International Group 1 winners – Week ending July 5

International Group 1 winners - Week ending July 5

UNITED STATES

4/7...UNITED NATIONS STAKES  (G1)  MONMOUTH PK   2200M
1.  PRESIOUS PASSION  6g  Royal Anthem--Princesa's Passion, by Marquetry
O-Patricia Generazio;  B-J & H Barbazon;  T-Mary Hartmann
2.  Lauro (Ger)  6h  Monsun - Laurencia by Shirley Heights
3.  Brass Hat   8g  Prized--Brassy, by Dixie Brass
Presious Passion broke the Monmouth Park course record by a full two seconds as he raced away to an all-the-way victory in the United Nations Stakes in New Jersey.  Playing catch-me-if-you-can tactics, Presious Passion and jockey Elvis Trujillo were 20 lengths clear at one stage and, although the margin steadily dwindled, he maintained a safe advantage to score by two lengths.  The Mary Hartmann-trained veteran clocked 2:10.97s to shatter the old mark set by English Channel in 2007.
"I think it was a super performance," Hartmann said.  "He's really grown up and matured.  When he's able to get clear up front he just relaxes nicely and just loves to win."
Presious Passion joined an exclusive club of two-time United Nations victors, including Hall of Fame gallopers Round Table (1957 and 1959), Manila (1986-87) and, most recently, English Channel (2006-07).
Presious Passion also counts victories in the Mac Diarmida Stakes (G2), Cliff Hanger Stakes (G3), Pan American Hcp (G3) and two editions of the W.L. McKnight Hcp (G2) as part of a 39-12-6-2 record.  Bred in Florida, he comes from the family of 1977 United Nations winner Bemo (Maribeau). 

4/7...PRIORESS STAKES  (G1)  BELMONT  1200M
1.  CAT MOVES  3f  Tale of the Cat--Dance Move, by Capote
O/B-Edward Evans;  T-Anthony Dutrow
2.  Light Green  3f Pleasantly Perfect--Green Light, by Sheikh Albadou
3.  Reforestation  3f  Forestry--Wacky Becky by Gone West
Cat Moves improved her record to a perfect three-for-three in the Prioress Stakes at Belmont Park last Saturday.  Heart Ashley (Lion Heart) set the early pace before being overhauled by Light Green.  But Cat Moves was moving too quickly for her stablemate and edged clear to earn a three-quarter length victory.
"I was so confident this filly was going to run a great race," trainer Anthony Dutrow said.  "She is so relaxed -- after she won her first race, she acted like she had done it a hundred times."
Cat Moves began her winning run with an eight length victory at Aqueduct in April and then showed up at Delaware Park to take an allowance event by a shade under five lengths.
The Virginia-bred filly is by Coolmore shuttler Tale Of The Cat and is a half-sister to the stakes performers Forty Moves (Gold Fever) and Dance Hall Days (Seeking Daylight).  They are out of 1989 Ladies Hcp (G1) queen Dance Teacher (Smarten). 
Dutrow mentioned the Test Stakes (G1) at Saratoga on August 8 as a possible next start for Cat Moves.

5/7...AMERICAN OAKS  (G1)  HOLLYWOOD PK  2000M
1.  GOZZIP GIRL  3f  Dynaformer--Temperence Gift, by Kingmambo
O-Myron Miller,  B-Stonestreet T'breds;  T-Tom Albertrani
2.  Well Monied  3f  Maria's Mon--Queen of America by Quiet American
3.  Lexlenos (Ire)  3f  Intikhab--Blazing Glory by Glow
Last Sunday was a banner day for the Dynaformer - Kingmambo cross after Wiener Walzer captured the German Derby (G1) at Hamburg and Gozzip Girl rolled to a three length victory in the American Oaks Invitational at Hollywood Park.  Irish bred filly Mrs Kipling (Exceed and Excel) finished well back and NZ filly Puttanesca (Bertolini) was eased out of the race by Glen Boss in the straight.
Trained by Tom Albertrani, Gozzip Girl unleashed an explosive burst of speed and settled the issue in a matter of strides.  It stamped her as America's top three-year-old filly on turf.  "She's very much a lovely ride," jockey Kent Desormeaux said.  "It was just a matter of picking a gap and giving her somewhere to run.  She's very talented and ran fantastic."
Gozzip Girl captured the Herecomesthebride Stakes (G3) and Coconut Grove Stakes (LR) at Gulfstream Park plus the Sands Point Stakes (LR) at Belmont before graduating to this Group 1. 
The Kentucky bred filly was a $60,000 yearling at the 2007 Keeneland September Sale and now owns an 8-5-1-0, record with $782,194 in earnings.  She hails from the family of G1-winning sire Brocco (Kris S.) who stands at Durham Lodge in WA.
"The Alabama (G1) in August might be in our sights at Saratoga," Albertrani noted.  "She can lead or come from behind and is improving all the time."

5/7...TRIPLE BEND HCP  (G1)  HOLLYWOOD PK  1400M
1.  ZENSATIONAL  3c  Unbridled's Song--Joke, by Phone Trick
O-Zayat Stables;  B-Claiborne Farm;  T-Bob Baffert
2.  Rush With Thunder  5g  Tribal Rule--Gentle Words by Bertrando
3.  Noble Court  5h  Doneraile Court--Grey Dawn Grey by Grindstone
The Bob Baffert-trained colt Zensational recorded a one-length victory at Hollywood Park to became the first three-year-old winner of the Triple Bend since Debonaire Junior in 1984.  He drew off in the straight to capture a stakes first at only his fifth start, defeating older horses in the process.
"I like when they run like they train...it's very rare," Baffert said.  "He just has that brilliant speed.  I told Victor (Espinoza) to keep him out in the middle of the track and to keep him under control."
Zensational began his career with trainer Bill Mott at Saratoga last August and wasn't seen again until showing up at Santa Anita in February under Baffert's care.  He now boasts a 5-3-1-0 career mark to go along with $250,000 in earnings.
Bred in Kentucky at Claiborne Farm, Zensational is a grey colt out of a stakes winning half-sister to fellow stakes winners Trip (Lord at War) and Laity (Pulpit).   He sold for $20,000 as a Keeneland September yearling, but came to his current connections after making $700,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Calder 2yo Sale. 
Baffert said the King's Bishop Stakes (G1) at Saratoga on August 29 is a possible goal for Zensational.

ENGLAND

4/7...ECLIPSE STAKES  (G1)  SANDOWN  2000M
1.  SEA THE STARS (Ire)  3c  Cape Cross - Urban Sea by Miswaki
O-C Tsui;  B-Sunderland Holdings;  T-John Oxx;
2.  Rip Van Winkle (Ire)  3c  Galileo - Looking Back by Stravinsky
3.  Conduit (Ire)  4c  Dalakhani - Well Head by Sadler's Wells
Sea the Stars duplicated Nashwan's feat of winning the 1989 Eclipse Stakes when he stepped up to beat members of the older generation at Sandown last Saturday.  In so doing, he became only the fifth colt since 1900 to win the English Guineas, Derby and Eclipse in the same season.
Pacesetters Lang Shining (Dr Fong) and Set Sail (Danehill Dancer) duelled up front until jockey Mick Kinane angled the odds-on favourite into the clear to take first run at the tiring duo.
The Cape Cross colt assumed control in the straight and then repelled Rip Van Winkle to win by a length.   "He just picked up when the second horse came at us," Kinane said.  "You are never going to win by more than two lengths on him, he just does enough."
The Irish-bred Sea the Stars has now won five straight since finishing fourth in his debut at the Curragh last July.  A handy victor at Leopardstown in his second start, he concluded his juvenile campaign with a win in the Beresford St (G2).  Sea the Stars reappeared in the English Guineas at Newmarket, where he tracked the pace and powered up the hill to win impressively.  . In the English Derby, he defeated a plethora of Ballydoyle entrants, including Rip Van Winkle, and held on for a 1.75 length victory.
Sea the Stars is out of Urban Sea who captured the 1993 Arc de Triomphe (G1) as well as such notable events as the Prix d'Harcourt (G2), Prix Gontaut Biron (G3) and Prix Exbury (G3).  She has been even more outstanding as a broodmare, with all eight of her runners earning black type.  Her first foal, Urban Ocean (Bering), was an Irish Group 3 winner.  Next came English stakes winner Melikah (Lammtarra) and she was followed by Galileo who garnered the English and Irish Derbys (G1) and the King George (G1).
Galileo's younger brother, Black Sam Bellamy (Sadler's Wells), won the 2002 Italian Gran Premio del Jockey Club (G1), and in 2003 he added the Tattersalls Irish Gold Cup (G1).
Galileo and Black Sam Bellamy's sister, All Too Beautiful (Sadler's Wells), was an English Group 3 winner and runner-up in the 2004 Oaks at Epsom.  Urban Sea's next foal My Typhoon (Giant's Causeway) raced exclusively in the United States, with her signature victory coming in the 2007 Diana Stakes (G1) at Saratoga.  That same season, her maiden half-sister Cherry Hinton (Green Desert) placed in an Irish Group 3 event. Urban Sea died in March from complications after foaling an Invincible Spirit colt.
Urban Sea is herself a half-sister to King's Best (Kingmambo), winner of the 2000 Guineas in 2000, as well as French Group 3 winneer Allez Les Trois (Riverman), the dam of French Derby (G1) winner Anabaa Blue (Anabaa).
Trainer John Oxx indicated the Irish Champion Stakes (G1) at Leopardstown in September is his major objective.  In the short term, the options revolve around the King George (G1) at Ascot on July 25 or the International Stakes (G1) at York on August 18.

GERMANY

5/7...DEUTSCHES DERBY  (G1)  HAMBURG  2400M
1.  WIENER WALZER  3c  Dynaformer--Walzerkoenigin by Kingmambo
O/B-Gestut Schlenderhan; T-Jens Hirschberger
2.  Sordino  3c  Samum - Serenata by Lomitas
3.  Toughness Danon (GB)  3c  Tiger Hill - Templerin by Acatenango
Just weeks after the death of Baronin Karin von Ullmann, Wiener Walzer became the 19th Derby winner bred and raised at Gestut Schlenderhan.  First successful at Bremen in April, the Dynaformer colt added the Oppenheim-Union-Rennen (G2) to his tally at Cologne in June.
Scandinavian jockey Fredrik Johansson settled Wiener Walzer in fourth early on but the Gestut Schlenderhan homebred was shuffled back before he commenced a rally on the home turn.  He was driven out in the closing stages to hold the challenge of Sordino.
"It's amazing - I only come to Germany for a few rides," Johannsson said.  "The people at Schlenderhan are always very nice to me.  Wiener Walzer is a horse with scope for improvement."
The winner is by US based sire Dynaformer from Walzerkoenigin who was Champion Older Mare in Germany and Italy. 

FRANCE

5/7...PRIX JEAN PRAT  (G1)  CHANTILLY  1600M
1.  LORD SHANAKILL (USA) 3c  Speightstown--Green Room, by Theatrical
O-Mogeely Stud & M Gittins;  B-V & G Khosla & Templeton Stud;  T-Karl Burke
2.  Oiseau de Feu (USA) 3c  Stravinsky--Slewadora, by Seattle Slew
3.  Irian (Ger)  3c  Tertullian--Iberi by Rainbow Quest
Lord Shanakill had been unplaced in the English 2000 Guineas (G1) at Newmarket in May but bounced back with a promising third in the St James's Palace (G1) at Royal Ascot last month.  The USA bred colt finally bagged the top-level success his portfolio so richly deserved with a head win in at Chantilly last Sunday.  Lord Shanakill took control 500m from home and responded to every call from jockey Jim Crowley as Oiseau de Feu closed late.
Lord Shanakill was the model of consistency during a busy juvenile season in 2008.  He won the G2 Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury and was placed in the Coventry St (G2) at Royal Ascot, Vintage Stakes (G2) at Goodwood, Prix Morny (G1) at Deauville and Dewhurst Stakes (G1) at Newmarket.
"He's very good and it was always the plan to come here as it's the last Group 1 race restricted to three-year-olds," explained trainer Karl Burke.  "We were concentrating on getting a Group 1 win for his for his stud career so we're delighted."
Lord Shanakill, who was a $110,000 buy at the 2007 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, will now attempt to improve his G1 record in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood or either the Prix Jacques le Marois or the Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville.

SOUTH AFRICA

4/7....DURBAN JULY HCP  (G1)  GREYVILLE  2200M
1.  BIG CITY LIFE 3c Casey Tibbs - Dollar Crisis by Goldmark
O-R Deacon, H Basson, G Hauptfleisch, G Kotzen & G Mitchell; B-J Wintle; T-Glen Kotzen
2.  Zirconeum  3f  Jallad--Sweet Sheila by Kenmare
3.  Forest Path  3g  Fort Wood--Money Trail by Northern Guest
The July was dominated by three year-olds and leading the way was Big City Life.  He collared pacemaker Forest Path half-way down the straight and then held the filly Zirconeum at bay by three quarters of a length.  Three-time July winner Pocket Power, who was last of all turning for home, flew home for fifth.
Big City Life had crossed swords with Pocket Power when second to the local legend at weight-for-age in the Green Point St (G2) at Kenilworth in November and had since progressed with wins in the Cape Derby (G1) at Kenilworth and the KRA Guineas (G2) and Daily News 2000 (G1) at this venue.  Big City Life was partnered by Bernard Fayd'Herbe at his last five starts before he handed the ride to Greg Cheyne to maintain his association with Pocket Power.

4/7....GOLDEN HORSESHOE  (G1)  GREYVILLE  1400M
1.  MUSIR  (Aus)  2c  Redoute's Choice - Dizzy de Lago by Encosta de Lago
O/B-Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa; T-Mike de Kock
2.  Straight Forward  2c  Toreador - Killaney Road by Northern Guest
3.  Exclaim'n'exclude (Aus)  2c  Exceed and Excel - Punchess by Two Punch
Trainer Mike de Kock nominated four youngsters for the Golden Horseshoe and stable jockey Anthony Delpech pulled the right rein when he chose Australian bred Musir.  Off the mark over 1000m at Clairwood in May, the colt was then runner-up to stablemate and fellow Redoute's Choice colt Solid Choice in the Gatecrasher Stakes on June 13.  Reversing that form comprehensively here, he delivered a potent surge to record a convincing success.
Musir is raced by owner-breeder Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum who put a $1 million reserve on him at the 2008 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.  The colt was passed-in when bidding reached $900,000.  de Kock indicated Musir will head to the UAE for next season's Dubai Racing Carnival.'

4/7....GOLDEN SLIPPER STAKES (G1) GREYVILLE 1400M
1.  ALL AFIRE  2f Jet Master - Alamanda by Coastal
O-R & S Boon; B-S Bennett; T-Alec Laird
2.  My Kazzie  2f  Western Winter--Wise Dame by Argosy
3.  Spiced Gold  2f  Kahal - Little Legend by Complete Warrior
All Afire opened her account at Turffontein on April 25 and was runner-up to Spring Clover in the G2 SA Fillies Nursery back there in June before stepping up to cause a 15/1 upset on July Day.  Jockey Johnny Geroudis had her in third spot early before they rolled by My Kazzie approaching the final furlong en route to a straightforward one length success.
All Afire is clearly very talented and can still improve stacks.  She is trained by Alec Laird and is by leading sire Jet Master from stakes winning mare Alamanda.

4/7....GARDEN PROVINCE ST  (G1)  GREYVILLE  1600M
1.  LADY WINDERMERE 3f Western Winter--Ballad of Reading by Averof
O-P G de Beyer, Drakenstein Stud (Nom: G Rupert) & Gary Player Stud Farm;  B-Gary Player Stud
2.  Sparkling Gem  3f  Joshua Dancer--Crystal Chalice by Royal Chalice
3.  Prestic  4f  Strike Smartly--Press Ahead by Fort Wood
The July-winning trainer-jockey combination of Glen Kotzen and Greg Cheyne completed a feature double when Lady Windermere scored a determined half-length victory in the Garden Province Stakes.
Lady Windermere had won the Southern Cross St. (G2) and Sceptre St. (G2) earlier tbhis season before scoring a career-best win over Aussie bred filly Merlene De Lago in the SA Fillies' Sprint (G1) at Scottsville in May.
Lady Windermere has a 50% winning strike-rate in 12 starts.  She is a half-sister to South African stakes winner Sharp Affair (Sharp Romance), Olympic Lord (Lord of the Manor) and Olympic Flag (Allied Flag).

- Thoroughbred Express