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Moroccan Champion Billabong (Mor) (Gentlewave {Ire}), who won nine times in 11 starts in his native country--including the Grand Prix De Sa Majeste Le Roi Mohammed VI, the most important race in Northern Africa--will feel at home in Italy tomorrow, with temperatures in the mid 90's expected Sunday for the G1 Gran Premio Di Milano.  Billabong could rewrite history, becoming the first Moroccan-bred to win a Group 1. He joined the yard of Pascal Bary at Chantilly last season. "His owner, Mr. El Alami, sends to me each season one of his...

Trainer Todd Pletcher revealed Tuesday that 'TDN Rising Stars' Materiality (Afleet Alex), Carpe Diem (Giant's Causeway) and Competitive Edge (Super Saver) were all under consideration for the May 16 GI Preakness S. Alto Racing's Materiality and WinStar and Stonestreet's Carpe Diem were sixth and 10th, respectively, in the May 2 GI Kentucky Derby; while Nancy Favreau, Kathy Psionos and Michael Tabor's Competitive Edge upped his unbeaten record to four with an easy victory in the GIII Pat Day Mile on the Derby undercard. All three are currently stabled at Pletcher's Belmont base.  "They went back to...

Attendance at this year's GI Belmont S. will be capped at 90,000, the New York Racing Association announced on Wednesday.  The cap was revealed by NYRA chief executive officer and president Chris Kay at the tail end of a superlative-laden media teleconference to outline the details of the inaugural Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, which is being billed as a three-day "mega event" at Belmont Park June 4-6.  Kay did not revisit specifics about the logistical difficulties that have plagued Belmont Park in recent years when a Triple Crown has been...

Just listed winner Irish Rookie (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}) and Royal Rizalma (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) remain as British-trained possible runners in Sunday's G1 French 1000 Guineas. Seven fillies were taken out at the latest forfeit stage, including Hugo Palmer's New Providence (GB) (Bahamian Bounty {GB}), leaving 14 left in.  Martyn Meade, Irish Rookie's trainer, said, "We've left her in and the thinking at this stage is that we'll go. A few came out today and let's hope a few more do, too! Obviously the draw will have a big say, so the less runners there...

Roger Varian's G1 Dubai Dewhurst S. winner Belardo (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) was among 10 colts taken out of the G1 French 2000 Guineas at the latest forfeit stage. Well beaten on his return to action in the Greenham at Newbury, connections have decided to wait for the G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas at The Curragh May 23 instead. Godolphin bought a share in Belardo after his Dewhurst win.  "There are likely to be around 20 runners on the round course at Longchamp and that can be a bit of a...

Roger Varian reports Shadwell homebred and G2 Summer Mile S. hero Aljamaaheer (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) to be on course for a shot at the G1 Al Shaqab Lockinge S. at Newbury later this month, May 16. Although the 6-year old has been given an entry in the Listed Pertemps Network Spring Trophy S. at Haydock Saturday, the Newmarket handler still has the Group 1 mile contest as his primary target. Despite tasting defeat on his seasonal return when finishing a close second to Coulsty (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) at Leicester, Varian is pleased...

Trainer Arnaud Delacour confirmed Wednesday that Lael Stable's Divining Rod (Tapit) is still on track for an expected start in the GI Xpressbet.com Preakness S. May 16. The Roy and Gretchen Jackson homebred earned enough points for his impressive win in Keeneland's Apr. 11 GIII Coolmore Lexington S. to have drawn into the GI Kentucky Derby off the also-eligible list, but his connections had already decided to wait for the middle leg of the Triple Crown.  "We weren't sure we had enough points," Delacour explained. "We were on the bubble, and it's...

Chester's May meeting is one of the smallest of the British flat festivals, but its main races are still coveted by the leading trainers and Thursday's G3 Betfair Huxley S. has been a favorite of Sir Michael Stoute who holds the current record of five wins. Today, the master of Freemason Lodge relies on Saeed Suhail's Cannock Chase (Lemon Drop Kid), who was an encouraging third in Sandown's G3 Gordon Richards S. over this trip Apr. 24 on his first start since winning the G3 Tercentenary S. at Royal Ascot last June....

Ballydoyle have already stamped their considerable presence on Chester's May meeting and Thursday's G3 MBNA Chester Vase has been a happy hunting ground of late, with Aidan O'Brien capturing five of the last eight renewals. With the chief candidate Giovanni Canaletto (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) ruled out of the equation earlier this week, it is up to Michael Tabor's Hans Holbein (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}) to fly the flag and he is a typical improver based on his latest maiden win over 10 furlongs at Leopardstown Apr. 15. Godolphin rely on Future Empire (GB) (New Approach...

Second to Spiritjim (Fr) (Galileo {Ire}) in this 12 months ago, Meleagros returned to go one better and register a first pattern-race success to reward the patience of his trainer Alain Couetil. Following his effort here last term, the bay had gone on to be fifth in the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud in June--a year on from filling fourth spot behind Novellist (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}) in the same race. Winning the Listed Grand Prix de Nantes in October and Mar. 28 Listed Prix de la Porte de Madrid at...

The fourth and final session of the Inglis Australian Broodmare and Weanling Sale wrapped up Wednesday with a clearance rate of 80% and over A$24 million in gross sales for 194 weanlings, 432 fillies and mares and two stallion shares.  "Vendors were rewarded by getting first crack at the weanling market and offering their fillies and mares to breeders wanting to buy at this sale so they can secure spots to the stallions that are quickly booking out at Australia's leading studs," said Inglis' National Bloodstock Director Jonathan D'Arcy. "Good...

The Singapore Turf Club has released the prospective fields for the upcoming G1 Singapore Airlines International Cup and G1 KrisFlyer International Sprint May 17, with three previous winners set to make the 4-hour journey from Hong Kong.  Runners from that jurisdiction have accounted for each of the last two renewals of both races, and defending champions Dan Excel (Ire) (Shamardal) and Lucky Nine (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) will look to defend their titles in the SAI Cup and KrisFlyer, respectively. Lucky Nine, who is looking for his third consecutive victory in the 1200-meter test, will...