1 of 3 | Iscreamuscream remains undefeated with a win in the Grade I Del Mar Oaks on Saturday. Benoit Photography, courtesy of Del Mar Turf Club
Aug. 19 (UPI) – For the second weekend in a row, bad weather has disrupted the racing schedule, with torrential rain forcing Woodbine to postpone the King’s Plate, Canada’s premier race, and four other key races until Friday.
This followed a one-day postponement of the Grade I Arlington Million at Colonial Downs the previous weekend because weather disrupted entries from Canada to Virginia.
Still, there were plenty of good races, especially involving the three-year-old fillies. Power Squeeze pulled off a minor upset in the Grade I Alabama at Saratoga and Iscreamuscream extended her winning streak to four with a victory in the Grade I Del Mar Oaks on turf.
On the global stage, Sunday’s programme at Deauville appears to have produced candidates for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and the Breeders’ Cup.
Grosvenor Square’s 20-length win in Ireland makes him a Leger candidate. The Sapporo racecourse in northern Japan saw some of the country’s best horses embark on their late-season international exploits.
And sadly, Black Caviar has passed away. What remains is her record of 25 wins without defeat and the admiration of her fans as a testament to the greatness of the Australian sprint heroine.
The details:
Power Squeeze and favorite Candied both came from far behind in the $600,000 Grade I Alabama race for three-year-old fillies at Saratoga on Saturday, and the matter was not decided until Power Squeeze took a head lead at the final stride, with Just Basking in third.
Power Squeeze, a mare by Union Rags, completed the 1 1/4 miles on a fast track in 2:04.35 with Javier Castellano in the saddle.
Kentucky Oaks winner Thorpedo Anna would have been the favorite, but instead has to compete against stallions in the Travers Stakes.
Power Squeeze had previously won the Grade II Gulfstream Park Oaks and the Grade III Delaware Oaks, but Thorpedo Anna was her arch-nemesis.
She finished sixth, 16 1/2 lengths back, in the Kentucky Oaks and finished third behind Acorn in the Grade I on June 7. Trainer Jorge Delgado said he is not afraid of a rematch, which could come Sept. 21 in the Grade I Cotillion at Parx Racing.
classic
Subsanador, with improvising Mike Smith in the saddle, came into power down the homestretch of Saturday’s $250,000 Grade III Philip H. Iselin Stakes at Monmouth Park, quickly took the lead and won by 1 1/2 lengths.
Il Miracolo finished second, 15 1/4 lengths ahead of Antigravity in third.
Subsanador, an Argentine-bred stallion by Fortify, ran 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:42.63. He carries the silks of Wathnan Racing, the new operation of the Emir of Qatar, which is attracting worldwide attention with expensive purchases and instant success.
“I like him more and more,” added coach Richard Mandella.
Mare and foal lawn
Iscreamuscream took an early lead in Saturday’s $300,000 Grade I Del Mar Oaks, then surrendered it to favorite Whiskey Decision, then won again by 1 1/2 lengths and is still unbeaten after four starts.
Medoro and Zona Verde finished second and third, while Whiskey Decision faded to sixth place.
Iscreamuscream, by Twirling Candy, ran 1 1/8 miles on firm turf in 1:48.06. Hector Berrios rode for trainer Phil D’Amato.
At the end of the $200,000 Grade II Lake Placid Stakes for three-year-old fillies at Saratoga on Saturday, Grayosh and favorite She Feels Pretty fought a thrilling duel, with the underdog winning by a neck with a score of 7-1.
Dynamic Pricing was in third place and Ori, who was in the lead for most of the time, eventually finished fifth.
Grayosh, a daughter of Yoshida and trained by Chad Brown, ran 1 1/16 miles on good turf in 1:43.74. Flavien Prat rode as the mare scored her second win.
On Friday at Del Mar in the $100,000 CTT & TOC Stakes, Sunset Glory chased the pace-setting favorite Linda’s Gift with a furlong to go and then gradually wore down her opponent to win by half a length.
Sunset Glory, a four-year-old mare bred in Ireland and trained by Michael McCarthy, ran 1 3/8 miles on firm ground in 2:14.33 to secure her third consecutive victory.
Sprint for fillies and mares
Beth’s Dream forced the pace in the $100,000 Sheer Drama Stakes for fillies and foals at Gulfstream Park on Saturday, taking the lead under the guidance of jockey Emisael Jaramillo and winning by 4 lengths. Maryquitecontrary passed Charlie’s Wish for second.
The 2-year-olds
The action was on the turf – until it wasn’t. Out on Bail won the Skidmore Stakes for about $150,000 at Saratoga on Friday and could now qualify for the Grade I Futurity at Aqueduct.
Sunday’s $150,000 Bolton Landing Stakes was moved to the “good” main track, and Kimchi Cat took full advantage. The mare Twirling Candy won by 2 1/2 lengths over outsider Icona Mama. She finished second in her career debut at Churchill Downs and won her first start on July 14 at Spa.
Around the world, around the clock
France
Mqse De Sevigne stayed on course for a trip to the Prix de l’Arc d’Trimphe with a hard-fought repeat win in the Group 1 Sumbe Prix Romanet at Deauville on Sunday.
Trainer Andre Fabre said he was used to close results for the five-year-old mare, but bookmakers had taken a step back in their Arc odds.
In the same programme, just a week after finishing second in the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh, Whistlejacket pulled away late on from his stubborn rival Rashabar to win the Group 1 Sumbe Prix Morny by three quarters of a length.
Trained by Aidan O’Brien for the Coolmore boys, the colt by No Nay Never secured a place in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint under the motto “Win and You’re In”.
Ireland
Grosvenor Square took an immediate lead in the Group 3 St Leger Trial at the Curragh on Saturday and continued to push his rivals further and further away to win by 20 lengths.
“After that, it’s very hard not to go to Doncaster (for the Group 1 St. Leger),” said trainer Aidan O’Brien.
Japan
North Bridge took the lead entering the homestretch of the Grade 2 Sapporo Kinen on Sunday and won by 1 3/4 lengths, beating some of Japan’s international stars in a race considered the highlight of the summer season.
Among the defeated, Geoglyph was second, Stella Veloce third, Prognosis fourth and Shahryar fifth as they all prepared for bigger events to come.
Australia
Black Caviar, unbeaten in 25 career starts and Australia’s darling, succumbed to laminitis on Saturday, one day before her 18th birthday and shortly after the birth of a colt.
Trainer Peter Moody told Racing.com that the mare’s hooves were no longer receiving blood due to the disease and that humane euthanasia was the only option.
