Derby winner Mystik Dan finally wins again
1 of 3 | Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan triumphs in Saturday's Blame Stakes. Photo courtesy of Churchill Downs
June 2 (UPI) -- The 2024 Kentucky Derby winner finally returned to the winner's circle in a high point of weekend horse racing, while next weekend's finale of this year's Triple Crown series shaped up as a showdown between the Derby and Preakness winners.
On the international scene, Croix du Nord won the Japanese Derby and Camille Pissarro captured the French Derby, so it's a weekend to tip the derby to the year's best 3-year-olds.
The coming week includes four stakes-packed days at Saratoga's Belmont Stakes festival and a similar clutch of big races on Epsom Down surrounding the Derby and Oaks. It's a big one.
Meanwhile ...
The Triple Crown
Next Saturday's $2 million Grade I Belmont Stakes at Saratoga is shaping up as a showdown between Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty and Preakness winner Journalism.
Sovereignty defeated Journalism in the Derby and skipped the Preakness, so it's not quite a rubber match. But it certainly will carry bragging rights.
If there was any doubt of Journalism making his third start in a span of five weeks, trainer Michael McCarthy dispelled it after the colt turned in a strong half-mile work Sunday at Saratoga.
Classic
The 2024 Kentucky Derby winner, Mystik Dan, returned to the scene of that triumph to complete something of a comeback with a professional victory in Saturday's $275,000 Grade III Blame Stakes.
With Derby-winning jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. in the irons, the 4-year-old saved ground all the way around the Churchill Downs track, cut the corner into the stretch while others swung wide and wasn't challenged in the final furlong. He finished the 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.45.
After winning the Derby, Mystik Dan finished second in the Preakness and eighth in the Belmont. Trainer Kenny McPeek soldiered on with him after a break, finishing sixth in the Grade I Malibu at Santa Anita in December and ninth in the Grade I Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park in January.
He finally got back to form with a runner-up showing in the Lake Ouachita Stakes at Oaklawn Park on May 3.
At Woodbine, Classic Mo Town seized the lead near the sixteenth pole in Saturday's $175,000 (Canadian) Grade II bet364 Eclipse Stakes and won by 3/4 length over Webslinger.
Distaff
Royal Spa took a wide swing into the stretch in Saturday's $275,000 Shawnee Stakes for fillies and mares at Churchill Downs, worked to the lead and cleared to win by 1 1/4 lengths.
On Saturday at Woodbine, Caitlinhergrtness split rivals nearing the top of the stretch in the $180,000 (Canadian) Grade III Belle Mahoney Stakes and kicked away to win by 5 lengths.
Turf
Mercante won Saturday's $275,000 Grade III Arlington Stakes at Churchill Downs. In the 3-year-old companion $275,000 Audubon Stakes, World Beater edged King of Ashes in the final yards to win by a neck.
Saturday's $100,000 Jersey Derby came off the Monmouth Park turf, and the field was scratched down to just three. Barbadian Runner did his best running late to get the win by 7 1/4 lengths.
Filly & Mare Turf
Pin Up Betty rallied five-wide into the stretch to win Sunday's $250,000 Grade III Old Forester Mint Julep Stakes at Churchill Downs. A day earlier, Fionn rallied from last of nine to take the $275,000 Regret Stakes for 3-year-old fillies.
Turf Sprint
Ms. Tart led a trio of long shots home in Saturday's $150,000 (Canadian) Grade III HPIbet Royal North Stakes at Woodbine, finishing 1/2 length ahead of Ready to Jam with Ticker Tape Home third.
The favorite, Earhart, finished last and the upset generated tote board-busting returns, including $854.80 for a 20-cent trifecta ticket. Ms. Tart, a 4-year-old Maximus Mischief filly, ran 6 1/2 furlongs on good turf in 1:15.56 with Huber Villa-Gomez posting the winning ride.
Sprint
Nysos dueled his way to the lead in Saturday's $100,000 Grade III Triple Bend Stakes at Santa Anita, and then left three rivals in the dust as he drew off to win by 5 1/2 lengths as the odds-on favorite. The win improved Nysos's record to four wins and one second from five starts.
"Now from here we can build and pick our spots," winning trainer Bob Baffert said after the Triple Bend. "Eventually, on to the Breeders' Cup."
Durante let the favorites do all the early work in Saturday's $275,000 Grade III Aristides at Churchill Downs, and then came along to pick up the pieces, winning by 1 length over World Record.
Patches O'Houlihan was a late scratch from Saturday's $150,000 (Canadian) Grade III Jacques Cartier Stakes, leaving just three to contest the 6 furlongs on the Woodbine all-weather course. Old Chestnut led the other two throughout and won by 2 3/4 lengths over the odds-on favorite, Simcoe.
Filly & Mare Sprint
R Disaster bid adieu to her five rivals in the stretch run of Saturday's $100,000 Rehoboth Stakes at Delaware Park, scooting off to a 6 1/2-length victory. The 4-year-old Awesome Slew filly, trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., ran 6 furlongs on a fast track in 1:09.83 for jockey Jorge Ruiz.
Sweet Azteca was a late scratch from Sunday's $100,000 Desert Stormer Stakes at Santa Anita, leaving just three to face the starter.
Super Shine led the other two throughout the 6 furlongs and won by 2 lengths from Chismosa with Fayette Fox another 4 1/4 lengths back in third.
Super Shine, an Argentine-bred mare by Super Saver, ran 6 furlongs on a fast track in 1:09.46. Hector Berrios had the mount for trainer Phil D'Amato.
Around the world, around the clock
Japan
Croix du Nord forged back to the top of Japan's 3-year-old crop with an uneventful, impressive victory in Sunday's Grade 1 Tokyo Yushun or Japanese Derby.
The Kitasan Black colt stalked the pace, surged to the lead when asked by jockey Yuichi Kitamura and won by 3/4 length over Masquerade Ball.
Shohei, named after Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, was third.
Croix du Nord won the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes in December and was named Japan's top 2-year-old of 2024. He was the favorite in both the Satsuki Sho and the Toyko Yushun.
France
Camille Pissarro won Sunday's Group 1 Prix du Jockey Club or French Derby at Chantilly by 1/2 length over Cualificar and another neck from Detain. Trapped along the rail approaching the final 150 meters, jockey Ryan Moore sniffed out a narrow opening and pointed Camille Pissarro into it. He responded and the race was over.
Coolmore "lad" Michael Tabor said in the combination of Camille Pissarro, Moore and O'Brien, he and his partners had "the best horse, the best trainer and the best jockey," Racing Post reported. And while the victory carried an entry into October's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, O'Brien was in no hurry to commit to that.
Hong Kong
Helios Express has been chasing all-world sprinter Ka Ying Rising through much of the 2024-25 Hong Kong season. Freed from that one's shadow, he overcame a slow start to rally from last and win Saturday's Group 3 Sha Tin Vase by just more than a head bob from Invincible Sage.
The remarkably consistent runner had finished second five times and third on two other occasions to Ka Ying Rising in seven starts this campaign.
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