UPI Horse Racing Weekend Preview

It's the calm before the storm with just two weeks to go to the Breeders' Cup in North America, but international action more than takes up the slack in weekend Thoroughbred racing.

Australia on Saturday passes the Cox Plate, featuring Winx vs. Hartnell and some other worthies. The previous evening, it's Chautauqua trying to cement his spot atop the world's sprint ranks against a top-drawer field.

Sunday's Group 1 Japanese St. Leger is missing Derby winner Makahiki but puts the country's other top 3-year-olds to a demanding test.

Hong Kong has a pair of Group 2 events that continue the lead up to December's international Group 1's.

And all is not at total idle in the United Stakes. Keeneland and Santa Anita soldier on, Belmont Park, Laurel Park and Remington Park have tasty festivals for the New York-, Maryland- and Oklahoma-breds, respectively. Delta Downs features a rich race for 2-year-olds.

Wasting no time ...

Australia

Winx vs Hartnell in Saturday's Group 1 William Hill Cox Plate at Moonee Valley? So it would seem with Winx riding a 12-race winning streak and Hartnell held out of the Caulfield Cup specifically to tackle this test for Godolphin Racing. But the race is a challenge and always capable of a surprise. So it's no surprise there are others with credentials. Black Heart Bart hasn't been able to go with Winx in recent meetings but otherwise is a superior animal. Yankee Rose, Lucia Valentina and Vadamos have claims for part of this purse. Hauraki, Godolphin's purported second-stringer, could be an upsetter.

Before the Cox Plate, Moonee Valley on Friday night hosts a promising matchup of Chautauqua, Buffering, Golden Slipper winner Capitalist and others in the Group 1 Manikato Stakes at 1,200 meters. Chautauqua, perhaps the world's top at this distance, drew the inside gate, providing some potential trip issues for jockey Dwayne Dunn. A lot of attention is going to Capitalist as he tries older rivals with a weight swing in his favor. A great race in its own right, this also is a pointer toward the Group 1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint in December.

Japan

Sunday's Group 1 Kikuka Sho, or Japanese St. Leger at Kyoto is one of those unusual, one-off races that is both hard to handicap and fun to watch. The final leg of the Japanese Triple Crown asks the 3-year-olds to last 3,000 meters around six right-handed turns and labor twice up a 4-meters incline. Normally the race would feature the winner of the Japanese Derby winner. This year's victor, Makahiki, was sent instead to pursue Japan's seemingly eternal quest to win the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, where he beat only two rivals. In his absence the Kikuka Sho will pit some of the other top contestants from early 3-year-old races in what should be a bit of a sorting-out process. Dee Majesty and Satono Diamond, the first- and third-place finisher from the Satsuki Sho will command a lot of attention.

Hong Kong

With less than two months to go to the Longines Hong Kong International Races, things are starting to heat up at Sha Tin. Sunday finds some of Hong Kong's top horses in a Group 2 double-header composed of the Oriental Watch 55th Anniversary Sha Tin Trophy and the Premier Bowl.

The Premier Bowl, at 1,200 meters, boasts a star-studded cast including Aerovelocity, a three-time Group 1 winner and the only Hong Kong-trained horse to have won at the highest level in three jurisdictions; Hong Kong's current champion sprinter, Peniaphobia; Chairman's Sprint prize runner-up Lucky Bubbles; recent Group 3 winner Amazing Kids and last season's Group 1 Stewards' Cup winner, Giant Treasure. It's an important race for Aerovelocity, a Pins gelding who had some issues and bad luck last season.

Aerovelocity has "come up very well this time," trainer Paul O'Sullivan said Tuesday after a barrier trial. "He's not quite as forward as he's been in other years but he is eight years old now. For that reason, I think he's going to need a run, but once he's had a run, or maybe two, he'll be at his peak. Everything's about the Hong Kong Sprint in December."

The 1,600-meters Oriental Watch features the likes of Contentment, Beauty Only, Group 1 winners Blazing Speed and Designs On Rome and Hong Kong champion miler Sun Jewellery.

Meanwhile, trainer John Moore still hopes to get former Hong Kong Horse of the Year Able Friend back to form from a tendon injury in time for the Longines Sprint -- or perhaps the Longines Hong Kong Mile, where he was defeated by Japanese sensation Maurice last December. "It would all depend on fitness and how he handles it all," Moore said. He'll be entered for both the Sprint and the Mile but we'll just have to monitor his fitness levels after such a long break and see which option is best for him."

In other action:

Belmont

Saturday's Empire Classic card includes eight stakes for New York-breds with the Cassic worth $300,000 and the Distaff $250,000. The races are as tough as a $2 steak and some of the competitors might have been considered for the Breeders' Cup if not for the lure of the big money at home.

Laurel

Saturday's Maryland Million has nine races including one starter allowance, all for nominated horses, with Maryland-breds filling any holes. The field is big and competitive and there's no shortage of handicapping challenges. Among the items of interest -- the venerable Ben's Cat tries to bounce back from four straight wins and, potentially, avoid retirement.

Delta Downs

Tip Top Tapizar, winner of the Sapling at Monmouth Park last month, ships in for Saturday night's $200,000 Jean Lafitte Stakes for 2-year-olds. The colt will have seven rivals for the event, coming from all points of the compass -- well, all points other than south. Friday's feature is the $100,000 My Trusty Cat for 2-year-old fillies. The races are the local trials for next month's $1 million Delta Jackpot and the $400,000 Delta Princess.

Keeneland

A full and well-balanced field of 3-year-old fillies is on tap for Friday's $150,000 Grade III Pin Oak Valley View. French-bred Azaelia, fourth in the Group 1 Prix de Diane Longines in her last start, is the narrow favorite. Tin Type Gal, Quidura and My Impression all get consideration from the Lexington oddsmaker.

Twelve 3-year-old fillies will tackle Saturday's $250,000 Grade II Lexus Raven Run at 7 furlongs with Lightstream the 3-1 morning-line favorite despite the outside draw.

Sunday's $125,000 Grade III Rood & Riddle Dowager for fillies and mares at 1 1/2 miles on the grass has a field of 13.

On Thursday, Renown rallied to a late win in the $100,000 Grade III Sycamore Stakes, outfinishing Bigger Picture by a nose. Bullard's Alley was third and the favorite, Greengrassofyoming, was next-last of 12. Renown, a 5-year-old British-bred gelding by Champs Elysees, ran 1 1/2 miles on good turf in 2:35.37. "I had a perfect trip," said winning rider Angel Cruz. "The horse broke a little slow, and I just left him right there and took position. In the far turn, I had so much horse that I went wide and just circled the field."

On the international front: Sunday, The Group 1 Royal-Oak at Saint-Cloud finds 3-year-olds and up going 3,100 meters. And the Group 1 Premio Lydia Tessio in Italy is 2,000 meters for fillies and mares.

Remington Park on Saturday hosts the Oklahoma Classics for state-breds. Eight stakes races are headed by the $175,000 Classics Cup and the $145,000 Distaff.