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Oct. 16 (UPI) -- Godolphin's global empire flexed its muscles in America in weekend racing, winning three top graded stakes on the grass at Keeneland and Aqueduct for two trainers. The weekend action also saw reigning Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint champ Caravel edged into second in Sunday's Keeneland feature, a few fringy prospects for upcoming juvenile events and a training mishap that will keep Echo Zulu from competing in the Breeders' Cup.
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On the global scene, City of Troy won Saturday's Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket so impressively that part-owner Michael Tabor heard himself compare the colt to Frankel. Really.
In Japan, Liberty Island locked up the filly Triple Crown. In Australia, Think About It got the winner's slice of the AUS$20 million The Everest. In Hong Kong, California Spangle warmed up for his Group 1 Longines Hong Kong Mile defense with a win at Sha Tin.
Tally up those frequent flyer miles, probably on Emirates Airline, and away we go.
Filly & Mare Turf
Godolphin split its hole cards in Saturday's deal for 3-year-old fillies and won with both hands. Trainer Saeed bin Suroor saddled Mawj to victory in the $600,000 Grade I Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Keeneland and Charlie Appleby's filly, Eternal Hope, came from off the pace to take out the $200,000 Grade II Sands Point at Aqueduct.
Mawj arrived at Keeneland after a layoff of nearly eight months and with only two one-turn victories in Dubai on her 2023 record. She looked plenty fresh in the first few furlongs of the QE II, pulling jockey Oisin Murphy right to the lead and setting quick early fractions.
She kept right on going, turning into the stretch in front and then handling the late bid of Lindy to win by 1/2 length. Mission of Joy was third. Mawj, by Exceed and Excel out of the New Approach mare Modern Ideals, finished in 1:48.06.
Mawj, winner of last year's Group 1 Quipco 1,000 Guineas, was in last weekend's Group 1 Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket, but the Godolphin team opted for the added week of preparation and a U.S. warmup for the Breeders' Cup.
Bin Suroor, who got his 500th Group win, said it's yet to be decided whether Mawj goes to the Breeders' Cup Mile or the Filly & Mare Turf.
"She felt back to her best," Murphy said of Mawj. "We did quite quick sections in the first half of the race, but she is a superstar filly. She found plenty. She's got a great heart and mind."
At Aqueduct, jockey Jamie Spencer was content to let Eternal Hope settle behind the early speed, advanced between horses heading into the stretch and dueled to the wire with Neecie Marie, prevailing by 1/2 length. Highland Grade was third.
Eternal Hope, a Teofilo filly out of the Dubawi mare Voice of Truth, finished 1 1/8 miles on yielding turf in 1:53.56.
It was the second U.S. win for Eternal Hope, following the Grade III Jockey Club Oaks over the same course Sept. 16. Neecie Marie was second in that, too, just a neck back of the winner.
"Stamina came into play, and class," Spencer said. "Going back to nine furlongs from eleven furlongs last time -- she only got up in the last strides last time, so we had to change things up a little bit. Charlie was pretty confident."
Turf
The Saturday victories built on Friday's successful Godolphin raid at Keeneland. In that, Appleby and Spencer combined to get Bold Act home a winner in the $300,000 Grade III Sycamore Stakes at 1 1/2 miles.
The New Approach gelding missed the start by a beat and he was caught on the rail behind horses through the first 1 1/4 miles. But Spencer rode him for luck, got it and threaded though rivals to win by 3/4 length over pacesetter Cellist.
Appleby said before he and Spenser headed for Aqueduct that Bold Act likely will target the big winter races in Dubai with the Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic the top goal.
The 2020 champion turf male, Channel Maker, finished next to last of 12 in the Sycamore and part-owner Adam Wachtel said after the race the 9-year-old, who has competed in a record seven Breeders' Cup races, has been retired.
"What horse competes at the highest level from ages 2 to 9 and still is able to win graded stakes races as an 8 and 9-year-old?" BloodHorse's Molly Rollins quoted Wachtel as saying. " I think my partners and I can all agree on this, that Channel Maker's been the horse of a lifetime."
Turf Sprint
Tony Ann and defending Breeders's Cup champ Caravel came down the stretch like a matched team of grays in Sunday's $350,000 Grade II Franklin Stakes at Keeneland, with Tony Ann getting the nod by a neck over her highly regarded rival. Train to Artemus edged pacesetter Twilight Gleaming for third.
Tony Ann, a 5-year-old Cairo Prince mare trained by Phil D'Amato, ran 5 1/2 furlongs on good turf in 1:02.42 with Flavien Prat up. For Tony Ann, it was her fifth win from 10 starts, but first in a stakes race. Caravel has won six graded stakes, including last year's Franklin.
Saturday's $125,000 Floral Park Stakes came off the Aqueduct turf onto the sloppy main track with Scottish Star rallying to score by 1 1/2 lengths from Risk Free. Scottish Star, a 6-year-old Argentine-bred mare, splashed 6 furlongs in 1:11.29 with Kendrick Carmouche up for trainer Todd Pletcher.
Distaff
Millie Girl found a late reserve of energy in the lane in Saturday's $181,000 (Canadian) Ontario Matron Stakes at Woodbine, blowing by a half-dozen rivals and arriving just in time to win by a head over pacesetting Angelou. Il Malocchio was another 1/2 length back in third.
Millie Girl, a 5-year-old Hard Spun mare trained by Catherine Day Phillips, ran 1 1/16 miles on good turf in 1:41.96 for jockey Rafael Hernandez.
Sprint / Dirt Mile
Three-time Grade I winner Echo Zulu, a leading candidate for either Breeders' Cup sprint race or the Dirt Mile, broke down during a Friday morning workout at Santa Anita, fracturing sesamoids.
Her connections reported Saturday's surgery was successful, but the next few weeks will be critical to her survival.
The Gun Runner filly, trained by Steve Asmussen, had nine wins from 11 starts. She won the 2021 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies and was second in last year's Filly & Mare Sprint. She won the Grade I Ballerina at Saratoga in August in her last start.
Filly & Mare Sprint
Spun Glass came with a late run to win Saturday's $150,000 (Canadian) Ontario Fashion Stakes by 1/2 length over fellow long shot Awesome Treat with the big favorite, Our Flash Drive finishing seventh.
Spun Glass, a Hard Spun mare visiting from Maryland for trainer Michael Trombetta, ran 6 furlongs on the all-weather course in 1:08.64 with Luis Contreras in the irons.
Juvenile / Juvenile Turf
My Boy Prince was too good for eight rivals in Saturday's $250,000 (Canadian) Cup and Saucer Stakes at Woodbine. The Cairo Prince colt, the odds-on favorite, led from gate to wire and won by 1 1/4 lengths.
Sahin Civaci rode for trainer Mark Casse and owner Gary Barber, finishing 1 1/16 miles on good turf in course-record time of 1:43.30. The race, restricted to Canadian foals, normally is a pointer to the following year's King's Plate.
My Boy Prince how has three wins, two on the all-weather course, and two seconds, including the Grade I Summer Stakes on the turf. He's a logical candidate for year-end honors and, depending on the surface choice of his connections, also could be in the mix for the 2024 King's Plate.
Copper Tax, the odds-on favorite, was quickly out front in Saturday's $100,000 Rocky Run Stakes at Delaware Park and kicked loose in the stretch to win by 6 3/4 lengths. The abysmally named Thedingoateyobaby was second.
Copper Tax, a Kentucky-bred colt by Copper Bullet, ran 1 mile on a muddy track in 1:38.35 with Mychel Sanchez in the irons for trainer Gary Capuano. It was the colt's fourth straight win following a career-opening second, all at Delaware.
Juvenile Fillies
On Sunday on the Woodbine all-weather course, Tripolina overecame a wide trip from the back of the field to win the $125,000 (Canadian) Display Stakes by 2 3/4 lengths over Two Ghosts.
Tripolina, a Constitution filly trained by Kevin Attard, ran 7 furlongs in 1:21.81 with Kazushi Kimura in the irons, defeating male rivals.
Tripolina scratched out of Sunday's $125,000 Glorious Song Stakes at the same conditions but restricted to fillies. That race then went to A Little Frisky, a daughter of Army Mule, who had to come from last of eight after a slow start. With Ryan Munger in the kip, she got home in 1:21.87.
Candy Aisle rallied smartly from next-last to win Saturday's $75,000 Manzano Stakes at Albuquerque, drawing off in the final furlong to win by 4 1/4 lengths.
Candy Aisle is a Kentucky-bred Gun Runner filly, out of the Street Cry mare Rosalie Road. Felipe Valdez rode for trainer Todd Fincher. She finished last in her only previous start, Aug. 6 at Del Mar, while racing greenly.
Around the world, around the clock
England
City of Troy demolished five rivals in Saturday's Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket, leading all the way, drawing off to score by 3 1/2 lengths, and setting the Irish tongues a'waggin'.
The talk seemed more than Blarney, too, as the Justify colt, produced by a Galileo mare, now is 3-for-3 and hasn't found anything that can go with him. Trainer Aidan O'Brien said before the Dewhurst City of Troy is a "very unusual" colt who never seems to tire.
"He really is our Frankel," Racing Post quoted Tabor, one of the Coolmore "lads," as saying. That's what we feel at this moment. Maybe down the line, we'll have egg on our face, but I like to talk before the event and I really feel this horse could be anything."
Tabor and O'Brien are no strangers to enthusiasm and even hyperbole. Jockey Ryan Moore, normally much more reserved, was less carried away.
"It's a silly comparison to make and this horse has a long way to go," Moore said of the Frankel comparison. "But he's exciting at the moment and what he's done so far has impressed me. He's a very rare horse, I think."
Frankel won the Dewhurst in 2010, the fourth victory in his perfect 14-for-14 career. One of the greatest runners of modern times, his on-track success has been exceeded only by his stunning career at stud.
Ylang Ylang eked out a 1/2-length win over the favorite, Shuwari, in Friday's Group 1 bet365 Fillies Mile at Newmarket -- a score more impressive than the raw numbers might suggest.
As the two were making up ground on the pacesetter near the 2 furlongs marker, Shuwari briefly ducked into the path of Ylang Ylang, forcing jockey Ryan Moore to alter course and reset his filly's attention. See the Fire took advantage of that to seize a brief lead but settled for third, between her two rivals.
Ylang Ylang, a Frankel filly representing the Coolmore "lads," got her third win while improving on a third-place finish in the Group 2 Rockfel Stakes in her previous outing. "She's a very exciting filly for next year," Racing Post quoted trainer Aidan O'Brien as saying. "I'd say she's a Classic filly."
Godolphin added to its weekend bounty with three wins Saturday at Newmarket, led by Highland Avenue's romp in the Group 3 Darley Stakes. Highland Avenue drew off late, winning by 4 lengths at the end of 1 1/8 miles.
The 5-year-old Dubawi gelding, with William Buick up, had gone 10 starts over 2 1/2 years without winning.
Japan
Liberty Island landed the Japanese filly Triple Crown Sunday at Kyoto Racecourse, cruising to victory in the Grade 1 Shuka Sho and joining the roster that includes such star distaffers at Almond Eye, Gentildonna and Daring Tact.
It was her fourth straight Grade 1 victory and puts her in line for 3-year-old filly honors to go with last year's juvenile filly crown. The Duramente filly has only had three starts this year, wasting no time on anything outside the Triple Crown.
Her 6-length domination of the Grade 1 Yushun Himba or Japanese Oaks was a statement win and Sunday's 1-length score over a late-flying Masked Diva was more workmanlike while still impressive.
"I'm grateful that we were able to achieve the Triple Crown," said winning rider Yuga Kawada, himself locked in a tight battle for the Japanese jockey championship with Christophe Lemaire.
"She is a horse with great ability so I placed top priority on letting her run comfortably and finding a good path for her. I was confident of her victory when we had an open space at the third corner.
"She has great potential, and her dreams for the future are wide open. But first of all, I would like to praise her for achieving the Triple Crown."
Australia
Saturday's AUS$20 million The Everest was a proper sprint, with the best speedsters Australia has to offer chasing the world's biggest turf-racing pot.
And it was a dramatic finish into the bargain with Think About It rallying from a stalking spot to grab the lead 100 meters out, and then holding off I Wish I Win and Private Eye in the closing strides.
The son of So You Think racked up his 11th win from 12 starts with Sam Clipperton in the irons.
"I thought he had too many gears, they won't beat him," Clipperton said. "I couldn't say that out loud but that's what I felt and he has just proved me right."
It was a rare weekend downer for Godolphin as their 3-year-old, Cylinder, had every chance in the late going but dropped back to finish fifth.
On the undercard, Fangirl dominated the Group I King Charles II Stakes, winning by 2 3/4 lengths from the favorite, Mr. Brightside.
It was the inaugural running of the event, formerly the George Main Stakes, under the monicker of the new British monarch.
And at Caulfield, Alligator Blood was a 2-lengths victor in the Group 1 Neds Might and Power Stakes while Griff took down the Group 1 Neds Caulfield Guineas by 2 lengths from Vow and Declare.
Hong Kong
California Spangle got a spot-on ride from Hugh Bowman to win Sunday's Group 2 Sha Tin Trophy Handicap, setting a foundation for a defense of the Group 1 Hong Kong Mile title Dec. 10.
Bowman got California Spangle out quickly from the outside gate, assumed the lead and dictated a moderat pace through the first half mile. Picking things up, he continue to lead the parade through the stretch and won by 1/2 length from Encountered with Beauty Eternal another 1/2 length back in third.
California Spangle became the first horse to win back-to-back runnings of the Sha Tin Trophy since 2017 and 2018, when Beauty Generation turned the trick.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club has loosened its rules about jockeys traveling to other venues during the season and Bowman was in his native Australia Saturday, where he drew a three-day suspension for careless riding.
That's on top of a two-day penalty he was assessed Oct. 14 at Happy Valley.
California Spangle's trainer, Tony Cruz, nonetheless issued a vote of confidence for the rider, who replaced Zac Purton after the latter elected to move to Beauty Eternal.
"He's always been the star horse in my stable," Cruz said of California Spangle. "He's the only star horse in my stable at the moment. And Hugh Bowman will be riding him in the races ahead."
