Our weekly digest of recent international racing news
Belmont Stakes: We The People is morning-line favorite for the Belmont
USA: We The People (Rodolphe Brisset/Flavien Prat), runaway winner of the Peter Pan Stakes on his last start, has been installed 2-1 morning-line favorite at the head of an eight-runner field for the Belmont Stakes, the final leg of the Triple Crown on Saturday [June 11].
The ‘Test of the Champion’, which features the return to action of shock Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike, is the $1.5m highlight of a lavishly endowed card at Belmont featuring no fewer than eight G1 contests. Three of them – the Met Mile, Ogden Phipps and Jaipur – are ‘Win and You’re In’ qualifying races for the Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland on November 4-5.
As might be imagined, We The People is a son of the stallion Constitution. He went wire-to-wire on the Peter Pan Stakes, the designated G3 trial, by 10¼ lengths at Belmont on May 14, after which celebrity chef Bobby Flay bought a share in the Winstar colt.
Hollie Doyle to make New York debut in Belmont Gold Cup
USA: Britain’s top female jockey Hollie Doyle will be among the visiting riders set to take part in the G2 Belmont Gold Cup at Belmont on Friday [June 10], Day 2 of the three-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival
Doyle, whose only previous ride in the US was at the 2020 Breeders’ Cup, will partner Archie Watson-trained Outbox, a son of Fakel who won the $1m HH The Amir Trophy in Qatar in February.
Doyle said: “I have ridden in America before, but never at Belmont, so I am thoroughly looking forward to getting to know the track and being involved in such a prestigious race meeting.”
The $400,000 contest over 2m has drawn a field of eight also including Germany’s Loft (Marcel Weiss/Andrasch Starke), a stablemate of Arc winner Torquator Tasso, whose jockey Rene Piechulek misses out over visa problems.
King George and Arc on schedule for Derby winner Desert Crown
GB: Desert Crown is likely to head to the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes for his next start after providing Sir Michael Stoute with his sixth success in the Epsom Derby last weekend under jockey Richard Kingscote.
How I won the Derby on Desert Crown – Epsom hero Richard Kingscote in his own words
“I suspect the King George might be the next stop,” said owner Saeed Suhail’s racing manager Bruce Raymond, speaking to the Racing Post. Raymond added the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe is likely to provide Desert Crown’s autumn focus; the son of Nathaniel is also set to stay in training at four.
The day before the Derby, Aidan O’Brien clinched a record-breaking 41st British Classic win when the filly Tuesday (Ryan Moore), defeated Emily Upjohn in a photo-finish for the Oaks.
Golden Eagle prize-money soars again to A$10m
Australia: Two of the four richest Thoroughbred races in the world will be staged in Sydney after Racing NSW raised the purse for the Golden Eagle to A$10m ($7.19m).
First staged in 2019, the 1,500-metre (7½f) contest for four-year-olds, due to be run at Rosehill Gardens on October 29, becomes the second-richest race in the world on turf behind The Everest, which is worth A$15m ($10.77m). Neither race is yet accorded Group status.
The world’s richest race remains the $20m Saudi Cup, with the $12m Dubai World Cup next on the list. America’s most valuable race is the $6m Breeders’ Cup Classic while the Arc leads the way in Europe at €5m ($5.34m).
Songline secures Breeders’ Cup start in Yasuda Kinen
Japan: Saudi winner Songline (Toru Hayashi/Kenichi Ikezoe) got the better of a tight finish to record the first G1 success of her career in the hugely prestigious Yasuda Kinen over a mile at Tokyo racecourse on Sunday [June 5]. The race carried a purse of ¥347.46m ($2.6m).
In the process, the four-year-old – who also won the $1.5m 1351 Turf Sprint at the Saudi Cup meeting in February – secured an automatic fees-paid berth in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Keeneland in November through the ‘Win and You're In’ Challenge series.
The Breeders’ Cup Challenge series continues at Belmont Park on Saturday and then to Royal Ascot next week, where the Queen Anne Stakes [June 14] will be the first of four qualifying races.
Luis Saez reaches 3,000-winner landmark
USA: Jockey Luis Saez earned his 3,000th career victory on the Rudy Rodriguez-trained Funny Joke at Belmont Park on Sunday [June 5]. "To get 3,000 winners is a lot for me,” said the Panamanian, 30. “I never imagined I would be here, but we’re here and we just enjoy the moment. I’m blessed it happened at Belmont, a place I always dreamed of. This is the biggest deal for me.”
Elsewhere in racing …
GB: 150-1 Derby runner-up Hoo Ya Mal star lot at Goffs London Sale More here
GB: Coronation Cup winner Hukum suffers career-threatening injury More here
Australia: Chris Waller breaks earnings record More here
Australia: Prize-money increases at Melbourne Cup Carnival More here
Hong Kong: Leading NZ trainer Paul O’Sullivan set to retire More here
GB: National Racehorse Week to return in September More here
• View all previous editions of Seven Days In Racing
View the latest TRC Global Rankings for horses / jockeys / trainers / sires