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While Nyquist prepares for the second leg of the U.S. Triple Crown, things are heating up quickly in England and France as the Derby, Oaks and Royal Ascot loom just over the horizon. The first Frankel offspring to run takes the track Friday at Newbury in England. Japan's Group 1 competition continues with the Victoria Mile at Tokyo Racecourse.
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Weekend activity in the United States centers on New York, with four graded stakes on Saturday's card at Belmont Park, featuring a tough 3-year-old event and the Grade I Man o' War for turf runners. {i: First, Nyquist and his merry band of rivals:}
The Preakness
Trainer Doug O'Neill arrived at Pimlico Race Course Thurday and was reunited with Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist. Nyquist is the favorite to win the May 21 Preakness Stakes against an evolving field and continue his quest to become the second Triple Crown winner in as many years.
"He looks fantastic," O'Neill said. "The guys are all happy. He's a horse that gives off such positive vibes. He still continues to talk to us in his own way, and he's doing really well."
The field for the 1 3/16-miles Preakness continues to shed the defeated from the Kentucky Derby and add so-called "new shooters" who skipped the first leg of the Triple Crown or were unable to crack that field. Suddenbreakingnews and Brody's Cause, fifth and seventh at Churchill Downs, reportedly have been removed from consideration for the Preakness. Among those still expected to move along from the Derby to the Preakness are runner-up Exaggerator and the Japanese-trained UAE Derby winner Lani. Gun Runner, third in Louisville, remains a possibility. Pimlico Thursday listed eight non-Derby runners as candidates for the Preakness.
"It looks like the field is going to be tough," O'Neill said. "It's going to be a full field and there are a lot of new shooters, so that's always a concern."
Belmont Park
Saturday's $200,000 Grade II Peter Pan drew some 3-year-olds who might logically have been expected to show up a week later in the Preakness -- if it weren't for Nyquist lurking in wait. Unified has won both his starts, including the Grade III Bay Shore in his last outing, with a 103 Beyer Speed Figure. Governor Malibu was home first in the Federico Tesio at Laurel Park, a traditional Preakness Prep, before being disqualified to second behind Preakness candidate Awesome Speed. Adventist has finished third in three straight graded stakes -- the Grade III Withers, Grade III Gotham and the Grade I Wood Memorial. And Decorated Soldier comes off a win in the Northern Spur at Oaklawn Park. Three others were impressive recent maiden winners. This is a tough race which could showcase some mid- and late-season stars.
Kaigun and Wake Forest, the 1-2 finishers in the Grade II Pan American at Gulfstream Park last month, are among the likely ones in Saturday's $400,000 Grade I Man o' War at 1 3/8 miles on the inner turf. Kaigun has five seconds and that one win from his last six starts, all graded stakes. Wake Forest, a graded stakes winner in his native Germany, finished sixth on yielding turf in last year's Grade I Arlington Million, took time off and returned in the April 2 Pan American. Among the others, Morandi was super tough in France in 2012 but hasn't been quite the same since. Irish-bred Can'thelpbelieving has been knocking on the door, as has Go Around. Up With the Birds has been down in the dumps since finishing second in the Grade I Canadian International last October.
Saturday's $250,000 Grade II Ruffian drew a heavyweight field of six. Cavorting, who early in her career couldn't seem to get the 1-mile distance of this event, now seems to crave the distance after three recent 7-furlongs starts where she was gaining late. Those included last fall's Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint. Include Betty, Spelling Again, Calamity Kate and Carrumba all are graded stakes winners.
My Miss Sophia finished second to Untapable in the 2014 Kentucky Oaks but has never quite broken through to stardom. She has an opportunity in her first start as a 5-year-old in Saturday's $150,000 Grade III Beaugay at 1 1/16 miles on the inner turf course. Her seven rivals include Recepta, who finished second in the Grade I Matriarch at Santa Anita in her final start last year but misfired in her 2016 debut; Ball Dancing, who was tough last spring in top company but then regressed; and Tapitry, who has won two straight against lesser rivals.
Santa Anita
Some of those who chased Nyquist, Exaggerator and Mor Spirit early in the Triple Crown wars resurface at 7 furlongs in Saturday's $100,000 Grade III Lazaro Barrera Stakes for 3-year-olds. I Will Score finished third in the Grade III Robert B. Lewis Stakes behind Mor Spirit and most recently was second in the 6-furlongs Bachelor Stakes at Oaklawn Park. Smokey Image cut a swath through fellow Cal-breds last year and early this season, then finished up the track to Danzing Candy, More Spirit and Exaggerator in the Grade II San Felipe and to Exaggerator in the Grade I Santa Anita Derby. Denman's Call was third in the San Vicente, won by Nyquist, and sixth in the Santa Anita Derby.
Woodbine
The suburban Toronto track hosts a pair of Grade III events for 3-year-olds this weekend at 1 1/16 miles on the all-weather track. Saturday's Marine Stakes is open while Sunday's Selene is restricted to 3-year-old fillies.
Also, Woodbine announced Thursday it will run as many as 40 of its turf races clockwise this season in a program to be known as the EuroTurf Series. Woodbine's sweeping turf track is outside the main oval and only the longest grass races utilize the portion of the course between the finish and the clubhouse turn when the races are run in the North American-standard anticlockwise direction. By going both ways in various races, wear on the highly regarded course will be spread out more evenly.
Churchill Downs
Trainer Wesley Ward takes another swing at Royal Ascot Saturday when he saddles Acapulco for the $65,000 Unbridled Sidney Stakes. The Scat Daddy filly is the only 3-year-old in the nine-horse field for the grassy 5 furlongs. Acapulco finished third in her career debut last May at Churchill Downs, then five weeks later bagged her first victory in Royal Ascot's Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes. She remained in England to complete the season at York with a runner-up finish to Mecca's Angel as the favorite in the Group 1 Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes. Another of Ward's Ascot hopefuls, Hootenanny, will be staying home after a disappointing effort on the Derby Day undercard. Acapulco will face seven rivals in the Unbridled Sidney.
International
England
Frankel was one of the best horses in the history of the turf. Friday, the first of his progeny will take to the track at Newbury to see how the great one does in passing along those genes. Cunco, out of the Danehill Dancer mare Chrysanthemum, goes in the second division of the Starlight Racing Maiden Stakes, a modest enough beginning but, still, a race won by Canford Cliffs -- later one of Frankel's many victims. Cunco is owned by Don Alberto Stable, which in turn is owned by Chilean native Carlos Heller Solari and his mother, Liliana Solari. The colt is trained by John Gosden. We shall see.
Solow is out of the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot, removing one hurdle for Breeders' Cup Mile winner Tepin. Solow suffered a training injury in March, forcing him out of the Dubai Turf on World Cup night. The five-time Group 1 winner is recuperating in Normandy. Tepin, winner of last weekend's Churchill Distaff Turf Mile, won't have any walkover despite Solow's withdrawal with a solid lineup of tough milers still on the list of likely starters, including Limato, Toormore and Dutch Connection. Those three all are in for Saturday's Group 1 Sunday's Group 1 Al Shaqab Lockinge, 1,600 meters at Newbury. The Lockinge also features Euro Charlene, second in the Group 1 Dubai Turf in March and the 2014 winner of the Grade I Beverly D. at Arlington Park.
"The drop back to a mile is no problem," said Euro Charlene's trainer Marco Botti. "She has always had plenty of speed and Newbury is a big, galloping track, which will suit."
Arod also features prominently in the talented field with an Ascot tightener under his belt since returning from a disappointing trip to Australia.
Magical Memory moved up the chart for the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee at Royal Ascot with a victory in Wednesday's Group 2 Duke of York Clipper Logistics Stakes at York. With Frankie Dettori up for the 1/2-length victory, the 4-year-old Zebedee gelding also moved into the picture for the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint this fall at Santa Anita.
"I think we'll have to head to the Diamond Jubilee next," said trainer Charles Hills. Hills said Dettori also told him Magical Memory is "tailor-made" for the Breeders' Cup.
On Thursday, Beautiful Romance surged to the lead with less than 2 furlongs left in the Group 2 Betfred Middleton Stakes for fillies and mares and, with encouragement from rider James Doyle, held on to win by 1 1/2 lengths over Koora. The favorite, Journey, couldn't find a late kick and settled for third. The victory by the Godolphin-owned 4-year-old filly opens a range of options for trainer Saeed bin Suroor.
Thursday's Group 2 Betfred Dante Stakes produced an upset -- although apparently not in Dettori's mind -- as Wings of Desire rolled home first at long odds, defeating Deauville by a neck and his own stablemate, Foundation, by another 1 1/2 lengths with well-fancied Midterm never landing a blow. Dettori had his pick of Foundation or Wings of Desire for trainer John Gosden and again demonstrated his uncanny acuity. Wings of Desire, by Eagle Top, had only a single win -- that over the Wolverhampton all-weather -- and was not entered for the Derby while Foundation was coming off a respectable second in the Group 3 Craven Stakes at Newmarket. Midterm, meanwhile, had been at or near the top of Derby listings after winning the Group 3 bet365 Classic Trial at Sandown on April 22.
Investec Oaks hopeful So Mi Dar, trained by John Gosden for Andrew Lloyd-Webber, remained undefeated with a victory in Wednesday's Group 3 Tattersalls Musidora Stakes at York, going 10 furlongs. Last month the Dubawi filly defeated colts in the Investec Derby Trial at Epsom Downs, with Humphrey Bogart second. Humphrey Bogart returned to win the Derby Trail at Lingford last weekend.
France
Thirteen are entered for Sunday's Poule d' Essai des Poulains or French 2,000 Guineas at Deauville. Among them are Zarak and George Patton, 1-2 last month at Maisons-Lafitte; Dicton and Taareef, 1-2 last month in the Group 3 Prix de Fontainebleu at Chantilly; Alignement, winner of the Prix d'Orsay at Fountainebleu; Jimmy Two Times, second in another Group 3 event at Chantilly; Birchwood, making his first start since a third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf last fall and Crazy Horse, winner of both his 2-year-old starts in England.
Fourteen are to go in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches or French 1,000 Guineas. Alice Springs enters after finishing third in both the Qipco 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket and the Irish 1,000 Guineas at Leopardstown for trainer Aidan O'Brien. She finished second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Keeneland. Qemah and Kenriya come from a 1-2 finish in the Group 3 Prix de la Grotte at Chantilly. Spectre, another in the James Bond frame of reference, won the Group 3 Prix Imprudence at Maisons-Lafitte last time out.
South Africa
Catching up: There's a new "hot horse" for the Vodacom Durban July -- Black Arthur, winner of last Friday's Grade 2 Canon Guineas at Greyville. The Justin Snaith trainee made his way from the back of the pack to win by 1/2 length under Anthony Delpech. His backing for the Durban setpiece is aided by questions about the status of both Triple Crown winner Abashiri and Legal Eagle. Gold Circle last week identified that pair as the top-rated prospects for the Durban July but their trainers have expressed concerns about the weight their horses would be asked to carry in the big race.
Japan
Mikki Queen has every chance to show up as a blossoming star in Sunday's Group 1 Victoria Mile at Tokyo Racecourse. After stretching out in a good effort while eighth in last fall's Group 1 Japan Cup, the winner of last year's Group I Japanese Oaks and Group 1 Shuka Sho is back to the 1-mile distance. She finished second in the Hanshin Himba Stakes last month and appears primed.
"The Hanshin Himba Stakes was her first mile race in a while and so she raced from a rear position," said assistant trainer Tatsuhiko Kawai. "But even though the pace was advantageous to the frontrunners, she really showed her speed in the end ... I think it was quite a race."
The rest of the field includes 2015 winner Straight Girl, the ever-promising Rouge Buck, Shonan Pandora and last year's Oka Sho winner, Let's Go Donki.
