Trainer Chris Waller tallied two group I exactas Oct. 4 at Royal Randwick, the first in breathtaking fashion when French-bred He's Your Man bested stablemate Royal Descent by the slimmest of margins in the Epsom Handicap.
Garry Chittick's homebred Costume denied group I winner Shuka's attempt at a last-to-first victory, digging in to narrowly prevail by a nose for her first stakes win in the Herbie Dyke (NZ-I) Feb. 8 at Te Rapa.
The in-foal mare A Touch of Ruby capped her career with a 48-1 upset in the Harcourts Thorndon Mile (NZ-I) Jan. 25 at Trentham Racecourse.
Head to head races highlight first day of last week of racing
Costume, thanks to a little chicanery from jockey Garrett Gomez, gave trainer Bobby Frankel his eighth win in the Santa Ana Handicap (gr. IIT) with an all-out front-running victory on the Santa Anita turf March 23.
After finally breaking through with a victory in the Buena Vista Handicap (gr. IIT) for trainer Bobby Frankel last month, Juddmonte Farms' Costume returns in the $150,000 Santa Ana Handicap (gr. IIT) on the Santa Anita turf March 23, Easter Sunday.
Juddmonte Farms' Costume took advantage from the inside when Alexandra Rose blew the far turn and lasted for the victory in the $150,000 Buena Vista Handicap (gr. IIT) for fillies and mares at Santa Anita Park Feb. 18.
After running strongly against the likes of Citronnade, Nashoba's Key, and Precious Kitten in her most recent starts, the New Zealand-bred mare Black Mamba should be ready to strike in the $150,000 Buena Vista Handicap (gr. IIT) on the Santa Anita turf course Feb. 18.
Champion Wait a While had to, well, wait a while for her seasonal bow, but everything now appears set for the 5-year-old's 2008 debut in the $150,000 San Gorgonio Handicap (gr. IIT) Jan. 14 on the Santa Anita grass course.
With heavy rain expected in Southern California this weekend, multiple grade I winner Wait a While leads a field of six set for Santa Anita's $150,000 San Gorgonio Handicap (gr. IIT) scheduled for the turf Jan. 6.
Bit of Whimsy had already accomplished her major goal of the year for trainer Barclay Tagg when the 3-year-old filly captured the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland last month. She put an exclamation point on a strong campaign with her hard-fought victory in the $174,900 Mrs. Revere (gr. IIT) on the Churchill Downs lawn Nov. 10.
For much of the $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (gr. I), there seemed to be no denying classy champion Dreaming of Anna, who was seeking her fourth consecutive stakes victory. But after a ground-saving trip from Javier Castellano, Bit of Whimsy made a late rally along the rail, angled three wide and caught the 2006 Juvenile Fillies Eclipse Award winner in the final 16th to win on Keeneland's Haggin turf course Oct. 13.
Champion filly Dreaming of Anna will put her three-race win streak on the line and get her final prep for the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships in the $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes (gr. IT) Oct. 13 on Keeneland's Haggin Turf Course.
Making her first start in America, Noel O'Callaghan's Alexander Tango rated far off the pace and then came charging down the middle of the Belmont Park turf stretch to capture the $250,000 Garden City Stakes (gr. IT) by three-quarters of a length Sept. 8.
Finsceal Beo, romping winner of the One Thousand Guineas (Eng-I) at Newmarket one week ago, came within a whisker of adding the French equivalent to her legend when she was defeated by a head by Darjina in the final strides Sunday at Longchamp.
