Horse Racing News

After a couple of close calls and tough trips in her first four North American starts splitting horses in deep stretch and earning a hard-fought head victory in the Grade 1, $500,000 Flower Bowl Invitational at Belmont Park.

With several horses aimed at the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin Stable wanted to run Girolamo in the Grade 1 Vosburgh Invitational at Belmont Park to see if they had a contender for the Breeders' Cup Sprint.

When Bourbon Bay and Champ Pegasus meet for the first time in Sunday's $250,000 Clement Hirsch Turf Championship at Hollywood Park, they do so at a time when their careers are headed in different directions. Literally.

Workforce, the seven-length winner of the Eposm Derby but a great flop in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, passed a final test at Newmarket on Thursday morning and will run after all in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on Sunday.

The Flower Bowl is traditionally a spot for a European-based filly or mare to come to North America and strut her stuff. This year's lone overseas representative didn't come from Europe, but rather Japan.

With the possible exception of Winchester, the older North American turf males entered in Saturday's Grade 1, $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational at Belmont Park have been a bit of an inconsistent and uninspiring group.

There was plenty of debate after the Del Mar Derby, owing to the antics of Twirling Candy and the decision by the stewards to leave him in first after a severe bumping incident five furlongs from the wire.

In the spring and summer of 2009, Lilly Fa Pootz was collecting wins in $7,500 claiming races at Emerald Downs in Washington. She had yet to start on turf.

Persistently is likely to be overlooked when she returns to Belmont Park for Saturday's Grade 1 $350,000 Beldame Invitational run at 1 1/8 miles around one turn.

On Saturday, Blind Luck could be facing the toughest fight of her fairy-tale season when she gives 10 pounds to budding rival Havre de Grace in the Grade 2, $750,000 Fitz Dixon Cotillion at Parx Racing in Bensalem, Pa.