O'Brien's Derby duo prevail

Seldom will two Irish Derby winners be found racing on the same card. Rarer still that they should do so on this side of the Atlantic, not to mention find their way to the winner's circle. But that's what happened at Arlington on Saturday.

The Aidan O'Brien duo of Cape Blanco (the 2010 Derby winner) and Treasure Beach (2011) won the Arlington Million and Secretariat Stakes, respectively, in convincing style.

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Cape Blanco, which won Belmont Park's Man o' War Stakes in his previous engagement, raced in midpack under Jamie Spencer before advancing on the leaders around the far turn. Upon straightening for home, he got clear of the pack and reached the wire in front by two lengths. He paid $6.20 to win. Shane Ryan's Gio Ponti, second in this race last year, was along to complete the $16.60 exacta.

"There are very few horses that have the will to win like he has," Spencer said of Cape Blanco. "The more you ask from him, the more you get from him. He had loads left in the end."

Regular rider Colm O'Donoghue was brought in to partner Treasure Beach and kept closer track of the leader, the Aga Khan's Irish-bred Ziyarid, in the Secretariat. They raced down the lane in tandem with Treasure Beach prevailing by a neck.

"He wasn't doing much," O'Donoghue said of his mount. "He was finding it quite easy in the homestretch. He just kept plugging on for me. He's very adaptable and can go on any ground."

Treasure Beach paid $5.00 to win as the favorite and keyed a $29.00 exacta with Ziyarid.

Both the Million and the Secretariat were run at 10 furlongs over yielding ground. Cape Blanco got the Million in 2:05.39, while Treasure Beach came home in 2:03.91. Both winners are sons of Galileo.

EDDIE K AND DUGGAN AT THE SPA

Last Monday's Saratoga card saw Eddie Kenneally and David Duggan find the winner's circle. Kenneally got the money with Ridgewood Stable's Jagati in the fourth race, a maiden special weight sprint that came off the turf. Javier Castellano put the 2-year-old colt on the lead immediately after the break and they stayed there to the wire, with a 12-length gap back to the runner-up. Jagati returned a $6.10 win mutuel in his second appearance under silks.

As for Duggan, the eighth race was his moment. He saddled Jeff Zlonis' Myrtle's Gray to her second consecutive triumph, this in a first-level allowance sprint for statebreds that, likewise, was moved off the grass to the main track. Rajiv Maragh worked out a stalking trip aboard the 4-year-old filly and got her home in front by two lengths. The win price came back $7.40.

IRISH PARADE AT WOODBINE

There was a parade of Irish winners at Woodbine last week, with Mike Ryan leading off. His Nandira took Wednesday's second race, a maiden special weight sprint on the lawn. Patrick Husbands rallied the 3-year-old daughter of Speightstown for the victory by one-half length. Nandira, trained by Roger Attfield, paid $15.00 to win. This was her second career start, her previous appearance coming in July of last year.

Two races later, Mike Doyle sent out Scott Abbott's Dance to the Moon for a front-running score, also by one-half length. The 4-year-old miss was guided home by Slade Callaghan. The win price was $15.30. The Ontario-bred filly has now won three of her last four races and sports a 5-for-10 lifetime mark.

The next day, Abbott's Charlie's Friend, trained by Doyle, led all the way under Luis Contreras to defeat a field of limited-winning distaffers at the $12,500 claiming level. The 5-year-old mare won by almost two lengths as the favorite, paying $5.70.

Then, on Saturday, Irish natives Carolyn Costigan and David Moran teamed to get the job done with Augustin Stable's Occasional View in the third race. The 3-year-old colt closed under Moran to tally by almost two lengths in a first-level allowance sprint on the grass. He paid $16.80 in the win hole.

 

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