3 minute read
It wasn't a vintage year but there were still a lot of upsets.
On the Friday, the day set this year for the "future stars" i.e. 2yos and 3yos, there was one open race at the earlier part of the day, the "Marathon" which went to Itsinthepost and not the odds-on favourite.
The Juvenile Turf Sprint was Gr 2 over 1000m and Four Wheel Drive won and English raider A'Ali was never in it from an unfriendly draw.
The Juvenile Turf Gr 1 over 1600m and Chad Brown's Structor with Jose Ortiz on board beat home two 66/1 shots and the more fancied runners were in the background.
The Juvenile Fillies Gr 1 over 1700m was supposed to have been a stroll for Donna Veloce but she didn't reckon on British Idiom who came charging past and Bast finished third.
The Juvenile Fillies Turf was also Gr 1 but the equivalent turf track is over 1600m. This time it was Graeme Motion's Sharing who came through and gave jockey Mannie Franco his first BC win. Daahyeh was second, Sweet Melania third and Albigna fourth.
The Juvenile Gr 1 over 1700m saw favourite Dennis' Moment knuckle over in the gates and nearly dislodge jockey Irad Ortiz, so that put him out of the picture so the win went to Storm The Cloud with Anneau d'Or second on 28/1 and Wrecking Crew third on 40/1.
The Saturday started with the Twilight Derby and Ma Forza won at 20/1 for Peter Miller and Joel Rosario, with Succeedandsurpass and Neptune's Storm following.
Joel Rosario rode the next winner Covfefe in the F&M Sprint over 1400m – she was favourite and Bellafina 13/1 and Dawn The Destroyer 18/1 was third.
The Turf Sprint was a good result for trainer Peter Miller with his runners Belvoir Bay and Om running the quinella, and Shecky Skebaz third. Favourite Eddie Haskell was another who tripped over at the start and blew his chances.
The Dirt Mile was a nice win for the J-C Guerrero's Spun To Run who defeated the odds-on favourite Omaha Beach and great delight from the Koreans when their Blue Chipper finished third. This is a huge result for Korea and very popular as they are really working hard on improving their racing.
The F&M Turf Gr 1 was a rare – and it turned out to be unique – win for the European horses when Wayne Lordan gave Joseph O'Brien's Iridessa a top ride to defeat Vasilika and hot favourite Sistercharlie suffering a rare defeat in finishing third.
There were no upsets in the Sprint when Mitole wore down the speedy Shancelot with Whitmore third. Imperial Hint was scratched and Japanese runner Matera Sky went to hard to soon and finished at the wrong end of the field.
Uni won the Mile defeating Got Stormy and Without Parole who denied Circus Maximus the third spot.
A big upset in the Distaff when the Argentinian-bred Blue Prize stole the race from odds-on favourite Midnight Bisou with Serengetti Empress finished third.
And then the Turf when the wonderful Bricks And Mortar continued his excellent run undefeated since returning for over a year off when he nearly died from pneumonia. He's now going to Shadai in Japan for his next career and we wish him well. United 50/1 was second and Anthony van Dyck perhaps a little disappointing in third.
And then it was down to the Classic which was a race of mixed emotions with a huge swell of support behind Vino Rossi who defeated the gallant Mackinzie in a tight finish and then the sadness when Mongolian Groom had to be put down after injuring a left hind leg. So sorry for the wonderful Mongolian group who support their runners all around the world.
