United Kingdom
Artorius gallant again
In his latest bid to add European Group 1 glory to his resume, Artorius (Flying Artie) put in another bold showing.
He managed a third-place finish in the G1 Darley July Cup S. at Newmarket's July course on Saturday afternoon (local time), backing up his same-place finish in the G1 Platinum Jubilee S. at Royal Ascot last month.
The Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained colt was sent out under Jamie Spencer to employ his usual tactics of swooping with a late run. Though he could not get the better of Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never {USA}), who got a first run up the stiff final stretch of the unique Newmarket course to beat Charlie Appleby's Naval Crown (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) by 1.5l, with Artorius 0.5l further away.
Hong Kong
Jockeys' title race heats up again
The race to be crowned Champion Jockey in Hong Kong has seen a thrilling tussle emerge between Zac Purton and Joao Moreira, and there was no relenting on Sunday.
Coming into the Sha Tin meeting Purton's 131 winners had him two ahead of his rival. Moreira struck in the opener to close the gap to one, but could then manage only second and third placings in Race 3 and Race 6 respectively.
However, having finished directly behind Moreira in Race 1 and Race 3, Purton regained his two-win lead by taking Race 4.
United States
McKulick impressive in Belmont Oaks
Sent off fourth favourite and only the second-best fancied of the three fillies in the race for trainer Chad Brown, Klaravich Stables' McKulick (GB) (Frankel {GB}) hit top gear with a furlong (200 metres) to race and ran out a facile winner of Saturday's GI Belmont Oaks Invitational S. to become the first American top-level winner for her all-conquering Banstead Manor-based stallion.
With The Moonlight (Ire) completed a Frankel exacta, while the winner's commonly owned stablemate Consumer Spending (USA) (More Than Ready {USA}) finished with interest for third. It was a fourth Belmont Oaks for trainer Chad Brown since the event was lengthened to 10 furlongs (2000 metres) in 2014.
McKulick is named in honour of Brown's first-ever employee, bookkeeper Mary McKulick. McKulick passed away in October 2020 at the age of 67 after losing a battle with cancer. Saturday was also meaningful for Brown for other reasons.
"It's an extra special win with it being (mentor) Bobby Frankel's birthday today," said Brown. "This horse is the first offspring of Frankel that I actually bought.
"Seth Klarman was nice enough to let me name this filly after my very first employee after I left Frankel, that's why I chose this horse being by Frankel. And wouldn't you know on his birthday she wins a Group I. The irony and the importance of it today, on his birthday means everything to me personally."
'Classic' upset in Belmont Derby
A season that has had more ups and downs than the Cyclone at nearby Coney Island reached new heights for Classic Causeway (USA) (Giant's Causeway {USA}), as the blaze-faced chestnut - making his first start on the grass - forgot to stop en route to a 0.75l defeat of Godolphin's favored Nations Pride (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) in Saturday's US$1 million (AU$1.45 million) G1 Belmont Derby Invitational.
Peter Brant's Stone Age (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who was never worse than midfield in the early stages of any of his previous eight trips to the races, made steady progress to finish third after racing far back through the opening furlongs.
Classic Causeway was having his second start on Saturday for trainer Ken McPeek, who saddled him to a third in the G3 Ohio Derby on June 25.
The early scratching of wire-to-wire G2 Pennine Ridge S. winner Emmanuel (USA) (More Than Ready {USA}) left the pace scenario of the Belmont Derby somewhat murky, and that played right into the hands of Classic Causeway who was given a front-running ride by jockey Julien Leparoux.
Singapore
Golden Monkey reigns supreme
The Australian-bred Golden Monkey (Star Turn) built on his G3 Singapore 3YO Sprint victory last month by taking out the 1400-metre G2 Singapore 3YO Classic at Kranji on Saturday.
Bred by Howard Blight, the Timothy Fitzsimmons-trained Golden Monkey is now a three-time winner. He was offered as part of the Byerley Stud draft at the 2020 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, where he was purchased by Research Bloodstock for $54,000.
Golden Monkey failed to win in five starts in Victoria when trained by Clayton Douglas, before he was exported to Hong Kong. Josh McLoughlan of Jig Bloodstock purchased the horse and put together a syndicate of owners, one that includes past and present Australian Rules stars Dane Swan, Michael Gardiner and Dustin Martin.
