Skippylongstocking starsin Memorial Day Weekend horse racing
May 27 (UPI) -- Trainer Saffie Joseph had a happy Memorial Day weekend at the races, sending two horses to California to win graded stakes and another to a profitable stop in Texas, as top-level racing spread from coast to coast with the unofficial advent of summer.
The international action was, if anything, even more heated with Group 1 and Grade 1 races from Japan to Hong Kong, Ireland, France and Chile, where yet another Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" slot was decided.
After a moment to give silent thanks to those for whom Memorial Day is meant ... we forge on with ...
Classic
Skippylongstocking shipped west for Monday's $200,000 Grade II Hollywood Gold Cup at Santa Anita and made the trip worthwhile with an off-the pace, 3/4-length victory over the locals.
Midnight Mammoth was closest the visitor at the finish and 6 lengths better than third-place finisher Extensive. That wrapped the two-stakes-win day in California for Saffie Joseph Jr.
At Lone Star Park, Instant Replay battled gamely through the stretch to land Monday's $300,000 Texas Derby by 1 length over Itsmybirthday.
Distaff
Seismic Beauty led virtually gate to wire in Sunday's $200,000 Grade II Santa Margarita Stakes at Santa Anita and wasn't challenged through much of the 1 1/8 miles, drawing off to a 5-lengths victory. Her stablemate, odds-on favorite Splendora, settled for second, giving trainer Bob Baffert the exacta.
Dirt Mile
Komorebino Omoide overcame a bad start in Monday's $400,000 Grade III Steve Sexton Mile at Lone Star Park and drew off in the end to win by 2 1/4 lengths.
Sprint
Buccherino dueled to the lead in Monday's $100,000 Mr. Prospector Stakes at Monmouth Park, and then kept at it for a 1-length win over late-running Subrogate.
Blue Light won Monday's $100,000 Speightstown Stakes at Lone Star Park by 1 1/2 lengths.
Filly & Mare Sprint
Two Sharp was too fast for six rivals in Monday's $250,000 Grade III Winning Colors at Churchill Downs. Leading all the way under Junior Alvarado, the 4-year-old Twirling Candy filly romped home first by 3 1/2 lengths.
Two Sharp is emerging as a force in the division. Her 3-year-old campaign netted three wins, including the Grade III Chilukki Stakes, and two seconds from five starts. The Winning Colors was her 2025 debut.
Mystic Lake shot right to the front and controlled things from there in Monday's $100,000 Memorial Day Sprint Stakes at Lone Star Park, and then worked clear to win by 2 lengths for Joseph Jr.
Filly & Mare Turf
Be Your Best was quickly away in Monday's $300,000 Grade I Gamely Stakes at Santa Anita, crossed over from the outside gate to take the lead and wasn't caught. The 5-year-old, Irish-bred mare opened a 4 1/2-length lead in the lane and coasted home first by 2 3/4 lengths over Lady Claypool.
Be Your Best ran 1 1/8 miles on firm turf in 1:46.26. Irad Ortiz Jr. rode that same Joseph Jr.
At Lone Star Park, half of the 10 entries defected from Monday's $200,000 Ouija Board Distaff when the course came up yielding. That left it to Neom Beachto rally from last and draw off late to a 6 1/2-length victory.
Marksman Queen led the way in Saturday's $250,000 Keertana Stakes at Churchill Downs and held on to win by 1/2 length over Dreaming of Mo. Tarneema was third.
On Saturday at Monmouth Park, Spaliday left the gate last of seven, but crossed the finish line first, 2 1/2 lengths in front of Joyful Lass.
Turf
Otago and Highestdistinction both came running late in Saturday's $104,000 Cliff Hanger Stakes at Monmouth Park, with Otago getting the better of the late duel by 1/2 length.
Turf Mile
King of Gosford came after the early leaders at the top of the stretch in Monday's $300,000 Grade I Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita, worked past the last two foes inside the final sixteenth and won by a neck.
Aa 4-year-old, British-bred colt by Zoustar, King of Gosford has six wins, three seconds and a third from 11 starts since reporting for duty with trainer Phil D'Amato in 2024.
Turf Sprint
Clock Tower grabbed the lead in Saturday's $150,000 Paradise Creek Stakes for 3-year-olds at Aqueduct, and then edged clear to win by 1 1/2 lengths.
Usually Wrong rallied five-wide into the stretch in Monday's $100,000 Chamberlain Bridge Stakes at Lone Star Park and was up to win a tight, multihorse finish by 1/2 length. The 4-year-old Lookin At Lucky colt ran 5 furlongs on yielding turf in 56.78 seconds.
Around the world, around the clock
Ireland
Field of Gold coasted home an easy winner in Saturday's Group 1 Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh. The Kingman colt rebounded from a narrow defeat in the English 2000 Guineas at Newmarket in his previous start.
A day later in the Group 1 Irish 1,000 Guineas, 2024 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Lake Victoria also bounced back from a defeat at Newmarket to score by 2 1/4 lengths over California Dreamer.
Also Tuesday, trainer Aidan O'Brien sent out Los Angeles to win the Group 1 Gold Cup and Albert Einstein to land the Group 3 Marble Hill Stakes.
England
On Saturday at Haydock, Mgheera led home a parade of five long shots in the Group 2 Betfred Temple Stakes. The favorite, Rumstar, finished sixth and Starlust, the 2024 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint winner, supposedly prepping for Royal Ascot, finished seventh.
Hong Kong
Voyage Bubble completed a rare sweep of Hong Kong's Triple Crown series with a commanding win Sunday in the Group 1 Champions & Chater Cup at Sha Tin Racecourse.
The 6-year-old gelding earlier in the 2024-25 season won the 1,600-meter Stewards' Cup and the 2,000-meter Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup.
His challenge Sunday was to stay the 2,400 meters of the third leg of the series. A massively favorable pace scenario helped him realize his potential as he rallied from off the pace to win by 3 1/2 lengths.
France
Mark down Sosie as the solid favorite for October's Group 1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Fourth in last year's running of the Arc, the now 4-year-old showed he's matured nicely with a 1-length, off-the-pace victory in Sunday's Group 1 Prix d'Ispahan at Longchamp.
The day's co-feature, the Group 1 Prix Vicomtesse Vigier, went the way of Candelari, a 4-year-old Frankel gelding.
Japan
The big question in Sunday's Grade 1 Yushun Himba or Japanese Oaks was which of the 18 fillies would best handle the 2,400 meters -- a new test for all.
The answer was Kamunyak, who used just about every step of that 1 1/2 miles to outfinish the favorite, Arma Veloce, by a head. Visiting jockey Andrasch Starke got his first Japanese Grade 1 win.
Australia
Antino rolled from third-last to an easy victory in Saturday's Group 1 Doomben Cup with a confident mid-race move that saw him slingshot around most of the field into the stretch. He improved to 3-for-3 in 2025.
Pride of Jenni, the reigning Aussie Horse of the Year, faded from the lead to finish 10th, her fifth defeat in her last six races.
South Africa
Eight On Eighteen made it three wins in a row with a popular 3 3/4-length victory over Spumante Dolce in Saturday's Grade 1 Daily News 2000 for 3-year-olds at Greyville in Durban. The Lancaster Bomber colt earlier accounted for the Grade 1 Cape Town Met and the Grade 1 Cape Derby.
Chile
Gran Oriente, a 3-year-old son of Classic Empire, took the lead in the final furlong of Sunday's Group 1 Gran Premio Club Hipico Falabella and held off the late surge of Dia de Otono for a 1-length upset victory.
Gran Oriente earned a "Win and You're In" spot in the Breeders' Cup Mile on the Del Mar turf on Nov. 1.
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