Attraction, showing herself the British equivalent of Smarty Jones, extended her unbeaten career record to seven and became the first filly to complete the English and Irish 1,000 Guineas double in the Irish 1,000 Guineas at The Curragh on Sunday.

TOKYO, Japan - Daiwa El Cielo surprised 86,498 disbelieving racegoers at Tokyo Racecourse on Sunday as she upset the heavily favored Dance In The Mood in the $2 million Yushun Himba, or Japanese Oaks.

The victory of the Sunday Silence filly, who held off a late challenge by Sweep Tosho to win the 1 1/2-mile fillies classic by three quarters of a length, proved to be a massive reversal of form as the previously undefeated Dance In The Mood had beaten her into sixth place in the Japanese 1000 Guineas on April 11.

Bachelor Duke, who had never been one of the first two finishers in four previous career starts, sprang a 12-1 surprise Saturday, winning the Irish 2000 Guineas at The Curragh.

Attraction will bid to make history on Sunday at The Curragh, attempting to add an Irish 1000 Guineas victory to her conquest of the English equivalent, something that has never been done before.

Trained by Mark Johnston, Attraction won the English 1000 Guineas at Newmarket from on the lead, and will likely reprise those tactics Sunday. The main threat to her would appear to be spoilers taking her on up front.

NEW YORK - No sport more closely mirrors society at large than horse racing. Study the history of the Thoroughbred in any country, and you will be given a glimpse into the history of that country's politics and culture through the peculiar prism that is racing.

This simultaneity is most evident in England, where the Epsom Derby, or the Derby Stakes as it is officially known, has reflected the rise and fall of Britain's fortunes on and off the racecourse since 1780.

Island Fashion will leap across the Pacific Ocean for a bold assault on the $1.6 million Yasuda Kinen at Tokyo Racecourse on June 6.

Trainer Marcelo Polanco and owner Jeff Nielsen of Everest Stables made the decision to ship Island Fashion, a 4-year-old daughter of Petionville, to Japan for the Grade 1 mile against colts at the urging of her rider, Kent Desormeaux.

The long-awaited return of France's top two fillies may happen in Sunday's Prix d'Ispahan at Longchamp, where Six Perfections and Nebraska Tornado could hook up in the Group 1 race for older horses.

American Post, the 2-5 favorite in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains at Longchamp, seemed ready to settle for second place in the one-mile classic when Antonius Pius rushed to the lead inside the furlong pole. Suddenly, however, Antonius Pius veered wildly to the right, slamming into the rails and bouncing back to a fifth-place finish. Left in the lead 50 yards from the line, American Post recorded a half-length victory over Diamond Green in the French equivalent of the 2000 Guineas.

Russian Rhythm, headed in the stretch, came again to land the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes at Newbury, England, in her first start in seven months.

American Post has two assignments in the $413,000 Poule d'Essai des Poulains at Longchamp on Sunday. The first is to win the race, a Group 1 classic mile that is the French equivalent of the 2000 Guineas. The second is to prepare for the more daunting prospect of the Epsom Derby on June 5.

A victory Sunday is well within the grasp of American Post, who won April 25 in the Group 3 Prix de Fontainebleau over the Poulains course and distance.

Richard Hughes will ride American Post, a Bering colt who is owned by Khalid Abdullah.