NEW YORK - The much-overworked adjective "awesome" found itself a proper place with regard to Cesario's victory in the American Oaks on July 3 at Hollywood Park'. Who could fail to have been impressed with the Japanese invader's overpowering four-length runaway from an international field of thoroughly outclassed fillies?

Scorpion stung the French on their national holiday with a record-setting victory in the Group 1, $603,000 Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp on Thursday.

All of Paris used to stop for the Grand Prix de Paris, where as many as 100,000 people would pack the grandstand and infield at Longchamp - until World War II put an end to such frivolity. On Thursday, the most historically important race on the French calendar will sport a new look as the highlight of a festive Bastille Day evening meeting, to which admission is free.

Shamardal, retired on the eve of his expected clash with Motivator in the Eclipse Stakes two Saturdays ago, is being rushed into stallion duty in time for Australia's Southern Hemisphere stud season.

Horatio Nelson led throughout under Kieren Fallon to win the Group 3 Superlative Stakes for 2-year-olds at Newmarket on Thursday, just one day after his Aidan O'Brien-trained stablemate Ivan Denisovich had landed the Group 2 July Stakes.

Out of English Oaks and Irish 1000 Guineas winner Imagine, Horatio Nelson is, like Ivan Denisovich, a son of Danehill.

After four bomb blasts had ripped through the London transport system Thursday morning, the evening meeting at Epsom Racecourse was canceled in light of what course clerk Andrew Cooper described as "the escalating situation in London."

Ivan Denisovich pronounced himself the best 2-year-old seen so far this year in Europe with a stunning victory in the Group 2, $123,000 July Stakes at Newmarket on Wednesday.

A son of Danehill trained by Aidan O'Brien, Ivan Denisovich finished full of run under Kieren Fallon as the 7-2 second choice to defeat Northern Empire by two lengths, getting the straight six furlongs in 1:12.42 on ground labeled good to soft.

Soviet Song was most impressive in winning the Group 1, $351,000 Falmouth Stakes for the second year in a row at Newmarket on Tuesday, coming from last to first to defeat Alexander Goldrun by 2 1/2 lengths.

With rider Johnny Murtagh content to wait behind a dawdling pace set by Peeress, Soviet Song quickened readily to mow down her six rivals, getting the straight, undulating mile in 1:38.99 on good ground. Alexander Goldrun was up to take second by a head from Peeress.

Tom Halliday, a 20-year-old apprentice jump jockey, was killed Sunday when he was crushed by his mount in a fall at Market Rasen Racecourse in England.

Halliday was riding Rush'N'Run in a novices handicap hurdle when the accident occurred. Halliday had won four races in his brief career.

Elsewhere, X-rays taken Saturday confirmed that Frankie Dettori broke his collarbone in a spill aboard Celtic Mill during the Laurent-Perrier Champagne Sprint Stakes at Sandown Park.

Turtle Bowl stepped up in class to make off with the one-mile Group 1 $475,000 Prix Jean Prat at Chantilly on Sunday and will be pointed in future to races outside of France where he can take advantage of his preference for firm ground.