1 of 3 | Fionn wins Saturday’s Jockey Club Oaks at Aqueduct. Photo by Chelsea Durand/Coglianese photography, courtesy of NYRA
Nov. 17 (UPI) — Few things in racing are more fun than a good, old-fashioned rivalry and, after Saturday’s $350,000 Grade III Jockey Club Oaks at Aqueduct, it appears one could be brewing between Fionn and Laurelin.
Simultaneously occurring, in weekend racing, the 2025 Claiming Crown is in the books, another up-and-coming 3-year-old filly, Shred the Gnar, was gnarly in her reappearance from a layoff at Churchill Downs and there was some lively 2-year-old action.
Even more gnarly was the weather, which shredded racing at Woodbine and Aqueduct on Sunday and wiped out Del Mar’s entire Saturday card.
Globally speaking, Regaleira won Sunday’s Grade 1 QE II Cup in Japan and Jimmystar took the Group 1 C F Orr in Australia.
full speed ahead …
Aqueduct
Neither Fionn nor Laurelin got the cleanest of trips in Saturday’s $350,000 Grade III Jockey club Oaks. But they were way too good for six rivals and rolled home 1-2,anyway,with Fionn reeling in Laurelin in deep stretch to win by 1/2 length. It was 3 lengths back to Don’t Jinx It in third.
Fionn, a Twirling Candy filly, was bumped from both sides and squeezed back at the start. Laurelin, an Irish-bred daughter of Zarak, saved ground early, but had to swing five-wide into the stretch before the battle to the wire. Fionn finished 1 3/8 miles on firm turf in 2:17.22.
When the two met face-to-face at Keeneland on Oct. 11 in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup, Laurelin finished second and Fionn fourth, as Lush Lips pulled off the upset.
If their dominance in the Jockey Club Oaks does presage a rivalry, it might have to wait a bit as Fionn could tackle the California Oaks next month and Laurelin is due a break.
Older horses tackled 1 1/8 miles in Saturday’s $150,000 Knickerbocker Stakes, with the odds-on favorite, Ohana Honor, prevailing by 2 1/4 lengths over Naptown.
The 5-year-old Honor Code ridgling, with Flavien Prat up for trainer Shug McGaughey, was clocked in 1:48.23 while winning his first stakes race.
NYRA scrubbed the Sunday program after the second race because of gale-force winds.
Churchill Downs
Shred the Gnar shredded the competition in Saturday’s $300,000 Grade III Chilukki Stakes for fillies and mares. The 3-year-old Into Mischief filly led throughout the 1-mile test and won by 2 3/4 lengths in 1:34.84.One Magic Philly was second, 1 length ahead of the favorite, Ragtime.
Luis Saez rode the Flying Dutchman Breeding & Racing homebred for trainer Bryan lynch. She was having her first start since a victory on Kentucky Oaks day.
Woodbine
Nobals, short on wins since the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Turf sprint, returned to a comfortable location Saturday to win the $175,000 Grade II bet365 Kennedy Road Stakes on the all-weather course for the second straight year.
The 6-year-old Noble Mission gelding, with Rafael Hernandez up for trainer Larry rivelli, waited behind the early pace and was just up to win by a neck with a perfectly timed move. It was his third win from 12 starts as the Breeders’ Cup victory.
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Weekend Racing Roundup: Claiming Crown Highlights and International Victories
Here’s a recap of racing results from the weekend, featuring action from the Claiming Crown series in the US, as well as notable wins in Japan and Australia:
United States
Concrete Glory, the favorite, led throughout to win the $100,000 Ready’s Rocket Express by a head over Wound Up. https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/race-results/readys-rocket-express-results
Ashima rallied from mid-pack to secure victory in the $150,000 Tiara for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles on the turf, finishing 3/4 length ahead of Settling Storm.
Curlin’s Malibu won a close stretch battle in the $100,000 iron Horse, defeating Freedom Road by a neck after 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.01.
Next Girl narrowly edged Sadie the goat by a nose in the $100,000 glass Slipper for fillies and mares at 1 mile on the dirt, after a dueling finish down the stretch.
Shape Note rallied from the back of the pack to defeat pacesetter Final Verdict by a neck in the $150,000 Canterbury, a 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint.
Nation dominated the $125,000 Rapid Transit,winning by 6 1/4 lengths in a time of 1:22.01 over 7 furlongs on the main track.
Double Your Money exceeded expectations,rallying from eighth in a 14-horse field to win the $200,000 Claiming Crown Jewel by 1 1/4 lengths at odds just under 10-1.https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/race-results/claiming-crown-jewel-results
Echo Lane concluded the Claiming Crown events with a pace-stalking,1-length victory over pacesetter Gewurztraminer in the $175,000 Emerald at 1 1/16 miles on the turf. https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/race-results/emerald-results
Japan
Regalia won the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Kyoto Racecourse on Sunday, finishing 1 3/4 lengths ahead of the field. The 4-year-old filly avenged a fifth-place finish in the 2023 QE II Cup and demonstrated her recovery from a bone chip repair. https://www.racingpost.com/international/japan/kyoto/race-report/regalia-wins-queen-elizabeth-ii-cup-at-kyoto/2864117 Jockey keita Tosaki expressed confidence in her future performance.Paradis Reine finished second, showing promise as a 3-year-old.
Australia
Jimmystar prevailed in Saturday’s Group 1 Sportsbet C F orr Stakes at Caulfield,winning by 1 length. The odds-on favorite secured his second consecutive win following a strong third-place finish in The Everest. https://www.racing.com/news/2024-02-10/jimmystar-takes-out-cf-orr-stakes Angel Capital finished second.
Worth a look