Aug. 25 (UPI) — Championship form rose to the top in weekend racing, with Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty, reigning Horse of the year Thorpedo Anna and crack Sprinter Book’em Danno winning Grade I races on a banner summer day at Saratoga.

Del Mar was in on the action, too, and Breeders’ Cup bids were on the line in England. France hosted likely the best 2-year-old race so far this year.

So much quality …

Classic

As they lined up for Saturday’s $1.25 million DraftKings Travers at Saratoga, the main threat to Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes and Jim Dandy winner Sovereignty led all the way to open-lengths wins in his last two starts. Could he steal the Travers, too?

Not this time. He tried. but failed, taking the lead early, unable to hold off long shot Bracket Buster, who took the advantage at the top of the stretch, briefly sparking “Graveyard of Champions” upset thoughts. Briefly.

Sovereignty sailed up outside them, blew by without taking time to say adieu and drew off to win by 10 lengths, eased up late by jockey Junior Alvarado. Bracket Buster was second, 10 3/4 lengths in front of Magnitude.

Sovereignty, a Godolphin homebred son of Into Mischief, now has six wins from nine starts and a clear path to all kinds of year-end honors. On Sunday morning, trainer Bill Mott reported all well with his star and said the current plan is to leave Sovereignty at Saratoga and train up to the Nov. 1 Classic.

The older guys were in action, too.

Banishing was never far behind pacesetting favorite Skippylongstocking in Friday’s $1 million Grade I Charles Town Classic and, when Skippylongstocking ran out of gas on the third turn, it was Banishing who took advantage.

Rallying three-wide, the 5-year-old Ghostzapper gelding cruised home first by 2 1/4 lengths, with Willy D’s and Gould’s Gold second and third. Skippylongstocking, who had won the last two Classics, faded to finish last of eight.

On Tuesday at Parx Racing, Tip Top Thomas, a Volatile colt trained by Todd Pletcher, led gate-to-wire in the $200,000 Smarty Jones Stakes for 3-year-olds, holding off Fact by a head.

Distaff

After a nearly stretch-long duel, reigning Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna put her nose down on the wire just as Dorth Vader had her head back, and that was the margin of victory in Saturday’s $500,000 Grade I Personal Ensign at Saratoga.

Thorpedo Anna, a 4-year-old daughter of Fast Anna, earned a second “Win and You’re In” spot for the Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff, which she won last year. She already qualified with a victory in the Grade II Fleur de Lis at Churchill Downs in June.

“That wasn’t as easy as we’d want it to be, but she’s a champion. That’s why she wins,” winning trainer Kenny McPeek said. He said the Spinster at Keeneland and the Delaware Handicap are potential next races.

“Both [are] good races, but if she’s happy up here, it may be easier to leave her here, go to Delaware, come back and go to California,” he said.

Also in the division: Dry Powder kicked away in the lane to win Tuesday’s $200,000 Cathryn Sophia Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Parx Racing by 4 1/2 lengths.

Sprint / Dirt Mile

The Dirt Mile was the busiest division during the weekend, and the one with two Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” bids — neither of which may be used, at least for that race.

Book’em Danno, most likely the nation’s top sprinter now, won Saturday’s $500,000 Grade I Forego at Saratoga impressively for his 10th win from 16 starts and third stakes win of the Saratoga summer.

But trainer Derek Ryan said the gelding will have only one more race this year, and he seemed to be leaning toward Keeneland or New York rather than Del Mar.

At Del Mar, Dr. Venkman rallied to the lead early in the stretch run in Saturday’s $250,000 Grade II Pat O’Brien Stakes and held off Stronghold by 1/2 length for the win.

The Pat O’Brien also was a qualifier for the Dirt Mile on Nov. 1 over the same course but Rispoli said there are options.

“Every time he runs, he runs with his heart.” Rispoli said. “He can run a mile or a sprint. This horse can be versatile.”

Patch Adams won Saturday’s $500,000 Grade I H. Allan Jerkens Stakes for 3-year-olds at Saratoga by a nose, his second straight Grade I win, and trainer Brad Cox said he, too, is eyeing the Breeders’ Cup — but not necessarily the Dirt Mile.

“I don’t know whether that’d be a two-turn dirt mile, or three quarters of a mile in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint,” Cox said.

Barbadian Runner came with a late rush to win Friday’s $500,000 Robert Hilton Memorial for 3-year-olds at Charles Town by 2 1/2 lengths over Neoequos.

Filly & Mare Sprint

Hope Road traveled from Del Mar all the way to Saratoga to win the right to run in November’s PNC Bank Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint — back in Del Mar.

The 4-year-old Quality Road filly, trained by Bob Baffert, got the “Win and You’re In” bid with a convincing victory in Saturday’s $500,000 Grade I Resorts World Casino Ballerina, collaring pacesetter Scylla early in the stretch run and holding that one safe by 2 lengths at the finish.

Also: At Del Mar, Sweet Azteca was clearly best of four in Sunday’s $100,000 Grade III Rancho Bernardo Handicap, winning by 3 1/2 lengths, and Indy Bay won Friday’s $750,000 Grade II Charles Town Oaks by 1 3/4 lengths over the favorite, Vodka With a Twist

Also, Mystic Lake took Friday’s $250,000 Misty Bennett Pink Ribbon Stakes at Charles Town by 3 lengths over the favorite, Vahva, and Elysian Field took Saturday’s $180,000 (Canadian) Seaway Stakes on the Woodbine all-weather.

Filly & Mare Turf

May Day Ready won Saturday’s $400,000 Grade II Lake Placid Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Saratoga. Hope Mission took Sunday’s $150,000 Ellis Park Turf by 1 length.

Around the world, around the clock

France

In what was touted as the best 2-year-old race of the year — so far, anyway — Venetian Sun ran to a dramatic victory over Gstaad in Sunday’s Group 1 Sumbe Prix Morny at Deauville, remaining undefeated for owners Tony Bloom and Ian McAleavy.

The Starman filly just held in the face of the late surge by Gstaad, the Coolmore-owned winner of the Group 2 Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot. Godolphin’s Wise Approach was third and American invader Outfielder was fourth after leading through the first part of the race.

Also Sunday at Deauville, Quisisana took a late lead in the Group 1 Sumbe Prix Jean Romanet and ran on to defeat fellow long shot Survie by 1 3/4 lengths.

England

Trawlerman is at the top of the staying game after winning Friday’s Group 2 Wetherby’s Lonsdale Cup at York, backing up his triumph in the Group 1 Gold Cup at Ascot. The 7-year-old Godolphin homebred got home 1 1/4 lengths to the good of Sweet William in the extended 2-mile tilt.

Australian visitor won Friday’s Group 1 Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes at York, earning a “Win and You’re In” for the Prevagen Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.

Yet another “Win and You’re In” spot was awarded in Sunday’s Prestige Mile Stakes at Goodwood, as the Aidan O’Brien-trained Precise rolled home first by 3/4 length over Moon Target and qualified for the John Deere Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.