Over its 36-year history, the Breeders’ Cup World Championships has seen its share of upsets. Some, of course, were much bigger than others. Let’s take a look back at the biggest surprises in each Breeders’ Cup race. CLASSIC: Arcangues, 1993 (133.60-1)
Category: Horse Racing News
Veterans Beauty Generation, Hot King Prawn Facing New-Guard Challenge
Beauty Generation (NZ) (Road To Rock {Aus}) and Hot King Prawn (Aus) (Denman {Aus}), two of the five highest-rated horses in Hong Kong, are the heavyweights in a pair of Group 2 races Sunday at Sha Tin Racecourse, but face younger and well-handicapped rivals who figure to take all the beating.
On a rating of 130, the 8-year-old Beauty Generation remains Hong Kong’s top-rated galloper and he will–once again–have to deal with rising superstar Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d’Oro), this time in the Oriental Watch Sha Tin Trophy H. (1600m). The two rivals met in the G3 Celebration Cup H. over 1400 metres Sept. 27, and, in receipt of 17 pounds from the dual Horse of the Year, Golden Sixty kicked home 1 3/4 lengths best, with Champion’s Way (Aus) (Hinchinbrook {Aus}) dead-heating for second. Golden Sixty figures a warm favorite, but the dual G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile winner figures to improve back over his pet trip and with a seven-pound shift in the weights with the once-beaten Golden Sixty.
Hot King Prawn returns to action as the 133-pound king of the hill in the G2 Premier Bowl H. (1200m). Though his lone victory last season came in a Class 1 handicap, the 6-year-old gray gelding just missed to stablemate Beat the Clock (Aus) (Hinchinbrook {Aus}) in last year’s G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint and was last seen finishing a close second in the G3 Sha Tin Vase H. over course and distance May 24. Four-year-old Computer Patch (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) is the likely favourite stretching out in trip off a dominating 2 3/4-length success in the G3 National Day Cup H. up the 1000-metre straight course Oct. 1. The ridgling gets a whopping 16 pounds off Hot King Prawn Sunday afternoon.
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Robin Goodfellow’s Racing Tips: Best bets for Saturday, October 17
Sportsmail's racing expert Robin Goodfellow dishes out his tips for Monday's meetings at Wolverhampton, Ascot, Stratford, Catterick and Market Rasen.
Stunning Sky Rallies Late To Capture Valley View Stakes
Paradise Farms Corp. and Parkland Thoroughbreds' Stunning Sky rallied from far off the pace to catch Princess Grace in deep stretch and pull away to a half-length victory in the 30th running of the $150,000 Pin Oak Valley View (G3) for 3-year-old fillies Friday afternoon at Keeneland.
Trained by Mike Maker and ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr., Stunning Sky covered 1 1/16 miles on a firm turf course in 1:41.33. The clocking broke the stakes record of 1:41 2/5 established by Spinning Round in 1992.
“She broke pretty good,” Santana said. “The pace was pretty hot. The race set up perfectly for her. Turning for home, she switched leads to her right leg. She gave me everything she had.”
Outburst (GB) led the field of 10 through early fractions of :22.71, :46.23 and 1:10.50 with Walk In Marrakesh (IRE) just in back of her to the outside through the early running as Stunning Sky raced at the back of the pack with How Ironic.
In the stretch, Princess Grace swept past the leaders on the outside and opened a daylight advantage by the eighth pole. Stunning Sky, third from last at the head of the stretch, swung widest of all and was able to overtake Princess Grace in the final 20 yards.
“I was very pleased with the fractions,” Maker said. “The race didn't shape up the way I thought it would, but I left it in Ricardo (Santana Jr.)'s hands, and he rode a great race. She ran some game races, unlucky to lose, at Saratoga. Very deserving. Such a big, classy filly. I like to get a stakes win for (co-owner) Peter Proscia.”
A Keeneland sales graduate, Stunning Sky is a Kentucky-bred daughter of Declaration of War out of the Unbridled's Song mare Sky Walk. The victory was worth $90,000 and boosted her earnings to $304,825 with a record of 11-3-2-1. It is her first stakes victory.
Stunning Sky paid $13.80, $6.40 and $4.80. Princess Grace, ridden by Shaun Bridgmohan, returned $9.40 and $7.20 with How Ironic rallying from last and finishing another half-length back in third under Rafael Bejarano and paying $10.60 to show.
It was another 2½ lengths back to Witez, who was followed in order by favored Duopoly, Outburst, Sugar Fix, Antoinette, Walk In Marrakesh and Pranked.
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