1 of 5 | El Cordobes wins Saturday’s Grade I Sword Dancer at Saratoga, a “Win and You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Turf. Photo by Coglianese Photography, courtesy of NYRA<\/p>\n
Aug. 11 (UPI) — Godolphin had a huge weekend on the turf with victories in the Grade I Sword Dancer at Saratoga and the Grosser Preis von Berlin in Germany while some promising 2-year-olds were on display at Del Mar.<\/p>\n
The Godolphin winners, El Cordobes in New York and Rebel’s Romance in Deutschland, easily could be on a collision course. The Sword Dancer was a “Win and You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Turf. Rebel’s Romance twice has used a Group 1 win in Germany to warm up for a victory in that same race and is headed back to try for the three-peat.\n<\/p>\n
There’s lots more. Read on.<\/p>\n
Turf\n<\/p>\n
Godolphin and trainer Charlie Appleby resumed their winning ways in New York in Saturday’s $175,000 Grade I Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer Stakes at Saratoga as El Cordobes came with a late rush under Flavien Prat<\/a> to win by 1\/2 length over long shot Rebel Red. Another Godolphin runner, Nations Pride, finished third and the favorite, Far Bridge, weakened late to report sixth.\n<\/p>\n El Cordobes, a 4-year-old Frankel gelding, came to New York from a victory in the Group 2 Kingdom of Bahrain Princess of Wales’s Stakes last month at Newmarket. He has risen rapidly through the ranks this year, starting in handicaps in Dubai in January and now holds a “Win and You’re In” ticket to the Breeders’ Cup Turf. Godolphin and Appleby have won that three of the last four years.<\/p>\n “The way he ran there, you’d Almost say he’ll keep on improving,” said Chris Connett, assistant to winning trainer Charlie Appleby.<\/p>\n Fort Washington, last of seven through the first half of the race, rallied through the stretch to win Saturday’s Grade I Arlington Million at Colonial Downs by 1\/2 length over Grand Sonata. The favorite, Integration, put a head in front during the closing stages but settled for third, another 3\/4 length back of the winner. The 2024 Kentucky Derby<\/a> winner, Mystik Dan, ran well enough in his first start on turf to finish fourth.<\/p>\n Winning trainer Shug McGaughey, who’s not in the habit of letting his enthusiasm overwhelm him, said of any Breeders’ Cup plans, “That’s a little ambitious. But we’ll kind of see. I mean, it’s a nice thought. But it might be a little ambitious.”\n<\/p>\n Also: On the Million undercard, Giocoso returned from a three-months break to win Saturday’s $500,000 Grade II Secretariat Stakes for 3-year-olds at Colonial Downs by 1 length; and Air Recruit, the odds-on favorite, was just up in time to win Sunday’s $100,000 Oceanport Stakes at Monmouth Park by a nose.<\/p>\n Filly & Mare Turf\n<\/p>\n Laurelin had no trouble putting her undefeated record on the line while stepping up to graded stakes company for the first time in Saturday’s $500,000 Grade II Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Oaks Invitational. Held off the pace by jockey Kendrick Carmouche, the Irish-bred Zarak miss fired like a rocket in the stretch and ran on to win by 1 3\/4 lengths, going away.<\/p>\n Charlene’s Dream jumped right to the front in Saturday’s $500,000 Grade II Beverly D at Colonial Downs, turned back a stout challenge from Be Your Best and ran on to win by 1 1\/2 lengths over Spanish Eyes. Be Your Best held third.<\/p>\n Heredia took the lead right out of the gate in Saturday’s $200,000 Grade II Yellow Ribbon at Del Mar and held the advantage through the whole 1 1\/16 miles before winning by 2 1\/4 lengths over Public Assembly.<\/p>\n Ozara rallied from a stalking position to claim Friday’s $300,000 Grade II Ballston Spa at Saratoga by 1 1\/2 lengths over fellow closer Deep Satin. Ozara, a 4-year-old daughter of Lope de Vega, got 1 1\/16 miles on firm turf in 1:39.65 with Dylan Davis up for trainer Miguel Clement.\n<\/p>\n Turf Sprint\n<\/p>\n Witty won Saturday’s $150,000 Van Clief Stakes at Colonial Downs; Hollywood Walk took Saturday’s $150,000 Andy Guest Stakes for fillies and mares at Colonial Downs; and Spiced Up won Sunday’s $175,000 Grade III Mahony Stakes for 3-year-olds at Saratoga.<\/p>\n Distaff\n<\/p>\n Impel rallied from mid-pack in Sunday’s $200,000 Groupie Doll Stakes at Ellis Park, repelled two challengers and won by a head over Regaled. The odds-on pick, Alpine Princess, was third. Impel, a Juddmonte homebred 4-year-old filly by Quality Road, ran 1 mile in 1:37.63 for jockey Florent Geroux<\/a>.<\/p>\n Filly & Mare Sprint\n<\/p>\n Sturgeon Moon won Sunday’s $200,000 Audubon Oaks by 3 lengths over the favorite, Princess Proud. Perhaps coincidentally, the “sturgeon moon” is the full moon occurring in August, which this year fell on Saturday, the day before the race.<\/p>\n Juvenile\n<\/p>\n