Golden Tempo Wins The 152nd Kentucky Derby, G1 Racing Returns To The UK and Argentina's Six G1s Deliver Chaos

What’s Happened

Argentina 🇦🇷

Six G1s took place at Palermo on Friday, the most valuable of which was the Gran Premio Republica over 2000metres. It went to the Roberto Pellegatta-trained Need You Tonight, winning his third G1. He beat Vota Bien by a length under jockey William Pereyra.

There was controversy in the Gran Premio Montevideo when Colorado Del Monte, who passed the post first, was demoted to third for interference. The win was given to outsider Emotion Rate, trained by Omar Ruben Farfan and ridden by Wilson Moreyra.

There was also a surprise in the Gran Premio Jorge de Atucha which went to the unfancied Gran Gotera for trainer Carlos Domingo and jockey Martin Valle, while favourite Martana was beaten a nose by the 33/1 shot Herd Immunity in the Gran Premio Criadores.

Valle claimed a big-race double, also partnering Drive Joy to success in the Gran Premio de la Americas for trainer Carlos Etchechour. The day’s final G1, the Gran Premio Ciudad de Buenos Aires, went to the Miguel Gomez-trained El Epecuen and Juan Villagra.

Australia 🇦🇺

New Zealand import Wigmore caused something of a surprise in the G1 South Australian Derby at Morphettville on Saturday. Fourth in the New Zealand Derby in March for Caley Myers, he is now trained by Phillip Stokes who saw him beat Strictly Business by a short head, under jockey Teodore Nugent.

Eagle Farm staged two G2s, the first of which, the Queensland Guineas, went to Brave Monarch. Ridden by Martin Harley for Chris and Corey Munce, he justified favouritism with a length win over Tupakara.

Grahame Begg and Michael Rodd combined for victory in the Victory Stakes, their Splash Back beating Payline by a length and three quarters.

Brazil 🇧🇷

Cidade Jardim hosted a big card on Saturday, with three G1s. Jockey Altair Doingoes won two of them, taking the Gran Premio ABCPCC on Eletrizante Dollar and the Gran Premio OSAF with Veil. The Gran Premio Joao Cecilo Ferraz went to Iluminada who won by a length and a quarter under Wilkley Xavier.

Chile 🇨🇱

There was an upset in the G1 Gran Premio Hippodromo Chile when favourite Spazzatura was beaten a length by Shark. The Julio Orellana-trained five-year-old snapped up victory in the hands of Joaquin Herrera.

France 🇫🇷

No Lunch beat UK raider Seagulls Eleven by a neck in the G2 Prix du Muguet at Saint-Cloud on Friday. It was the sixth win in a row, tenth overall, for the five-year-old of Dubawi, trained by Christophe Ferland.

Hong Kong 🇭🇰

There was a different ‘Romantic’ in the Sha Tin winner’s enclosure on Sunday when Romantic Thor took the G3 Queen Mother Memorial Cup for trainer Danny Shum.

Jockey Matthew Poon was in the saddle for the half-length win over Gentleman’s Legacy.

Japan 🇯🇵

At Tokyo on Saturday, World’s End prevailed by a head in the G2 Keio Hai Spring Cuo. Ridden by Akihide Tsumura for trainer Manabu Ikezoe, he beat outsider Cefiro.

A Kyoto on Saturday, the G3 Unicorn Stakes on dirt went to Kenji Nonaka’s Silver Ratio who beat favourite Mercantour a neck under Mira Iwata.

UK 🇬🇧

George Boughey claimed the second Classic of his burgeoning career and Billy Loughnane his first when Bow Echo romped to victory in the G1 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on Saturday. The Night Of Thunder colt beat Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner Gstaad by two and a quarter lengths and has the Irish 2000 Guineas or St James’s Palace Stakes next on his radar.

Sunday’s 1000 Guineas went to the supposed Aidan O’Brien ‘second string’, True Love – less fancied than multiple G1 winner Precise. Ridden by Wayne Lordan, she beat Evolutionist by a length and three quarters and is now likely to head to the Irish 1000 Guineas in three weeks’ time.

There was also an overseas winner in the main supporting race, the G2 Dahlia Stakes, which went to Jancis, trained by Ireland-based Willie McCreery.

USA 🇬🇧

There was history in the 152nd Kentucky Derby when Cherie DeVaux became the first woman to train the winner, courtesy of Golden Tempo. Ridden by Jose Ortiz, for whom it was also a first win the race, the colt closed from last to first in the straight, beating favourite Renegade, ridden by Ortiz’s brother Irad.

DeVaux will take the traditional route, aiming Golden Tempo at the second leg of the Triple Crown, the Preakness, on May 16th.

More history was made on the undercard, when Japan broke through with a dirt G1 win at Churchill Downs for the first time. T O Elvis was much too good in the Churchill Downs Stakes, charging home by three and a quarter lengths in the hands of Ryusei Sakai.

There was another successful out of town raid – this time just from California – when Mike McCarthy’s Stark Contrast took the G1 American Turf. Ridden by Flavien Prat, he justified favouritism by two and a quarter lengths.

Trainer Will Walden is continuing to rise and his latest G1 came thanks to Rhetorical, who raced away with the G1 Turf Classic, beating Wathnan Racing’s Make Me King.

Another trainer on the up is Saffie Joseph Jnr and he sent out R Disaster for an all the way win in the G1 Derby City Distaff under Tyler Gaffalione. It was a first top-level success for the five-year-old daughter of Awesome Slew.

It was pretty much the perfect weekend for Jose Ortiz, who also won Friday’s G1 Kentucky Oaks on Always A Runner. Trained by Chad Brown, the Gun Runner filly is now unbeaten in three, having not raced as a two-year-old.

Also on Friday, Shred The Gnar gave Aussie expat trainer Brian Lynch a G1 win on his birthday, taking the La Troienne Stakes under Luis Saez, beating the favourite Fully Subscribed.

What’s Happening

Australia 🇦🇺

The G1 Goodwood, which dates back to 1881, takes place at Morphettville over 1200metres. Recent winners include Takeover Target, Trekking and Savatoxl.

France 🇫🇷

The G1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains and its fillies’ counterpart, the Pouliches, take place at ParisLongchamp. Aidan O’Brien’s dual French G1 winner Puerto Rico is favourite to give his trainer back-to-back wins following Henri Matisse last year.

Japan 🇯🇵

The G1 NHK Mile Cup, won last year by Panja Tower, is the feature at Tokyo.

UK 🇬🇧

Chester’s popular May Festival takes place over three days this week, beginning on Wednesday when the G3 Chester Vase is the feature. The G3 Ormonde Stakes for older horses takes place on Thursday, while last year’s Derby winner Lambourn is among the entries for Friday’s G2 Huxley Stakes.

USA 🇺🇸

Belmont at Aqueduct has a busy weekend, staging the G2 Ruffian, G3 Peter Pan – a Belmont Stakes trial – and the G2 John C Nerud on Saturday.