Turf action at Saratoga, derbies mark July Fourth weekend racing
July 7 (UPI) -- The long July Fourth weekend featured Test Score and Fionn winning the Belmont Derby and Oaks at Saratoga, respectively, Sweet Azteca defeating Kopion in the Great Lady M at Los Alamitos and some serious skirmishes among the 3-year-olds in mid-America.
There was lots more action from coast to coast and more overseas including a performance in the Coral-Eclipse in England that stunned even trainer Aidan O'Brien, if you can imagine that.
No need to imagine this:
Turf
Test Score tracked the early pace in Friday's $750,000 Grade I Belmont Derby Invitational at Saratoga, came with a wide move into the stretch and had things his own way in the final sixteenth, winning by 1 1/4 lengths over World Beater.
International raider Luther was third and the favorite, New Century, finished fifth.
Test Score is off to an A+ start on his season. He won the Grade I Transylvania at Keeneland and finished second in the Grade I American Turf at Churchill Downs prior to Friday's score.
On Saturday at Horseshoe Indiana, Encino won the $100,000 Jonathan B. Schuster Memorial by 1 1/4 lengths.
Filly & Mare Turf
In Saturday's $500,000 Grade I Belmont Oaks Invitational at the Spa, Fionn was up in the final strides to snatch the win from odds-on favorite Nitrogen. Fionn, a Twirling Candy filly, gave jockey Flavien Prat his fifth win for the day, while lowering the course record for 1 1/8 miles to 1:44.84.
Fionn raced in mid-pack, a few slots behind Nitrogen, into the stretch, and then found a bit more than that rival to win by a nose. She now has five wins from seven starts. Trainer Brad Cox said Fionn could contest the Grade II Saratoga Oaks on Aug. 9.
Marksman Queen led from the start in Saturday's $250,000 Grade III Robert G. Dick Memorial at Delaware Park and survived a late bid by Spanish Eyes to win by a head. Dana's Beauty won Saturday's $100,000 Indiana General Assembly Distaff Handicap at Horseshoe Indianapolis.
Turf Mile
Zulu Kingdom rallied from a stalking spot to win a late charge to the wire in Friday's $250,000 Grade III Manila Stakes at Saratoga. Think Big overcame some traffic issues with a late rally to win Saturday's $175,000 Kelso Stakes at Saratoga by 1 length over Intellect.
Turf Sprint
Lots of action in this division.
Coppola won Friday's $100,000 William Garrett Handicap at Horseshoe Indiana. Troubleshooting took Friday's $150,000 Dade Park Dash for 3-year-olds at Ellis Park. Bring Theband Home brought the money home after Friday's $150,000 Harvey Pack Stakes at Saratoga. And Mae Town prevailed in Sunday's $150,000 Pea Patch Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Ellis Park.
Classic
Phileas Fogg led from gate to wire in Friday's $400,000 Grade II Suburban at Saratoga and survived the late bid of Antiquarian to win by a head. The favorite, Locked, was another 6 1/4 lengths back in third.
Cornishman won Saturday's $300,000 Grade III Prairie Meadows Cornhusker in a tight, three-way photo over Texas invader Heroic Move and Churchill Downs-based Gould's Gold.
Willy D's won Saturday's $100,400 Michael G. Schaefer Memorial at Horseshoe Indiana. Prevent won Saturday's $75,000 Soldier's Dancer Handicap at Gulfstream Park.
Saturday's program included Derby action in both Iowa and Indiana.
Magnitude, sidelined from a promising Triple Crown bid by an ankle chip, put on a show as the odds-on favorite in the $250,000 Iowa Derby at Prairie Meadows. With Ben Curtis at the controls, the Not This Time colt kicked away to win by 9 1/4 lengths over Itsmybirthday.
At Horseshoe Indiana, Tip Top Thomas took a hard-won, 1/2-length victory over Coal Battle in the $300,000 Grade III Indiana Derby. Tip Top Thomas finished second to Chancer McPatrick in last year's Grade I Champagne skipped the Triple Crown races.
Distaff
The 3-year-old fillies were in Oaks action Saturday in both Indiana and Iowa. At Horseshoe Indiana, Clicquot won the $200,000 Grade III Daily Racing Form Indiana Oaks, while Quickick showed plenty of late kick in taking the $225,000 Iowa Oaks at Prairie Meadows.
Alpine Princess won Saturday's $100,000 Mari Hulman George Memorial Handicap at Horseshoe Indianapolis and Insensitive scored in Friday's $100,000 Iowa Distaff at Prairie Meadows.
Sprint
Implementation rallied three-wide in the stretch to win Saturday's $75,000 Smile Sprint Stakes at Gulfstream Park by 2 lengths. Glengarry won Friday's $123,000 Iowa Sprint Stakes. Horsepower took Friday's $100,000 Karl Boyes Stakes on the Presque Isle Downs all-weather course.
Filly & Mare Sprint
Sweet Azteca won a battle of heavyweight sprinters in Saturday's $200,000 Grade II Great Lady M Stakes at Los Alamitos Racecourse, leading all the way to a 1 1/2-length score over the odds-on favorite, Kopion.
Sweet Azteca finished the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:14.32, breaking the track record she set in winning the same race a year earlier by 0.01 second.
Also, Creed's Gold won Saturday's $150,000 (Canadian) Grade III Hendrie Stakes on the Woodbine all-weather and Won Happy Mama led from gate to wire in Friday's $124,000 Saylorville Stakes at Prairie Meadows.
Juvenile
It seems Obliteration was a good name choice for the Steve Asmussen-trained Violence colt who destroyed six rivals in Saturday's $175,000 Grade III Sanford at Saratoga. Obliteration, despite a bobble at the start, let loose in the lane to win by 10 1/2 lengths, running 6 furlongs on a fast track in 1:10.65 with Flavien Prat up.
In his only previous start, he won a 5 1/2-furlong maiden voyage at Churchill Downs by 7 1/2 lengths. Circle the name.
Also: Good Civilian won Saturday's $100,000 Prairie Gold Juvenile at Prairie Meadows and It's All Right took Saturday's $150,000 Texas Thoroughbred Association.
Juvenile Fillies
Kingsolver caught pacesetting favorite near the sixteenth pole in Friday's $150,000 Schuylerville at Saratoga, ran by and went on to win by 2 lengths over that rival. Sassy C W won Friday's $100,000 Prairie Gold Lassie at Prairie Meadows Lanaluah scored in Saturday's $150,000 Texas Thoroughbred Association Futurity.
Around the world, around the clock
England
It's not unusual for casual fans to express astonishment at the outcome of a big race. But it's another thing altogether to hear Aidan O'Brien do just that, as he did after Delacroix came from nowhere in the final furlong to win Saturday's Group 1 Coral-Eclipse at Sandown. The dramatic finish denied the heavily favored Ombudsman, who settled for second.
"It was mind-blowing to make up that ground from where he came from," O'Brien said, according to Racing Post. "I didn't know what to make of it when I saw it all changing."
France
Woodshauna rallied from last for an upset victory in Sunday's Group 1 Prix Jean Prat at Deauville, edging fellow long shots Maranoa Charlie and The Lion In Winter by a short neck and short head, respectively.
Germany
Hochkoenig was just up in the final jumps to defeat British raider Convergent in Sunday's Group 1 Deutsches Derby at Hamburg with amateur jockey Nina Baltromei becoming the first female rider to win any European Derby with pattern-race status, Racing Post said.
Convergent was last seen finishing third in the Chester Vase, his only loss after two career-opening victories.
South Africa
The Real Prince, a 14-1 chance, edged warm favorite Eight on Eighteen by a neck at the finish of Saturday's Group 1 Hollywood Bets Durban July at Greyville Racecourse in Durban. It appeared Eight on Eighteen was home free until The Real Prince rallied through the final yards and got his head down at the wire.
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