With The Moonlight
The trip might have been unusual, but rider Javier Castellano knew what he had under him as Fev Rover (Ire) (m, 5, Gutaifan {Ire}--Laurelita {Ire}, by High Chaparral {Ire}) captured Sunday's GI E.P. Taylor S. at Woodbine. The bay showed the way early from the rail, but was quickly under pressure as 50-1 Rocky Sky (Ire) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}) dogged her from the outside through fractions of :25.66 and :50.29. The rest of the field was strung out and just after the half-mile mark, Fev Rover yielded to let...
Only four horses in the history of the Dubai World Cup Carnival have managed to win the first two rounds of the Al Maktoum Challenge in the same year, with the last of the four, North America (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), completing the double in 2019. Hamdan Sultan Ali Alsabousi's Algiers (Ire) (Shamardal) could be number five, as he leaves from stall eight under James Doyle in Friday's G2 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 Presented By Emaar. The Simon and Ed Crisford charge blitzed the competition by 6 1/2 lengths when...
There is plenty to play for in Saturday's 142nd running of the $600,000 GI Alabama S. at Saratoga, where Nest (Curlin) and Secret Oath (Arrogate) face one another for the third time head-to-head--each with one victory to their credit--with divisional supremacy awaiting the winner. An 8 1/4-length tour-de-force tally in Keeneland's GI Central Bank Ashland S. accorded Nest the role of favoritism in the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks, but she was no match for the somewhat forgotten Secret Oath, dropping a two-length decision. A meritorious second to stablemate Mo Donegal...
The powerful team of owner/breeder Godolphin, trainer Charlie Appleby and jockey William Buick celebrated a second lucrative victory over the Saratoga turf in as many days as With The Moonlight led home a one-two finish for her sire in the GIII Saratoga Oaks Invitational Sunday. Having finished second to re-opposing McKulick (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the July 9 GI Belmont Oaks Invitational, she was backed at even-money with a perceived pace advantage on that rival and after stablemate Nations Pride (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) parlayed a second in last month's GI...
A half-dozen 3-year-old fillies, topped by the one-two finishers in the July 9 GI Belmont Oaks Invitational S., will do battle in Sunday's GIII Saratoga Oaks Invitational S., one of three graded stakes taking place on the first Sunday in August. Highly-regarded McKulick (GB) (Frankel {GB}), named after trainer Chad Brown's first employee when he struck out on his own, was an impressive debut winner last summer at the Spa, but went winless in her next three starts while placing in the GII Miss Grillo S., GII Edgewood S. and...
Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Today's Observations features a blueblooded homebred of The Queen's. 1.00 Newbury, Novice, £10,000, 2yo, 7fT NOBEL (IRE) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), who cost 825,000gns at the Tattersalls October Book 1 Sale, represents the Qatar Racing-Andrew Balding Classic-winning partnership as he makes his debut. A half-brother to the G3 Leopardstown...