Tue, 08/28/2007 - 00:00

Mi Emma sails at Baden-Baden

Mi Emma gave older colts a sound beating at Baden-Baden in Germany on Tuesday, leading throughout to win the Group 2, $122,000 Oettingen-Rennen at one mile. Her rider, Andreas Boschert, never had an anxious moment as she defeated 10-time group race winner Soldier Hollow by two handy lengths as the 9-10 favorite.

A 3-year-old daughter of Arlington Million winner Silvano, Mi Emma covered the mile in 1:36.20 to win for the fourth time in six career starts.

Tue, 08/28/2007 - 00:00

Flu spreads in Australia

Australia’s first outbreak of equine influenza continued to widen its scope on Tuesday, though the country’s population of racehorses remains unaffected so far.

On Tuesday, the Sydney Morning Herald reported that eight police horses in New South Wales – the epicenter of the outbreak – had tested positive for equine influenza, prompting government officials to quarantine all 36 horses at the Mounted Police Center in Redfern for six to eight weeks.

Mon, 08/27/2007 - 00:00

Irish Wells a repeat winner in Grand Prix de Deauville

Irish Wells successfully defended his Grand Prix de Deauville title on Sunday, holding off the favored Poet Laureate to land the Group 2, $272,000 prize by a length.

Irish Wells, a 4-year-old son of Poliglote, was winning for the first time in six starts since his win in last year's race. Ridden again by Dominique Boeuf for trainer Francois Rohaut, the 5-1 Irish Wells covered the 1 9/16 miles on soft ground in 2:45.50. Champs Elysees was third, two lengths behind the runner-up.

Fri, 08/24/2007 - 00:00

Champs Elysees tries again

Champs Elysees, whose brothers and sisters include Banks Hill, Intercontinental, Cacique, Heat Haze, and Dansili, will make a third attempt to notch Group 2 laurels in the 1 9/16-mile $271,000 Grand Prix de Deauville on Sunday, closing day of the seaside resort's 16-day August meeting.

Thu, 08/23/2007 - 00:00

Japanese racing starts to resume

Racing will resume this weekend at three Japan Racing Association tracks as the racing industry in Japan continues to fight against an outbreak of equine influenza. Six cards at Sapporo, Niigata, and Kokura will be conducted after a similar schedule had been lost last weekend.

Only horses who have tested negative during tests conducted on Monday and Tuesday will be allowed to run this weekend. Those tests revealed that 9 percent of 2,012 horses tested showed up positive. There are 4,235 horses stabled at JRA facilities across the country.

Thu, 08/23/2007 - 00:00

Kingsgate Native beats elders in Nunthorpe

Kingsgate Native, a 2-year-old maiden making his third start, gave his elders a thrashing at York on Thursday, speeding to victory in the five-furlong Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes.

In defeating Desert Lord by 1 3/4 lengths, Kingsgate Native became the fifth juvenile to win the $438,000 Nunthorpe, the last being the filly Lyric Fantasy in 1992. The 9-4 favorite, Dandy Man, was third.

Wed, 08/22/2007 - 00:00

Peeping Fawn romps at York

Peeping Fawn won her fourth Group 1 race in a row on Wednesday with an impossibly easy victory in the $577,000 Yorkshire Oaks at York, in the process ending any arguments about who is the best 3-year-old filly in Europe.

Tue, 08/21/2007 - 00:00

Authorized cruises to victory

Epsom Derby winner Authorized outlasted Dylan Thomas in the Group 1, $1.04 million Juddmonte International Stakes at York on Tuesday, staying on stoutly to defeat the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes champ by a rather comfortable length.

Mon, 08/20/2007 - 00:00

Myboycharlie wins Morny

Myboycharlie charged to the head of the European 2-year-old class at Deauville on Sunday with a last-to-first victory in the Groupo1, $471,000 Prix Morny.

Mon, 08/20/2007 - 00:00

Filly-mare battle at York

The intergenerational battle between Alexandrova and Peeping Fawn in the Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks on Wednesday is also an intramural conflict between the two best fillies in Aidan O'Brien's barn. The 1 1/2-mile test was won last year by Alexandrova, who will be running for the first time since Mandesha ended her three-race Group 1 winning streak in the Prix de l'Opera last Oct. 1. At the same time, Peeping Fawn will be looking to extend a three-race Group 1 streak of her own in York's $575,000 filly and mare contest.