Sea the Stars became the first horse since Nashwan in 1989 to complete the 2,000 Guineas and Epsom Derby double with a convincing 1 3/4-length victory in the Epsom Derby on Saturday.
The 5-2 second choice, Sea the Stars lived up to his impeccable breeding, overtaking the longtime leader Golden Sword passing the eighth pole and running on strongly to beat the favorite, Fame and Glory, and stopping the clock at 2:36.74 for the 1 1/2 miles on "good" turf.
Japan's two highest rated older horses, Vodka and Deep Sky, go head to head Sunday at Tokyo Racecourse in the $2 million Yasuda Kinen, a Grade 1 mile that has also attracted two of Hong Kong's leading milers, Sight Winner and Armada.
The edge must belong to Vodka. A 5-year-old mare trained by Katsuhiko Sumii, she returned from a couple of subpar efforts in Dubai to take the Victoria Mile against her own sex on May 17 over the Yasuda Kinen course and distance, and has drawn perfectly in three with regular rider Yutaka Take aboard.
Sariska fended off Midday to capture the 231st running of the $566,000 English Oaks at Epsom on Friday, prevailing by a head as Rainbow View faded to fourth in the 1 1/2-mile classic for fillies after taking a nasty bump from the winner at the quarter pole.
Sea the Stars can complete a classic double on Saturday when he takes on one of the best fields in recent memory in the 230th running of the $2 million Epsom Derby.
The winner of the 2000 Guineas five weeks ago in a way that suggested that he will be able to handle the step up in distance from a mile to a 1 1/2 miles, Sea the Stars, trained by John Oxx, has been bet down to clear 5-2 favoritism this week despite the presence of a very strong six-horse battalion being sent out by Aidan O'Brien and his Coolmore backers.
The world economic crisis has claimed another million-dollar race. New Zealand Racing announced on Wednesday that the Kelt Capital Stakes, run with a price tag of $1.2 million (U.S.) each of the last two years, will be cut to $790,000 for its Oct. 3 running at Hastings Racecourse.
Rainbow View, attempting to bounce back from a disappointing effort as the favorite in the 1000 Guineas, must overcome a quartet of improving fillies at Epsom on Friday if she is to land classic honors in the $580,000 English Oaks.
Rainbow View, owned by George Strawbridge and trained by John Gosden, was Europe's juvenile filly champion last year. She blemished her perfect record when fifth in the Newmarket mile, but is expected to do better over the Oaks 12-furlong trip.
The death of Vincent O'Brien on the eve of the Epsom Derby is a timely reminder of the profound influence the great trainer has had and continues to have on the Thoroughbred breed. Not only did the diminutive Irishman win the Derby six times, 10 of the 13 horses pointing to Saturday's classic are descended from horses trained by him.
And not only trained by him, but personally selected by him. For O'Brien was the consummate horseman, adept at every angle of the game and possessed with an eye for equine excellence perhaps unmatched in the history of the sport.
Vincent O'Brien, regarded by many as the greatest trainer in the history of Thoroughbred racing, died at his home in Straffan, County Kildare, Ireland on Monday morning at the age of 92. In recent years he had been spending winters with his wife, Jacqueline, at the home of his son David in Perth on the west coast of Australia. In failing health, he returned to Ireland last week and died in the midst of his family, who include his son, the trainer Charles O'Brien.
Logi Universe powered to a four-length victory in the $3.5 million Tokyo Yushum (Japanese Derby) on Sunday after torrential rain had turned the ground soft at Tokyo Racecourse. In victory, the Kiyoshi Hagiwara-trained son of the Sunday Silence stallion and 2003 Japanese Derby winner Neo Universe avenged his lone career defeat in the Japanese 2000 Guineas as he beat Guineas winner and 11-10 favorite Unrivaled into 12th place.