Horses from around the world star on U.S. Flag Day weekend racing
June 15 (UPI) -- America's Flag Day weekend saw horses bred around the world strutting their stuff on U.S. tracks, with winners of major races representing the breeding industries of England, Ireland, Chile, South Africa and Canada.
Meanwhile, on the global racing front, Ireland's Diamond Necklace won the French Oaks, while Meisho Tabaru kept the Grade 1 Takarazuka Kinen in Japanese hands.
Let's take the world tour.
Turf
Burnham Square was no secret in Saturday's $225,000 Chorleywood Stakes at Churchill Downs and performed as expected. The 4-year-old Liam's Map gelding led most of the way, was headed by Chapman's Peak in the stretch and rallied to win by a neck over that one.
With Brian Hernandez Jr. up for trainer Ian Wilkes, Burnham Square ran 1 3/8 miles on firm going in 2:13.98. Sixth in the Kentucky Derby, the versatile horse now has won three straight on turf.
Just a Touch was more than just a touch better than eight rivals in Saturday's $200,000 Cape Henlopen Stakes at Delaware Park. The 5-year-old son of Justify, trained by Brad Cox, went right to the lead, shook clear by the quarter pole and kept going to win by 3 1/2 lengths over Soleil Volant.
British-bred Program Trading came with a three-wide bid to get the lead in Saturday's $125,000 Monmouth Stakes at Monmouth Park and rolled home first by 2 lengths as the odds-on favorite. The 6-year-old Lope de Vega ridgling ran 1 1/8 miles on firm turf, with Flavien Prat riding for Chad Brown and owner Klaravich Stables.
Irish-bred Gold Phoenix easily ran to his odds-on status in Sunday's $100,000 Grade III San Juan Capistrano at Santa Anita, surging to the lead in the stretch run of the 1 3/4-mile marathon to win by 5 lengths over Goldeneye.
Filly & mare turf
Chilean-bred Dona Clota came four-wide from the back of the field to win Saturday's $250,000 Grade III Robert G. Dick Memorial at Delaware Park by a neck over Alluring Angel. The 5-year-old daughter of Ivan Denisovich completed 1 3/8 miles on firm going in 2:16.77.
South African-bred Gimme a Nother stalked the early pace in Saturday's $150,000 Eatontown Stakes at Monmouth Park, surged to the lead turning for home and got away to win by 3 1/2 lengths, ridden out by Jorge Ruiz. The favorite, Whiskey Decision, was the best of the rest.
Irish-bred Kentucky Gal got the best of a three-way photo at the conclusion of Friday's $100,000 Possibly Perfect Stakes at Santa Anita. The camera found the 4-year-old filly a nose better than Innovative.
The Mizzen Queen led most of the 1 1/4 miles, but settled for third, a head farther back. Kentucky Gal finished in 2:00.14. The race started on the downhill turf course.
Turf sprint
Freedom's Not Free outfinished the favorite, Sumter, by a nose in the final jumps of Saturday's $100,000 Daytona Stakes at Santa Anita. The 4-year-old Omaha Beach colt ran about 6 1/2 furlongs down the hillside course in 1:12.49 with Juan Hernandez riding for Mark Glatt.
Hark Theangelssing made some heavenly music for her supporters in Sunday's $100,000 Stormy Blues Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Monmouth Park.
Dispatched at odds of 11-1, the Virginia-bred Mendelssohn filly set up shop behind pacesetter Gerrards Cross, closed steadily outside that rival and was a neck in front at the finish. With Ismerio Villalobos in the irons, she ran 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:02.04.
Distaff
Ontario-bred Luv Your Neighbor was off a bit slow in Saturday's $300,000 Grade III Delaware Oaks. With Luis Saez up, the Constitution filly settled behind the leaders, came four-wide into the stretch and got clear to win by 1 1/4 length over Jumping the Gun.
The favorite, Dazzling Dame, stumbled at the start, rushed up to lead and gave way reluctantly in the lane to report third. Luv Your Neighbor, a Michael Stidham trainee, ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.05.
La Rascasse stalked the early pace in Saturday's $175,000 Monomoy Girl Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Churchill Downs, took over when asked by jockey Axel Concepcion and won off by 2 1/4 lengths. The Authentic filly, trained by William Walden, ran 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:43.13.
Chasten chased down front-running Amalfi Drive to get the lead in Saturday's $150,000 Obeah Stakes at Delaware Park and dominated the final furlong before winning by 6 1/4 lengths. Beautiful Blome was third, 9 3/4 lengths back of Amalfi Drive.
Chasten, a Juddmonte homebred 4-year-old daughter of Into Mischief, ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:46.73 with Irad Ortiz Jr. in the kip for trainer Brad Cox.
Bob Baffert appears to have another good 3-year-old filly on his hands in Mizumi. The Justify filly, making just her second start, ran away with Saturday's $100,000 Grade III Summertime Oaks at Santa Anita, emerging from a stalking trip to win by 3 3/4 lengths as the odds-on favorite. Wolf Hill and Bank Shot finished second and third.
Mizumi, with Juan Hernandez in the irons, ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.41. She won her first start May 2 in similar fashion while going 6 1/2 furlongs.
Classic / dirt mile
Big Cuddle said goodbye in the stretch run of Saturday's $300,000 Delaware Derby at Delaware Park and scooted off to win by 4 lengths from Out of the Woods. The Great Notion colt, with Yedsit Hazlewood riding for trainer Gary Capuano, ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.27.
East Avenue won a stretch battle with the favorite, Bishops Bay, in Saturday's $150,000 Savator Mile at Monmouth Park, just putting a nose in front at the wire. The 4-year-old Medaglia d'Oro colt, a Godolphin homebred, finished in 1:35.99 with Tyler Gaffalione riding for trainer Brendan Walsh.
Baby Vino shook loose from four rivals to win Saturday's $125,000 NYRA Best Pegasus Stakes for 3-year-olds at Monmouth Park by 10 3/4 lengths, with the odds-on favorite, Schoolyardsuperman, second. The Vino Rosso colt ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.36.
Around the world, around the clock
Japan
Meisho Tabaru earned "Win and You're In" spots in the Breeders' Cup Turf and Australia's Group 1 Cox Plate with his victory in Sunday's Grade 1 Takarzuka Kinen, but he's more likely to be spending his autumn in France.
The 5-year-old son of Gold Ship is entered for the Oct. 4 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in Paris, a race that has frustrated Japanese horsemen for decades. With both the Cox Plate and Breeders' Cup just weeks later, it looks like a case of "pick one from column G1."
The Takarazuka Kinen worked out perfectly for Meisho Tabaru and jockey Yutaka Take. After a clean break, they raced in second, took the lead some 200 meters out and withstood the challenge of race favorite Croix du Nord to win by 3/4 length. Meisho Tabaru also won last year.
In their last meeting in the Grade 1 Osaka Hai in April, Croix du Nord got by Meisho Tabaru in the late going to post the win.
France
The Coolmore "lads," trainer Aidan O'Brien and jockey Ryan Moore are set with a blockbuster team for this week's Royal Ascot races, but they got a jump start Sunday at Chantilly as Diamond Necklace sparkled in winning the Group 1 Prix de Diane or French Oaks at Chantilly.
The undefeated filly started her charge outside the 200-meter mark, hit the lead with about 100 meters to go and won by a short neck over late-running Pink Panthera as she ventured beyond a mile for the first time.
Stamina was a bit given as her sire, St Mark's Basilica, won the Prix du Jockey Club or French Derby.
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This story was originally published June 15, 2026 at 7:16 AM.