Japanese juvenile filly champion Vodka faces a stern test in Sunday's Grade 1 Oka Sho, the $1.4 million turf mile at Hanshin Racecourse near Osaka that is better known around the world as the Japanese 1000 Guineas.

Boris de Deauville turned the tables on Pearl Sky at Longchamp on Sunday when he avenged his Prix Exbury defeat with victory in the Group 2, $173,000 Group 2 Prix d'Harcourt at Longchamp.

Boris de Deauville came from eighth to first at 13-1 to defeat Pearl Sky by 1 1/2 lengths, getting the 1 1/4 miles on heavy ground in 2:13.40. It was just a nose farther back to the pacesetting Irish Wells in third. The winner was ridden by Yann Barberot for trainer Stephane Wattel.

Pearl Sky will once again have the quagmire she loves Sunday at Longchamp as she goes after her fourth consecutive victory on heavy ground in the Group 2, $173,000 Prix d'Harcourt.

A 4-year-old Kahyasi filly trained by Yves de Nicolay, Pearl Sky slammed four of her Harcourt rivals by more than five lengths over the same 1 1/4-mile distance in the Group 3 Prix Exbury at Saint-Cloud on March 10. Elasos, Runaway, Boris de Deauville, and Blushing King will all try her again, but should all be chasing her home again on Sunday.

Download past performances for the Dubai World Cup:

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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Eighty-four Thoroughbreds made the list of final declarations released Monday for Saturday's six stakes on the Dubai World Cup program here, but two names on the list stand out.

While current and future standouts populate the six World Cup races, the night's most anticipated matchup comes in the $6 million World Cup itself, where Discreet Cat, who never has lost a race in six starts, takes on Invasor, who has lost only one of 11.

The 2007 European racing season started on a controversial note before a race had been run when John Magnier announced the retirement of Ballydoyle's leading 3-year-old Holy Roman Emperor. The stunning move was made to accommodate breeders who had signed mares to mate with Coolmore Stud's George Washington, who is suffering from fertility problems.

All 14 horses representing the United States at Nad Al Sheba on Dubai World Cup Night, March 31, should be on their way to the Middle East. A contingent of eight, led by the World Cup favorite, Invasor, was scheduled to leave Fort Lauderdale International Airport on Tuesday evening, while six others, headed by Dubai Duty Free hopeful Lava Man, were to take off from Los Angeles International Airport on Tuesday afternoon.

Three new races for 2-year-olds sponsored by Tattersalls with a total value of 2.2 million pounds ($4.25 million) will be run at Newmarket beginning in 2008 and 2009. Graduates of the 2007 Tattersalls October yearling sale (Book One) will be eligible for the races, which will be known as the Tattersalls Millions.

Floral Pegasus takes dead aim at the Hong Kong Triple Crown at Sha Tin on Sunday when he will go off as a strong favorite in the $2omillion Hong Kong Derby.

Victory for Floral Pegasus, an Australian-bred 4-year-old son of Fusaichi Pegasus, in the 1 1/4-mile Group 1 event would make him the first Triple Crown winner in Hong Kong racing history.

Trained by Tony Cruz and to be ridden by Gerald Mosse, Floral Pegasus has already landed the Hong Kong Classic Mile and the Hong Kong Derby Trial. His job Sunday was made all the easier when he drew post 2 in the 14-runner field.

Kauto Star completed his undefeated championship season on Friday with a decisive victory in the world's premier steeplechase, the 3 5/16-mile $823,000 Cheltenham Gold Cup.

But his trainer, Paul Nicholls, and owner, Clive Smith, suffered through an anxious moment when Kauto Star blundered when well clear at the last fence, a repeat of the same mistake he had made in winning the King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on Dec. 26.