Royal Ascot looms after a weekend of big races from France to Japan
June 16 (UPI) -- The Royal Ascot started taking firm shape this weekend even as the winners were cooling out from Sunday's "Win and You're In" qualifiers for the Breeders' Cup Turf, the W.S. Cox Plate and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
Back in the States, some potentially late-blooming 3-year-olds took steps forward at Monmouth Park and Delaware Park. And Motorious started off his 7-year-old season with another convincing win.
Oh boy! Royal Ascot.
Around the world, around the clock
Royal Ascot
The five-day Royal meeting gets underway Tuesday, starting with a bang in the form of the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes.
It's worth setting the alarm clock, as familiar foes Rosalion, Dancing Gemini, Lead Artist and Notable Speech top a quality field for the straight one-mile test.
Also in the field is the first big American hope, Carl Spackler. The 5-year-old multiple Grade 1 winner, trained by Ciaron Maher, exits a win in the Grade I Maker's Mark Mile at Keeneland in April and has been prepping at Saratoga.
Also on the Tuesday card are the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes at 5 furlongs, the Group 1 St. James's Palace Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 mile and the Group 2 Coventry Stakes for 2-year-olds.
Wednesday's traditional feature is the Group 1 Prince of Wales's Stakes. A flock of retirements has left the Thursday centerpiece, the Group 1Ascot Gold Cup, a bit more open than in recent years.
On Friday, it's the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup for 3-year-olds at 6 furlongs and the Group 1 Coronation Cup for 3-year-old fillies. The final Group 1, the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes, wraps things up on Saturday.
Japan
Meisho Tabaru scored a front-running upset win in Sunday's Grade 1 Takarazuka Kinen at Hanshin Racecourse, turning back a late challenge by the favorite, Bellagio Opera, and running on to win by 3 lengths.
The 4-year-old son of Gold Ship earned "Win and You're In" spots in both the Group 1 W.S. Cox Plate in Australia and the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf. Sadly, lacking a time machine he's not going to contest both, as the Cox Plate is Oct. 25 and the Breeders' Cup is Nov. 1.
Meisho Tabaru, last seen finishing fifth in the Group 1 Dubai Turf in April, benefitted from jockey Yutaka Take's decision to go for the lead and see how far he could go.
"I knew the other horses were going to make their bid early but my mount had good momentum going around the fourth corner and I was hoping that he would manage to push through," the veteran rider said.
France
Gezora rallied to the lead inside the 100-meter mark in Sunday's Group 1 Prix de Diane or French Oaks at Chantilly and held safe a late charge by Bedtime Story to win by 1 length.
Gezora, an Almanzor filly racing for Peter Brant's White Birch Farm, scored her fourth win following a victory in the Group 2 Prix Saint-Alary at Longchamp on May 11.
Bedtime Story, a Frankel filly, won her first four starts last season for trainer Aidan O'Brien, but had been up the course in three intervening starts.
The race now is a "Win and You're In" for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in October and Gezora's odds accordingly were whacked down for that race.
Meanwhile, back in the States
The 3-year-olds
Bracket Buster returned to form, and then some, in Saturday's $150,000 NYRA Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth Park.
The Vekoma colt, trained by Vickie Oliver, finished second in the Grade III Lexington at Keeneland two starts back but then finished seventh in an optional claimer at Churchill Downs on Derby Day. In the Pegasus, he dueled for the lead, then took over and won off by 7 lengths.
Admiral Dennis took a big step forward in Saturday's $200,000 Delaware Derby at Delaware Park, stalking the pace before kicking away to win by 3 1/4 lengths over Barbadian Runner.
On the Triple Crown trail, he finished sixth in the Grade II Rebel at Oaklawn Park after a slow start, then finished fourth in the Grade I Blue Grass at Keeneland.
Classic / Dirt Mile
Bishops Bay rolled smoothly over a sloppy Monmouth Park track to win Saturday's $150,000 Grade III Salvator Mile be new Steven y 5 lengths over Nelson Avenue. The 5-year-old son of Uncle Mo improved to seven wins and three seconds from 10 starts despite a 17-month, mid-career interruption. Since returning from that hiatus, he's 5-for-6.
The 3-year-old fillies
Fondly returned from a 13th place showing in the Kentucky Oaks, her first career loss, to win Saturday' $300,000 Grade III Delaware Oaks by 3 lengths after leading from the early going. The favorite, Margie's Intention, started last of nine and came on late to finish second.
On Saturday at Churchill Downs, Take Charge Milady engaged in a tight stretch duel with odds-on favorite Immersive in the $175,000 Monomoy Girl Stakes for 3-year-old fillies with Take Charge Milady prevailing by a neck at the wire.
Immersive, last year's Breeders' Cup and Eclipse Award 2-year-old filly champ, entered undefeated in four previous starts.
Distaff
Majestic Oops, shipped in from Oaklawn Park, drew off from four rivals in the stretch run of Saturday's $150,000 Lady's Secret Stakes at Monmouth Park and won by 4 1/2 lengths over the favorite, Occult.
Malibu Beauty led all the way to a 3-length score in Saturday's $150,000 Obeah Stakes at Delaward Park.
Sprint
Full Moon Madness enjoyed a bit of class relief in Saturday's $100,000 Alapocas Run Stakes at Delaware Park. The 5-year-old Into Mischief gelding came with a late surge to catch Buccherino and win by a neck.
Turf
Vote No got the thumbs up in Saturday's $200,000 Cape Henlopen Stakes at Delaware Park. The 4-year-old Divisidero gelding had some rough going early and raced well back in the field but swung four-wide into the lane and made up all the ground to win by 3/4 length over Harrow.
Redistricting, the odds-on favorite, led virtually all the way to a 5-length victory in Saturday's $150,000 Monmouth Stakes. Rebel Red won Saturday's $200,000 Chorleywood Stakes at Churchill Downs by 2 lengths.
And Nitti came from last of five to win Sunday's 1 3/4-miles Grade III San Juan Capistrano at Santa Anita by 2 1/2 lengths.
Filly & Mare Turf
Mrs. Astor, the odds-on favorite, had all she could do to handle long shot Mahina in the closing stages of Saturday's $100,000 Possibly Perfect Stakes at Santa Anita. Both rallied from behind a moderate pace set by Kentucky Gal but Mrs. Astor got the better trip and won by a nose.
Whiskey Decision, returning from seven months on the sidelines, won Saturday's $150,000 Grade III Eatontown Stakes at Monmouth Park by 2 lengths over the favorite Maggie Go.
Turf Sprint
Motorious kicked off his 7-year-old season with a convincing 1 1/4-length victory in Saturday's $100,000 Grade III Daytona Stakes at Santa Anita.
The British-bred Muhaarar gelding, second in last year's Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, swung outside rivals crossing the dirt track, rallied by the leaders and drove home first by 1 1/2 length. He's won three of his last four starts going back to last August.
Gata Brazil won Sunday's $100,000 Stormy Blues Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Laurel Park by a nose over the pacesetting favorite, Roja. Super Chow took Sunday's off-the-turf $100,000 Get Serious Stakes at Monmouth Park by 1 3/4 lengths.
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