Japan,, French derbies, Belmont preparations keep focus on 3-year-olds

June 1 (UPI) -- The Japanese and French derbies and preparations for the Epsom Derby and Belmont Stakes kept the focus of weekend horse racing squarely on the 3-year-olds.

There were, of course, some other items of interest on the docket, with summertime racing hitting full stride.

Let's roll.

Around the world, around the clock

Japan

Lovcen set himself up for a swing at a Triple Crown sweep with a last-stride victory Sunday in the Tokyo Yushun or Japanese Derby. The World Premier colt won the first leg of the series, the Satsuki Sho or Japanese 2,000 Guineas, with a gate-to-wire tour de force.

Starting from a far outside gate Sunday, he was unable to reach the front and settled mid-pack down the backstretch. When jockey Kohei Matsuyama called on him in the stretch, he quickly revved it up and caught Peintre Naif to win by a head.

It was the first Japanese Derby win for Matsuyama, who had won most of the other important Japanese races.

"I still can't believe I'm now a 'Derby Jockey'," Matsuyama said. "It was surreal coming back to the stands and being greeted by the enormous cheering crowd. I couldn't hold back the tears."

Lovcen announced his potential by winning the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes in December in just his second career start. Now, he has a chance to become just the ninth horse to sweep the Triple Crown series if he can go the distance in the Kikuka Sho or Japanese St. Leger on Oct. 25 at Kyoto Racecourse.

France

Sunday's Group 1 Prix du Jockey Club, or French Derby, looked a lot more like a typical stakes weekend at the Curragh as Aidan O'Brien-trained horses finished 1-2-3 in the Classic, led home by Constitution River and jockey Ryan Moore.

Hawk River was second, 3/4 length back, with pacesetter Montreal holding on gamely for third. The Irish dominance was completed, as A Boy Named Susie, trained by Aidan's son, Joseph Patrick O'Brien, rallied to finish fourth.

O'Brien's horses ran 1-2-3 virtually throughout the extended 2,000 meters after Moore boldly urged Constitution River out of the No. 15 gate and got him over toward the inside rail. Despite the early effort, the Wootton Bassett colt had plenty left late, overtaking both stablemates with authority for his fourth straight win.

"He's the sort of horse who could do whatever you ask him to do," Racing Post quoted Moore as saying. "He just does everything right. He's an uncomplicated horse."

Now, it's on to the Epsom Derby on Saturday, where O'Brien and Coolmore also have the favorite in Benvenuto Cellini.

Meanwhile, back in North America

The 3-year-olds

Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo's five-weeks' rest is just about over, and the colt is settling in at Saratoga for Saturday's Belmont Stakes.

Golden Tempo, who skipped the Preakness to use the time to prepare for the Belmont, had his final major work Saturday at Keeneland before shipping out Sunday for New York. With regular rider Jose Ortiz up and trainer Cherie DeVaux an intent spectator, Golden Tempo covered a half mile in 48 2/5 seconds.

Lining up to challenge for the third leg of the Triple Crown are the likes of Kentucky Derby runner-up Renegade, Florida Derby winner Commandment (seventh in the Kentucky Derby), Louisiana Derby winner Emerging Market (10th at Churchill Downs), Kentucky Derby fourth Chief Wallabee, Kentucky Derby third, and Preakness Stakes fourth Ocelli and Peter Pan winner Growth Equity. The draw is Monday at the Spa.

Classic

Original Sin raced in second, some 2 lengths back of longshot Liberal Arts, in Saturday's $300,000 Grade III Blame Stakes at Churchill Downs, ran by that tiring foe in the stretch and held off Who Dey to win by 1/2 length. The favorite, Hit Show, was another 1 length back in third after encountering traffic.

Original Sin, a Calumet Farm homebred 4-year-old colt by Curlin, ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.39.

Maycocks Bay was let loose on the lead in Saturday's $175,000 (Canadian) Grade II bet365 Eclipse Stakes on the Woodbine all-weather, and jockey Sofia Vives rationed out the speed to hang on for a 2-length win.

Distaff

Splendora, the reigning Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Champion, stretched out to 1 1/16 miles without issue in Saturday's $300,000 Grade II Shawnee Stakes at Churchill Downs, moving to the lead at the three-eighths pole and drawing off to win by 2 3/4 lengths from Immersive. Majestic Oops was third.

The win got her back to the winner's circle after a fourth-place finish in the Grade I Derby City Distaff in her previous start May 2.

It was a different story for trainer Bob Baffert in Saturday's $200,000 Grade II Santa Margarita back home at Santa Anita, as Seismic Beauty, making her first start since finishing 11th in the Distaff, retreated steadily throughout and finished third, beaten nearly 10 lengths by Om N Joy.

Simply Joking, the early leader, held third and the only other starter, Lavendar Love, was eased through the stretch.

Om N Joy, a 4-year-old Om filly, ran 1 1/8 miles on a fast track in 1:50.03. Kent Desormeaux rode for trainer Aggie Ordonez.

Deloraine rallied in the stretch run of Saturday's $150,000 (Canadian) Grade III Belle Mahone Stakes at Woodbine and caught pacesetting favorite Stylish Sue well inside the final sixteenth for a 3/4-length victory.

Sprint

Cornucopian won a slugfest with Roll On Big Joe in Saturday's $275,000 Grade III Aristides at Churchill Downs.

Cornucopian, a 4-year-old Into Mischief colt trained by Baffert, took a narrow lead near the top of the lane, battled the outside challenge from Roll On Big Joe to inside the furlong pole and gradually edged away to win by 1 1/4 lengths.

Stronghold stalked pacesetter Simple Song through the first half of Sunday's $100,000 Grade III Triple Bend Stakes at Santa Anita, burst past and won by 2 1/2 lengths.

Possiblemente found a final burst of energy that got him home first, 1 length in front of three embattled rivals, at the finish of Saturday's $150,000 (Canadian) Grade III Jacques Cartier Stakes on the Woodbine all-weather course.

Filly & mare sprint

Love You More was away slowly in Saturday's $100,000 Rehoboth Stakes at Delaware Park, rallied seven-wide to challenge in deep stretch and won by 1/2 length over Carmelina.

Turf / turf mile

Alpyland asserted himself in the stretch run of Friday's $400,000 Grade III Penn Mile at Penn National, drawing off to win by 4 lengths over Immortalized.

Lagynos came three-wide around rivals to take the lead in Saturday's $275,000 Grade III Arlington Stakes at Churchill Downs and kept going to win by 3/4 length over Minaret Station.

Touch of Fire scored his third win in four starts with a pace-pressing, 3-length victory in Saturday's $275,000 Audubon at Churchill Downs.

Third Coast stalked the pace in Saturday's $100,000 Jersey Derby on the Monmouth Park turf, rallied three-wide and got home first by 2 lengths over Aces Honor.

Neat took the rail route to victory in Saturday's $100,000 Cliff Hanger Stakes for older horses at Monmouth, wrested the lead from a tiring longshot in the lane and then held off odds-on favorite Cosmic Year to win by a neck.

Filly & mare turf

Sweet Treasure had the early lead in Saturday's $275,000 Grade III Old Forester Mint Julep at Churchill Downs, dueled in the stretch run with Proctor Street and prevailed by 1/2 length.

Faithful Departed rated comfortably behind the leaders in Saturday's $275,000 Grade III Regret Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Churchill Downs, answered the call from jockey Jose Ortiz to advance between rivals early in the stretch run and got away to a 2 1/4-length victory.

Bandigaria rallied late to catch the favorite, Final Accord, and win Friday's $150,000 Penn Oaks at Penn National by 1 length.

Ozara tracked down pacesetter Long Ago in the lane in Saturday's $100,000 Miss Liberty at Monmouth and wore down that one to win by 1/2 length as the odds-on favorite.

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This story was originally published June 1, 2026 at 6:33 AM.