Grayosh

Quite fittingly, a pair of group-winning Europeans have made the trip over the Atlantic for Saturday's GI Queen Elizabeth Challenge Cup Stakes, headed by Highclere Thoroughbred Racing's Soprano (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}). Trained by George Boughey, the 3-year-old filly was last seen finishing 1 1/2-lengths in third behind winner Porta Fortuna (Ire) (Caravaggio) and Fallen Angel (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) in the one-mile G1 Matron Stakes at Leopardstown Sept. 14. That form alone would justify another look at this Irish-bred filly given that Porta Fortuna is a multiple Group 1...

Once again American investors have shown an increasing receptivity to European bloodlines, this time at the big yearling sale in Deauville. For now, however, we're still only talking about a minority even among those with the resources required to import elite yearlings. But with a reciprocal curiosity also growing in Europe--thanks to Justify, in particular, but also to those breeze-up pinhookers now preparing their next raid on the September Sale--it does feel as though the overdue renewal of transatlantic traffic is beginning to gain commercial traction. We still have a...

Grayosh upset the heavily favored She Feels Pretty to provide trainer Chad Brown with a fourth straight victory in the GII Lake Placid Stakes at Saratoga. Backed at odds of 7-1, the rail-drawn Grayosh raced in an inside third behind a pair of longshot leaders through fractions of :24.22 and :49.67. The gray set her sights on the pacesetting Ori (Hard Spun) and was guided off the rail by Flavien Prat in the stretch. With Ori beginning to pack it in, Grayosh raced shoulder to shoulder with last year's aforementioned...