Fri, 05/26/2006 - 00:00

Handicapping myths debunked

Horsephotos
Bernardini's lack of two-turn experience didn't hurt him in the Preakness.

NEW YORK - Conventional wisdom took a beating last weekend as racing myths were busted wide open on both sides of the Atlantic.

Fri, 05/26/2006 - 00:00

Only two will try Hurricane Run

Hurricane Run will make his seasonal debut in the $320,000 Tattersalls Gold Cup at The Curragh on Sunday, and only two other horses are daring to challenge the reigning European champion.

Thu, 05/25/2006 - 00:00

Guineas a one-horse race

George Washington will have to find a way to lose if he is to be defeated in Saturday's $512,000 Irish 2000 Guineas, so overwhelming is his presence in The Curragh's one-mile classic.

Ladbrokes has installed George Washington, the impressive winner of Newmarket's 2000 Guineas, as the 4-9 favorite for the Irish Guineas. The ground is expected to be no better than soft, and possibly worse, and if George Washington is to be beaten, it may be the ground that proves his undoing.

Mon, 05/22/2006 - 00:00

Germance takes Saint-Alary

Germance will go into the French Oaks undefeated, as she once again got the better of Sanaya to win the Group 1, $320,000 Group 1 Prix Saint-Alary at Longchamp on Sunday.

A Kentucky-bred daughter of Silver Hawk, Germance (4-5) proved a half-length winner of the 1 1/4-mile Oaks prep, which was a virtual repeat of her one-length victory over Sanaya in the Group 3 Prix Penelope at Saint-Cloud on April 10. Ioritz Mendizabal guided the Jean-Claude Rouget-trained filly under the line in 2:05.80 on a soft turf course.

Mon, 05/22/2006 - 00:00

Kawakami Princess wins in Japan

Kawakami Princess remained undefeated through four career starts after she rallied to win the $2 million Yushun Himba, or Japanese Oaks, at Tokyo Racecourse on Sunday.

Sun, 05/21/2006 - 00:00

Germance takes Prix Saint-Alary at Longchamp

Germance will go into the French Oaks undefeated as she once again got the better of Sanaya to win the $320,000 Group 1 Prix Saint-Alary at Longchamp on Sunday.

The 4-5 Kentucky-bred daughter of Silver Hawk proved a confident half-length winner of the 1 1/4-mile Oaks prep which proved a virtual repeat of her one-length victory over Sanaya in the Group 3 Prix Penelope at Saint-Cloud on April 10. Ioritz Mendizabal guided the Jean-Claude Rouget-trained filly under the line in 2:05.80 on a soft turf course.

Sun, 05/21/2006 - 00:00

Kawakami Princess remains undefeated

Kawakami Princess remained undefeated through four career starts after she rallied to win the $2 million Yushun Himba, or Japanese Oaks, at Tokyo Racecourse on Sunday.

Sat, 05/20/2006 - 00:00

Peeress proves too good for boys in Lockinge

Peeress defeated males in her season debut at Newbury on Saturday, when she rallied to win the Group 1, $375,000 Lockinge Stakes. The win was trainer Michael Stoute's seventh in the Lockinge.

A 5-year-old Pivotal mare, Peeress rallied under Kieren Fallon to lead the straight mile at the three-sixteenths pole, running out to a 1 3/4-length win over Majors Cast. Court Masterpiece was another 3 1/2 lengths back in third, and Soviet Song, the 7-2 choice, was fourth, beaten 6 3/4 lengths. Soft ground slowed the winning time to 1:44.57.

Fri, 05/19/2006 - 00:00

Sanaya heads Saint-Alary

Sanaya is the selection in a very competitive Prix Saint-Alary at Longchamp on Sunday when the first four finishers from the Prix Penelope will meet in this key Group 1, 1 1/4-mile prep for the June 11 Prix de Diane, or French Oaks.

A daughter of Barathea trained by Alain de Royer-Dupre, Sanaya was a length second to the undefeated Germance, whom she faces again Sunday, in the Group 3 Penelope at Saint-Cloud on April 10. The same good-to-soft conditions will prevail at Longchamp on Sunday.

Fri, 05/19/2006 - 00:00

Kiss to Heaven the Tokyo choice

Kiss to Heaven rates as the solid choice in the $2 million Yushun Himba, or Japanese Oaks, at Tokyo on Sunday despite having drawn post 17 in a field of 18 fillies going 1 1/2 miles.

Winner of the one-mile Japanese 1000 Guineas on April 9, Kiss to Heaven had previously won the 1 1/8-mile Group 3 Flower Cup on March 18.

Threats may come from Yamato Marion, Broncone, and Across the Heaven, the first three home in the 1 1/4-mile Group 2 Flora Stakes on April 23 at this same Tokyo racecourse.