Good Ba Ba swept to victory in the $1 million Champions Mile at Sha Tin on Sunday, virtually clinching Hong Kong Horse of the Year honors in the first foreign race to be included in the Breeders' Cup's Win and You're In program.
But Good Ba Ba, a 6-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Lear Fan, is most unlikely to be at Santa Anita for the Breeders' Cup Mile, even though he is fully nominated to the Cup.
Duke of Marmalade followed in the footsteps of his former stablemate Dylan Thomas and won the Group 1 Prix Ganay at Longchamp on Sunday. An Irish-bred Danehill 4-year-old, Duke of Marmalade was winning for the first time in seven starts since his maiden victory in June 2006, but he has now positioned himself for all of Europe's best races between a mile and 10 furlongs.
Centennial led virtually throughout to capture the Group 3, $89,000 Sandown Classic Trial at Sandown Park on Saturday, holding off the late challenge of Whistledownwind by a short neck.
Sent off as the 6-5 favorite, Centennial was two lengths clear at the eighth pole, but his rider, Jimmy Fortune, had to get down to work when Whistledownwind loomed up alongside. It was another 1 1/4 lengths back to Feared in Flight in third.
Good Ba Ba can earn himself a spot in the Breeders' Cup Mile on Sunday should he prevail as expected in the $1 million Champions Mile at Sha Tin. The first foreign race to be run as part of the Breeders' Cup' Win and You're In program, the Group 1 Champions Mile shares top billing in Hong Kong with the $1.8 million Queen Elizabeth II Cup, in which Viva Pataca will seek redemption following his second-place finish in the Dubai Sheema Classic.
Mrs. Lindsay can add her name to a list of female Prix Ganay winners that includes Aquarelliste, Triptych, and Trillion on Sunday at Longchamp. A 4-year-old Theatrical filly owned by Bettina Jenney of Pennsylvania, Mrs. Lindsay will be perfectly suited by the conditions of the Ganay, a 1 5/16-mile Group 1 contest worth $470,000.
The road to the Epsom Derby begins in earnest at Sandown Park on Saturday when Centennial will attempt to improve upon a promising juvenile campaign in the Group 3, $99,000 Sandown Classic Trial, a 1 1/4-mile prep for the 1 1/2-mile Derby.
Trained by John Gosden, Centennial followed a victory in the Haynes, Hansen & Clark Conditions Stakes at Newbury last fall with a very good second to French champion juvenile Thewayyouare in the Group 3 Prix Thomas Bryon. Both of those races were at a mile.
A pair of 3-year-olds with strong American connections will attempt classic glory in Europe this spring. Nownownow, the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner from Fab Oak Stables, is being primed for the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on May 3, while Destare, bred and owned by George Strawbridge, could be headed to the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches, or French 1000 Guineas, at Longchamp on May 11.
Captain Thule's brave front-running performance landed him the $2.2 million Satsuki Sho, or Japanese 2000 Guineas, at Nakayama on Sunday, as he turned the tables on the three horses who had beaten him last time in the Yayoi Sho, the key Guineas prep.
Muthabara did her 1000 Guineas prospects no harm at all with a 1 1/4-length victory in the Fred Darling Stakes at Newbury on Saturday. The 9-4 favorite, she was making her 2008 debut, and she came from off the pace to cut down Dream Day in the 13-runner affair over seven furlongs.
Gliding's long journey to Japan for the $1.6 million Grand Nakayama Jump turned out to be a complete bust on Saturday as the gelding, trained by Paul Fout, trailed home last of the nine finishers in the 10-runner 2 5/8-mile steeplechase, distanced by the victorious Maruka Rascal and every other horse who finished the race.
Gliding's chances were not helped by Friday-night rainfall that turned the Nakayama turf course yielding. Sent off as the 17-1 sixth choice, he was never in contention.