA TIN SELECTIONS
(Sunday, May 21, 2023)

The Australian 3-year-old filly Queen Assassin will face a class test in a six-furlong handicap at Sunshine Coast Racecourse, north of Brisbane on Saturday evening.

Queen Assassin was second in her debut last November and won a six-furlong maiden race at Doomben Racecourse a month later. In her lone start this year, Queen Assassin won a six-furlong handicap at tiny Kilcoy Racecourse on May, closing from third of seven to win by a length at 3-5.

Regarding the current 3-year-old fillies in Japan, there is Liberty Island and the rest.

Liberty Island was the unanimous choice for champion 2-year-old filly of 2022 and began her current season with a win in the Grade 1 Japanese 1000 Guineas at a mile at Hanshin Racecourse in April. She will be a strong favorite to win for the fourth time in her fifth start in Sunday’s Grade 1 Japanese Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/2 miles at Tokyo Racecourse.

The distance is new for Liberty Island, and should be within her range.

The multiple stakes winner Zaaki is on a familiar path through Australia’s leading races for older horses this month.

In May 2021, Zaaki won the Group 2 Hollindale Stakes and the Group 1 Doomben Cup at tracks in the Brisbane area. Last May, Zaaki won the Hollindale Stakes, but was third as the 1-4 favorite in the Doomben Cup.

So far this month, Zaaki has repeated his win in the Hollindale Stakes on May 6. He will be heavily favored to win the $660,800 Doomben Cup at 1 1/4 miles at Doomben Racecourse on Friday evening.