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May 15 (UPI) -- Kentucky Derby winner Mage is a go for the Preakness Stakes, second jewel of the U.S. Triple Crown, and will have to deal with some promising newcomers in that race. The announcement that the Triple Crown is still on the line came from Mage's connections after the colt worked well Friday morning at Churchill Downs and got the racing weekend off to a promising start.
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From there, a few surprises ensued. A 9-year-old New York-bred defended local honor in the Man o' War at Belmont Park. No Nay Hudson and No Nay Mets both got upset wins with the latter earning a Royal Ascot trip.
It was not a great weekend for trainer Doug O'Neill's Dubai squad, as Ah Jeez came in eighth in his return at Churchill Downs and Go Soldier Go was a distant fifth in his comeback in the Peter Pan at Belmont Park.
On the international front, Songline nipped Sodashi in Japan to earn a Breeders' Cup berth.
In France, a 3-year-old filly looked bound for stardom as the locals ably defended the Longchamp turf Sunday, winning both Guineas heats.
And Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla got a little thrill as the royal silks claimed a third in a Derby trial at Lingfield in England.
Step right up and read all about it.
The Triple Crown
After some cautious hemming and hawing, the connections of Kentucky Derby winner Mage have confirmed their colt will contest the second jewel of the U.S. Triple Crown, the May 20 Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course.
There, he will meet a field consisting primarily of fresher rivals who bypassed the taxing Road to the Roses.
Part-owner Ramiro Restrepo said the final go-ahead was not given until Mage came out of a Friday morning work at Churchill Downs. And he said the delay in making the decision was based on respect for Mage.
"We owe the horse himself before anything else," Restrepo said. "The horse comes first. While our selfish dreams might be Preakness and all these things, he's the one doing the running. We're not.
"There's a ton of tradition, and we respect the game so much. But you always have to take this day by day.
"I know it sounds cliche, but it's reality. If he wouldn't have been up to par, then what are we doing? Sacrificing a potential positive, top-of-the-line effort just for the sake of us having fun in Baltimore?
"But that's not the case. ... It's been green light from all the eyes and ears in the barn, and Mage is showing it, so we're over the moon."
Mage arrived at Pimlico just about dawn Sunday after an 11-hour van ride from Churchill Downs.
Meanwhile, the competition was gearing up.
First Mission, winner of the Grade III Lexington Stakes at Keeneland, put in his final major work Saturday morning at Churchill Downs, getting 5 furlongs in 58 1/5 seconds for trainer Brad Cox.
The late-developing Godolphin colt, by Street Sense, earned a 103 Brisnet Speed Rating for the Lexington win -- the same figure Mage got for his Derby victory. "He's got a lot of talent," Cox said.
National Treasure, third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile in November at Keeneland and fourth in the Grade I Santa Anita Derby, arrived at Pimlico Saturday.
Both the Santa Anita Derby winner, Practical Move, and third-place finisher Skinner were scratched from the Kentucky Derby, where both would have been well-backed. The Santa Anita runner-up, Japan-based Mandarin Hero, drew into the Run for the Roses only to finish 12th with a rough trip.
Blazing Sevens, fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, eighth behind Mage in the Grade II Fountain of Youth and third in the Blue Grass at Keeneland, breezed 5 furlongs Sunday at Belmont Park, clocked in 1:00.0.
"The horse did super," trainer Chad Brown said. "I was really pleased with the work."
Worth noting: Brown chose to keep Blazing Sevens out of the Kentucky Derby although he had enough points to make that start. He also skipped the Derby with his two Preakness winners, Cloud Computing in 2017 and Early Voting in 2022.
"It's always been decided on an individual horse basis. With those two horses, it worked. This horse seemed to fit the category a bit," Brown said.
Perform, fourth in the Kentucky Derby, is slated to try again in Baltimore. Other "new shooters" include Red Route One, winner of the Bath House Row Stakes at Oaklawn Park and Perform, supplemented to the Preakness at a cost of $150,000 after taking the "win and you're in" Federico Tesio Stakes at Laurel Park.
The post position draw is Monday at a local tap.
Other weekend action is more likely to impact 3-year-old races a bit farther down the road to the Jersey Shore or up the road, to Saratoga.
On Saturday at Belmont Park, Arcangelo and Bishops Bay hooked up in a tight stretch duel in the $200,000 Grade III Peter Pan for 3-year-olds.
They swapped the lead with Bishops Bay looking like a resurgent winner inside the sixteenth pole. But Javier Castellano coaxed just a little more from Arcangelo and the Arrogate colt fought back along the rail to win by a head. It was another 8 3/4 lengths to Henry Q in third.
Arcangelo, trained by Jena Antonucci, took three tries to find the winner's circle in Florida during the winter and was having his first go against winners. Bishops Bay, an Uncle Mo colt from Brad Cox's string, won his first two starts, both at Fair Grounds, and went off favorite in the Peter Pan.
Asked about $1.5 million Grade I Belmont Stakes on June 10, Antonucci said, "There's a conversation. We have no plan yet. Ground has never been a problem. That's why we waited as long as we did."
On opening day Saturday at Monmouth Park, Howgreatisnate was just good enough to put a head in front of Offaly Cool at the finish of the $100,000 Long Branch Stakes for 3-year-old, jumping into the picture for the Haskell Stakes.
Howgreatisnate, a Speightster gelding, had his hands full with Offaly Cool, swapping the lead in the stretch before prevailing while finishing 1 mile and 70 yards in 1:41.21 with Jairo Rendon up for trainer Elizabeth Dobles.
Howgreatisnate earned a guaranteed spot in the Grade I Haskell on July 22.
Turf
Red Knight rallied outside rivals through the stretch run of Saturday's $600,000 Grade I Man o' War Stakes at Belmont Park and cleared to win by 1 1/2 lengths.
Five horses were bunched across the track behind the winner with the judges placing Soldier Rising, Strong Tide, Howe Street, Warren Point and Channel Maker in that order.
Warren Point, the British invader, was off to a slow start after loading with a blanket and blindfold and broke a step slowly.
Red Knight, a 9-year-old, New York-bred Pure Prize gelding, toured 1 3/8 miles on firm turf in 2:13.74 with Irad Ortiz Jr. up. He was coming off a second-place finish in the Grade II Elkhorn at Keeneland, where he was a head back of Verstappen, who finished seventh in Saturday's heat.
Frankie Dettori, who brought his farewell tour to New York to ride Warren Point for Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby, said his colt "had to leave the hood on until the end [of loading] ,which is no good around here because you give too much ground away. He was too rank and too far back."
On Saturday at Santa Anita, Offlee Naughty had a spot of trouble finding a place to run on the far turn in the $100,000 Grade III San Luis Rey Stakes, bouncing off the rail before switching out for a clear lane.
Once shown daylight, the 5-year-old son of Flashback responded nicely, advancing to win by 1 1/4 lengths over Planetario with Dicey Mo Chara third. Offlee Naughty, with Umberto Rispoli in the irons, ran 1 1/2 miles on firm going in 2:24.87, scoring his third straight win. He finished fourth in last year's San Luis Rey.
On Sunday at Gulfstream Park, Max K.O. was up in the final yards of the $100,000 Mr. Steele Stakes to defeat Saratoga Flash by a nose. The favorite, Me and Mr. C, ran evenly to finish third, 1 1/2 lengths farther back.
Max K.O., a 7-year-old son of J P's Gusto, ran 1 1/16 miles on firm turf in 1:42.52 for jockey Edwin Gonzalez. The first two are trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. who a week ago was banned by Churchill Downs after two of his horses died of undetermined causes after racing.
Turf Sprint
No Nay Hudson beat only one rival out of the gate in Saturday's $225,000 William Walker Stakes for 3-year-olds at Churchill Downs, moved five-wide into the stretch and was clear in the final sixteenth to win by 1 1/2 lengths. Two of a Kind was a head in front of odds-on favorite Gaslight Dancer for second.
No Nay Hudson, an Irish-bred colt by No Nay Never, negotiated 5 1/2 furlongs of firm turf in 1:02.30 with James Graham up for trainer Wesley Ward. Six of the eight starters came out of the same race at Keeneland on April 16, won by Gaslight Dancer with No Nay Hudson sixth.
Sprint
Candy Man Rocket rallied from behind a pace duel to win Saturday's $175,000 Grade III Runhappy Stakes at Belmont Park by 1 1/2 lengths. Twisted Ride, part of the early speed, held second with Stage Left and Drafted along for third and fourth.
Candy Man Rocket, a 5-year-old son of Candy Ride, ran 6 furlongs on a fast track in 1:09.22 with Junior Alvarado riding for trainer Bill Mott.
Candy Man Rocket won all three starts at Gulfstream Park this winter, but then reported 10th and last in the Grade III Count Fleet Sprint Handicap at Oaklawn Park on April 15.
On Friday at Belmont Park, Drew's Gold battled an early foe into submission in the $150,000 Gold Fever Stakes for 3-year-olds, and then ran on impressively through the stretch to win by 4 3/4 lengths from the odds-on favorite, Squire Creek.
Drew's Gold, a Violence colt, covered 6 furlongs on a fast track in 1:09.36 under Jose Gomez and remains undefeated after four starts.
Anarchist seized control a furlong and a half from the finish line in Sunday's $150,000 (Canadian) Grade III Jacques Cartier Stakes at Woodbine and held on to win by 3/4 length over Ice Chocolat. Old Chestnut was another 3/4 length back in third.
Anarchist, a 4-year-old Distorted Humor colt, ran 6 furlongs on the all-weather track in 1:08.96 with Luis Contreras in the irons.
Filly & Mare Sprint
Our Flash Drive, one of three in the race for trainer Mark Casse, rallied from just off the speed to win Saturday's $150,000 (Canadian) Grade III Whimsical Stakes at Woodbine in her first start since last November. Miss Speedy ran evenly to finish second without threatening.
Our Flash Drive, a 5-year-old Ghostzapper mare from the Dynaformer mare Dynamotor, now is 5-for-7 at Woodbine, with four of the five wins in graded stakes.
Caramel Swirl rallied from near the back of the pack to win Sunday's $175,000 Grade III Vagrancy Stakes by 2 1/2 lengths. The favorite, Dr B, tracked the early pace, was shuffled back badly on the turn, but then rebounded sufficiently to finish second, 3/4 length in front of Rossa Veloce.
Caramel Swirl, a 5-year-old mare by Union Rags, ran 6 1/2 furlongs on a fast track in 1:16.98 with Junior Alvarado up. Mott trains the Godolphin homebred.
Distaff
Distinctlypossible pressed pacesetting favorite Leader of the Band through the first half of Sunday's $100,000 Serena's Song Stakes at Monmouth Park, took the lead on cue from jockey Samy Camacho and won off by 1 1/4 lengths. Shotgun Hottie made a belated move from last of seven to finish third.
Distinctlypossible, a 4-year-old Curlin filly trained by Chad Brown, ran 1 mile and 70 yards on a fast track in 1:40.43. It was her third win from six starts and she also finished second in the Grade I Alcibiades Stakes at Keeneland in 2021.
Juvenile Turf
Saturday's program at Gulfstream Park featured two 5-furlong turf sprints for 2-year-olds, one for colt and geldings and one for fillies, with the winner of each guaranteed a spot in one of the juvenile stakes at Royal Ascot.
Trainer George Weaver saddled both winners and seemed jolly well inclined to look into hiring top hat and tails.
No Nay Mets, an Irish-bred No Nay Never colt out of the War Front mare Etoile, made his debut a winning one in the $150,000 Royal Palm Juvenile.
Leading from the early stages under Luca Panici, No Nay Mets won by 3 1/2 lengths from Mattingly with the odds-on favorite, Holding the Line, a tiring seventh.
Holding the Line is owned by Steve Cauthen and trained by Wesley Ward. He races for Bregman Family Racing, fronted by Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman. Mattingly's namesake is the former New York Yankee Don Mattingly.
The $150,000 Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies was over early as Crimson Advocate and jockey Edwin Gonzalez took a nice lead and simply extended it though the 5 furlongs, winning by 3 1/2 lengths over odds-on favorite Ocean Mermaid.
Crimson Advocate, a Nyquist filly from the Proud Citizen mare Citizen Advocate, was one of just four in the race with a previous start. Ocean Mermaid is another Ward trainee and Royal Ascot hopeful, racing for Stonestreet Stables and lots of partners.
"I always said after I went to Ascot the first time it would be nice to go back with someone who has a chance to win and both of these horses look like they do," Weaver said.
"They have that early speed. I do need to look at the menu before picking out a race although I'd like to keep both of them at five-eighths [of a mile] if we can."
Around the world, around the clock
Japan
Songline closed stoutly through the final furlong of Sunday's Grade 1 Victoria Mile at Tokyo Racecourse and nipped the popular white mare Sodashi for the victory -- an outcome that might have been decided when Sodashi drew the No. 16 gate for the race.
Sodashi hurried up from that outside post to shadow the early leader, went to the front at the top of the stretch hill and just failed to hold off Songline, whose No. 6 draw gave her the tactical advantage. The favorite, reigning Japanese 3-year-old filly champion Stars on Earth, was third.
Songline earned a guaranteed spot in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf. She missed a planned engagement in last year's Breeders' Cup Turf with a throat ailment, but has proven herself in international competition, winning the Group 3 1351 Turf Sprint in Saudi Arabia in 2022 before finishing 11th in that race this season.
"I think she went to the Saudi Arabia race in good condition," trainer Toru Hayashi said. "But I've done a lot of thinking about how her mental state may still have needed work, since she was going into the race after a layoff."
The Victoria Mile has been won by such eventual champions as Vodka and Almond Eye, both two-time Japanese Horse of the Year honorees, Buena Vista, Apapane and Gran Alegria.
France
Guineas day at Longchamp on Sunday did not prove friendly to foreigners as the local team won all three Group 1 races, two with firm favorites, another with a substantial long shot. Coolmore runners did not figure in either outcome as the races were contested over very soft ground.
In the colts' race, the Emirates Poule d'Essai des Poulains, Marhaba Ya Sanafi came with a late run, caught British-based Isaac Shelby close to home and won by an official short neck. Breizh Sky was third and Coolmore's hope, Hans Anderson, beat only one rival.
Marhaba Ya Sanafi, a Muhaarar colt, won for the second time in three starts this season. He was second in the other, behind American Flag, who finished fourth Sunday as the big favorite after missing the start.
Marhaba Ya Sanafi is trained by German-born Andreas Schutz, a multiple group stakes winner in his native land and in Hong Kong. Marhaba Ya Sanafi is his first Classic winner in France.
"He's in the Jockey Club (Qatar Group 1 Prix du Jockey Club or French Derby) and that's the most obvious target from here," Schutz said, "though I will have to discuss it with the owner."
Blue Rose Cen made it 2-for-2 this season and 6-for-8 over all with a 1 1/2-length victory in the Emirates Poule d'Essai des Pouliches. Lindy and Sauterne made it an all-French trifecta. Never Ending Story was fifth for Coolmore, Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore.
Blue Rose Cen, a Churchill filly, finished her 2-year-old season with a win in the Group 1 Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac and looks bound for a sparkling career.
It was a first Classic win for jockey Aurelien Lemaitre and trainer Christopher Head, who Racing Post points out is son to Freddy, nephew to Criquette and grandson to the late Alec.
"She's brilliant. What a filly," Head said. "I just can't wait to see her over a longer distance as we've been doing the same thing for several races now and we need to see something new."
Those races were at 1,600 meters. The Group 1 Prix Saint-Alary at 2,000 meters, also rewarded French connections as Jannah Rose defeated Elusive Princess by 3/4 length with Coolmore's Boogie Woogie sixth and Godolphin's Bridestones ninth.
Jannah Rose, another Frankel filly, improved to 3-for-3 and trainer Carlos Laffon Parias said she might meet Blue Rose Cen in the Prix Diane or French Oaks, which would make that race a "war of the Roses."
O'Brien was left scratching his head over his runners' shortcomings. "Whether it's the races and they way they're run or the horses, I'm not sure," he said, according to Racing Post.
England
Godolphin 3-year-olds won the Derby and Oaks trials Saturday on the Lingfield all-weather course.
Military Order, a Godolphin homebred colt by Frankel, shot through a gap on the rail on the stretch turn and battled Waipiro into submission in the final furlong to win the Fitzdares Derby Trial by 1 1/4 lengths.
Notably, Circle of Fire, bred by the late Queen Elizabeth II and racing in the royal silks now owned by Their Majesties the King and Queen, rallied under Ryan Moore to finish third, albeit beaten 5 1/2 lengths.
Also of note: Adayar used this race as a prep before winning the 2021 Derby for Godolphin. Of further note: Adayar and Military Order are full brothers produced by the Dubawi mare Anna Salai.
Eternal Hope, another Godolphin homebred but by Teofilo, stalked the pace in the Fitzdares Oaks Trial, then outfinished the favorite, Coolmore runner Be Happy, winning by 1 3/4 lengths. Eternal Hope now is 2-for-3 with all the starts on all-weather tracks.
Both winners are trained by Charlie Appleby. William Buick had both mounts.
Meanwhile, back in the States
Prairie Meadows
Lady Radler jumped out to a huge lead in Saturday's $50,000 Goldfinch Stakes for 3-year-old fillies and coasted home on top by 2 3/4 lengths. Broken Hearts Bay chased but settled for second, 4 1/2 lengths ahead of Don't Get Pickled.
Lady Radler, a Kentucky-bred filly by Kantharos, ran 6 furlongs on a good track in 1:09.08 with Alonzo Quinonez aboard.
Charles Town
Little Roo Roo chased down pacesetting odds-on favorite Honeyquist in the stretch run of Saturday's $75,000 Coin Collector Stakes for West Virginia-bred 3-year-olds and drew off to a 1 1/2-length victory over that rival.
Little Roo Roo, a Limehouse gelding, ran 4 1/2 furlongs in 51.50 stakes with Marshall Mendez up.
