NEW YORK - The retirement of Johannesburg on Thursday should not have come as a surprise to anyone who has followed his declining fortunes.
Having failed in the Gladness Stakes, the Kentucky Derby, and the Golden Jubilee Stakes, Johannesburg had been painted into a corner by trainer Aidan O'Brien and his bosses at Coolmore Stud.
There was simply nowhere for him to go. Not after his championship juvenile year, winning Group or Grade 1 races in four different countries.
Quarter Moon will attempt to make amends for her narrow failure as the 4-5 Irish Oaks favorite in the 1 1/4-mile Group 1 Nassau Stakes at Goodwood on Saturday.
But Quarter Moon, an Aidan O'Brien-trained daughter of Sadler's Wells who was also second in the Irish 1000 Guineas and the English Oaks, faces a stern challenge from Group 3 Musidora Stakes winner Islington. Although eighth behind Kazzia in the English Oaks, Islington was unsuited by the soft ground that day and has been freshened for the Nassau by trainer Michael Stoute.
Rock of Gibraltar entered the realm of the legendary with his sixth consecutive Group 1 triumph in Sussex Stakes at Goodwood on Wednesday.
"The ultimate racehorse" was how rider Michael Kinane described the 3-year-old Rock of Gibraltar after he swept past last year's Sussex winner, Noverre, to record a two-length victory as the 3-5 favorite. The winning time for the mile was a slightly fast 1:38.29 on good to firm ground. The issue was never really in doubt and Rock of Gibraltar's margin of victory could have been much greater had Kinane wished it.
Elusive City propelled himself to the top of the European juvenile standings with a powerful performance in the Group 2 Richmond Stakes on opening day at Goodwood Tuesday.
A $250,000 purchase by The Thoroughbred Corporation at Fasig-Tipton's Kentucky July Sale, Elusive City - a son of Elusive Quality - was a three-length winner of a six-furlong Lingfield maiden in his debut.
Rock of Gibraltar will take dead aim at his sixth consecutive Group 1 victory at Goodwood on Wednesday when he faces five rivals in the Sussex Stakes, the first of four weight-for-age miles that determine the European challenge for the Breeders' Cup Mile.
Golan, whose owner, Lord Weinstock, died just four days before the race, narrowly got the better of a great duel with Nayef in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes at Ascot.
Nayef took over from the front-running favorite, Granders, with under quarter of a mile to run. Golan (5-1), brought from the rear by jockey Kieren Fallon, mounted a fierce challenge in the closing stages.