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Weekend Stakes Action: Clash Of The Titans At Belmont In The Gallant Bloom

By Frankel
LOUISVILLE, KY - NOVEMBER 05: The field breaks from the starting gate during the Breeders' Cup Juvenile race during the 2011 Breeders' Cup World Championships at Churchill Downs on November 5, 2011 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

Parx and Belmont take center stage this weekend with the G2-Pennsylvania Derby and G2-Gallant Bloom. The Penn Derby features a rematch of the Travers dead-heat between Alpha and Golden Ticket, while the Gallant Bloom field is full of the top filly and mare sprinters in the country.

This weekend's stakes action began in France yesterday at Maisons-Laffitte where Maxios (GB) beat Reliable Man (GB) by a length in a half in the Group 3 La Coupe de Maisons-Laffitte. Reliable Man was as multiple Group winner as a three-year-old but has struggled to a winless 2012 season.

Elsewhere in Europe this weekend:

  • A field of eight will contest the G2-Prix du Prince d'Orange at Longchamp, inlcuding Nutello, a nice looking horse as a juvenile in 2011 that has struggled in his sophomore season. Also in the Prince d'Oragne is Lucayan, winner of the G1-Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French 2,000 Guineas) back in mid-May.
  • Also at Longchamp, a field of eight juvenile colts and gelding will run eight furlongs in the G3-Prix des Chenes.
  • On Sunday at Cologne in Germany, seven horses, led by Ovambo Queen (GER) (second to Danedream (GER) in the G1-Preis von Baden on Sept. 2nd), will compete in the Group 1 Preis von Europa.

One other international notes (via the Racing Post): Juddmonte will begin sending horses out to the West Coast to be trained by Bob Baffert.

Below are the results for this weekend's stakes action from around the world:

Date Track Race Cond. Dist. Surf. Winner
21-Sep ML G3-La Coupe de Maisons-Laffitte 3up 10.0 Turf Maxios (GB)
22-Sep PRX G2-Pennsylvania Derby 3yo 9.0 Dirt Handsome Mike
22-Sep CT Charles Town Oaks 3yo, f 7.0 Dirt Book Review
22-Sep BEL G2-Gallant Bloom 3up, f&m 6.5 Dirt Dust and Diamonds
22-Sep LCH G2-Prix du Prince d'Orange 3yo 10.0 Turf Starboard (GB)
22-Sep LCH G3-Prix des Chenes 2yo, c&g 8.0 Turf Pearl Flute (IRE)
22-Sep PRX G1-Cotillion 3yo, f 8.5 Dirt My Miss Aurellia
22-Sep DEL G3-Kent 3yo 9.0 Turf Optimizer
23-Sep KOL G1-Preis von Europa 3up 12.0 Turf