The Group 2 Dante Stakes on Thursday at York Racecourse in England serves as a prep for the Epsom Derby. For Too Darn Hot, the favorite, the race serves as a crossroads.

A strong showing in his 3-year-old debut could send Too Darn Hot on to the Derby, but if the John Gosden-trained colt fails to comfortably see out the Dante’s one mile, two furlongs, and 56 yards – more than a quarter-mile farther than he’s yet run – his summer campaign could be focused on races at or about one mile.

Brett Davis – Selections

R1 – 5-4-1-6
R2 – 6-2-9-5
R3 – 8-7-5-1
R4 – 10-11-12-6
R5 – 7-12-4-8
R6 – 11-4-12-5
R7 – 4-5-11-2
R8 – 8-10-9-3
Best: R8 N8 Vigor Fame
Longshot: R6 N11 Gold Velvet
Best Play: R5 Q/Qp 4,7,12

Andrew Le Jeune:

R1: 4-5-2-9
R2: 1-9-8-6
R3: 6-1-11-12
R4: 6-12-2-9
R5: 4-12-8-6
R6: 11-4-3-2
R7: 1-2-12-6
R8: 4-9-10-8

Cinquante Cinq has made steady progress in Hong Kong in his first four starts, winning for the first time in March and finishing a close second on April 17.

A 4-year-old New Zealand-bred gelding, Cinquante Cinq raced wide for much of the April 17 race and was beaten a neck after leading in the stretch. The performance suggests Cinquante Cing has every chance to win for the second time in Wednesday’s $175,814 Arc de Triomphe Champions Handicap at Happy Valley Racecourse.

HAPPY VALLEY SELECTIONS
(Wednesday, May 15, 2019)

Normcore won her first Grade 1 race in Sunday’s $1,864,289 Victoria Mile for fillies and mares at Tokyo Racecourse in Japan, blazing the distance in a course-record time of 1:30.50 on firm turf.

Ridden by Australian-based jockey Damian Lane, who is riding in Japan on a short-term license, Normcore (8-1) closed from the middle of a field of 18 to reach contention in early stretch. Normcore was challenged late by 5-1 Primo Scene but held off that rival to win by a neck.

Godolphin swept the two classic races for 3-year-olds Sunday at Longchamp, where Persian King won the Group 1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains, the French 2000 Guineas, by one length and Castle Lady proved a nose best in the Group 1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches, the 1000 Guineas.

Andre Fabre trains Persian King, the more talented, faster, and more promising of the two Godolphin winners Sunday, and Persian King captured the Poulains, his connections said, very much despite a heavy course rather than because of it.

Aerolithe, who finished ninth in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational at Gulfstream Park in January, is part of a field of 18 in Sunday’s Grade 1 Victoria Mile on turf for fillies and mares at Tokyo Racecourse in Japan.

Aerolithe has not raced since finishing 22 lengths behind Bricks and Mortar in the $7 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational. In Japan, the 5-year-old Aerolithe was a Grade 2 winner last October and won the Grade 1 NHK Mile for 3-year-olds in May 2017.

Magna Grecia’s win last Saturday in the English 2000 Guineas reverberated across the English Channel all the way to France, where the colt Persian King was preparing for Sunday’s Group 1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains, the French version of the 2000 Guineas. Persian King last October in England won the Group 3 Autumn Stakes, a race in which Magna Grecia finished second, the only loss of his career.

SHA TIN SELECTIONS

:: Hong Kong: Free PPs, picks, and analysis

Back in February, Mission Tycoon led throughout the $1.25 million Hong Kong Classic Cup for 4-year-olds at Sha Tin Racecourse, recording a shocking win at 92-1.

Racing has been much tougher in recent months. Mission Tycoon was 11th in the Hong Kong Derby at 1 1/4 miles on March 17 and last of nine behind reigning Horse of the Year Beauty Generation in the Group 2 Chairman’s Trophy at a mile on April 7.