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Wise Dan targets the G2 Firecracker 'Cap at Churchill on June 29. Posted 6 hours ago
Jockey Chantal Sutherland will return to saddle at Del Mar. Posted 14 hours ago
Itsmyluckyday to skip Belmont Stakes 2013 in favor of Pegasus Stakes on 6-16. Posted 14 hours ago
Rosie Napravnik will ride Code West in Belmont Stakes 2013. Posted 14 hours ago
From DRF (The Inside Post): Mylute will not run in Belmont Stakes 2013. Posted 1 day ago
Eblouissante breezed 4f :49.17 (18/44) at Belmont (dirt Training) on 5-22. Posted 1 day ago
Giant Finish will make his next start in Belmont Stakes 2013. Posted 1 day ago
Unlimited Budget is expected to face males in Belmont Stakes 2013. Posted 3 days ago
Verrazano will make his next start in the Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth on 6-16. Posted 3 days ago
Dreaming of Julia will make her next start in the Mother Goose at Belmont on 6-22. Posted 3 days ago

Irish Champion Stakes

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What the Nation is saying about the Irish Champion Stakes...

Dunlop's darling dominates in Irish Champion‏

Snow Fairy returned to Leopardstown and the Irish Champion Stakes one year after a narrow defeat at the hands of Aussie superstar, So You Think, to go one better with a magnificent victory...Read More

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BrianZipse · What a mare she is! How are our American turf horses going to deal with that??? · 255 days ago ·

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footlick · If she handles our turf courses, they probably aren't. But, not all Euros adapt. · 255 days ago ·

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ILuvTurfRacing · How seriously good is this mare. Last November she had a 45% tear in one of her tendons. I've never seen a horse, male or female, come back from an injury that serious to win 2 major G1 races. She was off the racetrack for 280 days, and does Ed Dunlop maybe take a drop in grade just to get a race into her? No, he drops her right in against what has arguably been one of the deepest fields of fillies and mares in any G1 race in Europe this season and she wins the G1 Prix Jean-Romanet on cue. Then just for sh-ts and giggles, she comes back to Leopardstown a year later and wins the G1 Irish Champion Stakes, beating a King George/Coral-Eclipse winner and a dual Coronation Cup/BC Turf winner without Frankie Dettori asking for anything close to Snow Fairy's best in the race. The sky is really the limit for her this season, IMO. All kinds of options open to her. She could come to the Breeders Cup and be a big player in the BC Turf or BC F&M Turf. She could return to Sha Tin and go after the G1 Hong Kong Vase at 12f, which was her last iintended target before she got injured and had to be scratched, and I'd be very surprised if we don't see her at Meydan in March for a crack at the G1 Sheema Classic. · 255 days ago ·

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travel_vic · depeds upon if a tear in along the normal lines of tension or crossing them. Wonderful study done by a surgeon who mapped ou the human bodies lines of stress and called them Langer's lines which other meidcal fields have adapted. NEVER cut across langer lines...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langer%27s_lines · 255 days ago ·

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steve.mullington · I'm a fan · 255 days ago ·

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Snow Fairy is racing royalty

Earning her seventh Group 1 victory in spectacular fashion, Snow Fairy beat two of the best turf males in the world yesterday to take Leopardstown’s Irish Champion Stakes. Ridden by Frankie Dettori, the fantastic five-year-old mare swung into action down the stretch to collar and power past race fav...Read More

Show All 7 Comments
AndyScoggin · That's a combo with pizazz -- Snow Fairy and Frankie Dettori. I sure hope we get to see them at the Breeders' Cup. Probable single in some Pick 4. · 256 days ago ·

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AmbitiousD · Is it selfish of me to want to her to skip the arc and point directly towards Frankel in the Champion Stakes? After the Irish Champion Stakes yesterday, she will be Frankel's toughest test yet if she's fresh · 256 days ago ·

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yukichan · It was truly a magnificient romp by Snow Fairy and a great ride by Dettori! I suspect Dunlop will continue on with her regular jockey, Ryan Moore, who is injured just now. It would seem by her connections comments that a victory in yet another country and another prestigious international race like the BC, is the final jewel missing from her crown. I hope she makes the trip here!! · 256 days ago ·

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footlick · AmbitiousD- they don't want anything to do with Frankel. Frankel destroyed SNA. JMHO though. · 256 days ago ·

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footlick · Frankie has ridden her well everytime he has ridden her. If they ship to the BC, I'm sure either jock would be welcome. · 256 days ago ·

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BrianZipse · ZATT's Star of the Week, is ... Snow Fairy! · 255 days ago ·

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Ann Maree · Thank you for giving the nod to the overseas star, Snow Fairy! She is truly awesome and has the heart of a champion, male or female. The most exciting re-match to me will be Snow Fairy and the great German wondermare, Danedream, in the Arc on Oct. 7. They share similar "Seabiscuit-like" beginnings: Snow Fairy was bought back for $2,300 US when she failed to generate any interest at auction as a yearling; Danedream sold as a yearling at auction for about $11,300 USD (about the same as I'll Have Another as a yearling) and she now is considered the best all-time German horse ever. Both I think are smaller than average, being referred to as “diminutive”, “petite”, though I don’t know their actual heights or weights. Danedream set a record in the Arc last year; Snow Fairy set a record in the Irish Champion Stakes on Saturday. The Arc is looking like a clash of the titans, with international stars like Orfevre (Japan TC winner), Dunaden (2011 Melbourne Cup winner), possibly Camelot, but for my money, all eyes will be on Snow Fairy and Danedream to be the match of the decade! · 255 days ago ·

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So, Whaddya Think About So You Think??

After Saturday’s Irish Champion Stakes, I’m fairly certain that many of us have run out of ways to describe So You Think. To borrow a line I heard in a commercial, “…all I can say is ‘wow’…” It doesn’t matter how many times I’ve watched So You Think race, he still continues to amaze me. That was the...Read More

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medlocke · I don't think you're crazy or irresponsible at all making that comment!! First and foremost, Aidan O'Brien has been after a win in the Breeders Cup Classic for a long time!! He's sent Giant's Causeway to the Classic in 2000, Henrythenavigator in 2008, and Rip Van Winkle in 2009. Although Giant's Causeway and Henrythenavigator came close, they didn't get it done. So You Think is a very special horse. Although he's raced on only turf throughout his career, he's a really strong galloper over 1-1/4, and even on conventional dirt, once he hit the front in the Classic, I think it would awfully difficult for any of the American horses to run him down!! Coolmore is looking for maximum stud value out of So You Think, and the races most likely to increase that value for him is the Arc and then either the Breeders Cup Turf or Classic? Should he win one or both of them? He's yet to be tried beyond 10f in Europe. But I watched the replay of the Melbourne Cup, and Americain and Maluckyday didn't overtake So You Think out on the lead in that race until they were hitting the 100 meter mark of a 2 mile race. So there's no reason at all to believe that So You Think can't get 1-1/2 at Longchamp in the Arc, and at Churchill Downs in the Breeders Cup Turf. Should O'Brien elect for that race instead? But I'm hoping that Coolmore call an audible and send So You Think to the B.C. Classic. Like did with Giant's Causeway at Churchill Downs, circa 2000!! TJMO. · 627 days ago ·

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RamonDimas · i think his one of the greatest horse as of right now · 627 days ago ·

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footlick · What I like about him is that he is a very pacey individual, and his neck is just massive. An amazing specimen of a thoroughbred. Very impressive. Also Snow Fairy is rounding back into form and they may take a shot at the Arc. Frankie is riding shotgun with these fillies lately. Really getting runs out of them. Also impressed with Danedream in Germany. Looks like it is shaping up to be quite an exciting Arc. · 627 days ago ·

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footlick · @medlocke- are they pointing Blue Bunting to the Arc? · 627 days ago ·

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medlocke · @footlick, No, Godolphin are going to race Blue Bunting next in the G1 St.Leger at Doncaster over 1-3/4, and then I'd imagine they'll very seriously consider the B.C. F&M Turf for her in November. But her trainer, Mahmood Al Zarooni, has already said that Blue Bunting is definitely running next in the St.Leger. · 626 days ago ·

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mary.schweitzer · It was reported this morning that Cape Blanco will be (more than likely) coming over for the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont on Oct. 2. They are looking at the QEII Challenge at Keeneland for the filly Together. So, probably So You Think and/or Treasure Beach for the Arc. · 626 days ago ·

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footlick · @medlocke- thanks. I knew she was running in the St Leger, but didn't knnow if they would try the Arc or not. Would that free Frankie up to ride Snow Fairy if she goes? · 626 days ago ·

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Rossington · @mary.schweitzer, That's correct!! It was on England's Racing Post web-site this morning that Aidan O'Brien intends to send Cape Blanco back to America to run in the G1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont on Oct. 2nd. The Joe Hirsch being 1-1/2 race should put Cape Blanco spot on for this year's Breeders Cup Turf. Likely Clement will send Winchester out after Cape Blanco instead of Gio Ponti this time. The race being 1-1/2 instead of 1-1/4. · 626 days ago ·

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So You Think Beats Snow Fairy

SO YOU THINK added his name to the stellar list of horses who have won the Irish Champion Stakes when he saw off Snow Fairy in a thrilling finish to the Red Mills-backed Group 1 at Leopardstown on Saturday. The betting suggested 1-4 favourite So You Think would ease to his third Group 1 triumph sinc...Read More