MONDAY, JULY 18, 2011 For information about TDN, call 732-747-8060. BUNTING UP AGAIN MAJESTIC CITY STILL UNTESTED, UNBEATEN Godolphin=s G1 1000 Guineas victress Blue Bunting Jeffrey Bloom and partners= Majestic City (City Zip) (Dynaformer) was nabbed on the line for third in last remained undefeated yesterday with a decisive month=s G1 Epsom Oaks, earning Frankie Dettori a 2 1/4-length win in the GIII Hollywood Juvenile hefty ban for dropping his hands, but the jockey made Championship. Leading trainer Bob Baffert swept the no mistake in the G1 Darley Irish Oaks at The Curragh consolation prizes with Brigand (Flatter) second and yesterday, and the filly Night Tide (Malibu Moon) third. The speedy 9-10 choice emulated her Newmarket Majestic City opened his account in Inglewood May 21 swoop to bag a second and then turned the June 12 Classic win. In rear for most Willard L. Proctor Memorial of the contest, the S. into a virtual walkover well-backed 5-2 second with an easier-than-it-looked favorite surged wide and 3 1/2-length tally. He late to oust Banimpire (Ire) displayed a new dimension Blue Bunting (far right) Gets Up (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) this time, rating in a joint McCann/Racing Post Photo by a short head on the line, second outside of Brigand with G1 Epsom Oaks second off of splits of :22.44 and Benoit Photo Wonder of Wonders (Kingmambo) a further half-length :45.54 set by Night Tide, back in third. Epsom victress Dancing Rain (Ire) but the result was the same--a win in hand and by (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) held every chance at the two daylight. It was a better race for second, as Brigand pole and kept on resolutely to finish a close-up fifth. AIt fought through on the rail to best his front-running was a bit of a mess at Epsom, but I came here with stablemate. AHe wasn't even trying all the way around every chance and genuinely thought we could win,@ the turn,@ said wining rider David Flores. I'm driving and insisted Dettori. AI think the natural step would be the he's not moving. I got worried a little bit. But then [Aug. 18 G1] Yorkshire Oaks, but Sheikh Mohammed when he changed leads, I got after him harder and will decide, as he may well have other plans.@ Cont. p2 whipped him a few times and I could feel the difference. He had better extension and he leveled Sunday, The Curragh, Ireland beautifully. He's still learning.@ Click for the brisnet.com chart DARLEY IRISH OAKS-G1, i425,000, Curragh, 7-17, or the brisnet.com PPs. Video, sponsored by Taylor Made. Cont. p4 3yo, f, 1 1/2mT, 2:42.97, yl. 1--BLUE BUNTING, 126, f, 3, by Dynaformer 1st Dam: Miarixa (Fr), by Linamix (Fr) 2nd Dam: Miss Arkada (Fr), by Akarad (Fr) 3rd Dam: Mrs Annie (Fr), by Bolkonski (Ire) ($200,000 yrl >09 FTSAUG). O-Godolphin; B-B M Kelley; T-Mahmood Al Zarooni; J-Frankie Dettori; i246,600. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Eng, 6-4-1-0, i536,325. Werk Nick Rating: C+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Consigned by Bluegrass Thoroughbred Services, Inc. for Brad Kelley 2--Banimpire (Ire), 126, f, 3, Holy Roman Emperor (Ire)- - My Renee, by Kris S. (i52,000 yrl >09 GOFMIL). O-Mrs J S Bolger; B-Kilcarn Stud; T-Jim Bolger; i85,000. 3--Wonder of Wonders, 126, f, 3, Kingmambo--All Too Beautiful (Ire), by Sadler=s Wells. O-Michael Tabor, Susan Magnier & Derrick Smith; B-Liberty Bloodstock; T-Aidan O=Brien; i42,500. Margins: SHD, HF, SHD. Odds: 5-2, 8-1, 5-4. Also Ran: Laughing Lashes, Dancing Rain (Ire), Gemstone (Ire), Rumh (Ger), Hurricane Havoc (Ire), Amazing Beauty (Ire). Click for the Racing Post chart, the brisnet.com PPs or the free brisnet.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, courtesy attheraces.com. P TDN HEADLINE NEWS • 7/18/11 • PAGE 2 of 8 • thoroughbreddailynews.com But Blue Bunting was angled outside at the furlong FEATURE PRESENTATION • G1 IRISH OAKS marker and powered home wide and late--with Dettori at the limit--to wrest victory from Banimpire on the line. AThe pace was solid, the five good ones were all together turning for home, and the best filly won,@ the rider said. AI got myself a bit stuck two [furlongs] out as she wasn=t going forward for me. As a last resort, I decided to switch her to the outside, and that won me the Blue Bunting opened her career with a second to race. I was really struggling subsequent G3 Prestige S. victress Theyskens= Theory when I was stuck behind the (Bernardini) going seven furlongs in a July-course other horses, but once she saw maiden at Newmarket July 31, and went one better a bit of daylight, she went going an extra panel at Doncaster two weeks later. forward.@ Celebrating a second Juvenile stamina was presented as evidence again with European Classic, trainer Dettori and Al Zarooni success in the Oct. 30 Listed Montrose Fillies= S. at Mahmood Al Zarooni told McCann/Racing Post Newmarket=s other track in her campaign closer irishracing.com, AFrankie gave Oct. 30, and she tasted Classic glory with a late surge her a brilliant ride, the nice pace helped and the along the rail in the G1 1000 Guineas back at pacemaker did a good job. I=m delighted for my team headquarters on seasonal return May 1. Frankie Dettori which did so well to prepare her for today. I wasn=t that was guilty of complacency in the June 3 G1 Epsom confident before the race as I thought every horse had Oaks next time, having eased Blue Bunting prematurely a chance. We have no certain plans for her now, but and losing third on the line behind Dancing Rain (Ire) she may go for the Yorkshire Oaks next.@ (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and Wonder of Wonders. That Blue Bunting was bred in Kentucky by Brad Kelley, a transgression earned the jockey a 10-day holiday, but former partner in the now-defunct Hurricane Hall. Ben he made no mistake this time and gained some measure Walden, another partner, purchased her dam, Miarixa, of redemption with a last-gasp triumph. The eventual in foal to Gulch, for Kelley for $220,000 at the 2006 winner was settled double-digit lengths off the clear Keeneland November Sale. Kelley acquired the mare to leaders Amazing Beauty (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and breed to English Channel, one of Hurricane Hall=s Hurricane Havoc (Ire) (Hurricane Run {Ire}), who original stallions and now on Lane=s End=s roster. Kelley combined to carve out testing fractions. Godolphin is a shareholder in English Channel, and Blue Bunting second choice Rumh (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}) provided a has a year-younger half-sister by the son of Smart bridge to the remainder in third. Easing his mount closer Strike who sold to Fleetwood Bloodstock for $110,000 with a half-mile remaining, Dettori crouched lower on at September last year. Miarixa has a yearling filly by the home turn as the tempo neared maximum. English Channel and foaled a colt by him this spring. However, Blue Bunting looked held when fifth inside Cont. p3 the final quarter mile, just as the new leader Banimpire came under the full force of Kevin Manning=s TDN TODAY persuasion to contain Wonder of Wonders. Headline News..................... 8 pages TDN P HEADLINE NEWS • 7/18/11 • PAGE 3 of 8 • thoroughbreddailynews.com Irish Oaks cont. Banimpire So Close... Jim Bolger trainee Banimpire (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), Gaelic for empress, has made relentless progress towards the top during a busy sophomore campaign, but failed by a whisker to justify her name-tag and reach the pinnacle of her generation. Looking set fair for victory after gamely fighting off Wonder of Wonders, she succumbed to another of Blue Bunting=s late surges and was usurped on the line. Banimpire has proved tenacious throughout a seven-race season before this Classic, garnering five wins in black-type company, including the G3 Ballysax S., the G3 Blue Wind S., the G3 Noblesse S. and the G2 Ribblesdale S. at Royal Ascot last month. AIt was very close at the finish,@ stated Bolger. AThe ground maybe didn=t help her, but she has run a good race nonetheless.@ GRADED/GROUP RESULTS Sunday, Dusseldorf, Germany GRAFENBERGER MEILEN-TROPHY-G2, i70,000, Dusseldorf, 7-17, 3yo/up, 1mT, 1:38.78, sf. 1--ALIANTHUS (GER), 132, h, 6, by Hernando (Fr) 1st Dam: Allure (Ger) (SP-Ger), by Konigsstuhl (Ger) 2nd Dam: Adjani (GB), by Surumu (Ger) 3rd Dam: Annaberta (Ger), by Alpenkonig (Ger) (i120,000 yrl >06 BBASEP). O-Baron Georg von Ullmann; B-Gestut Karlshof; T-Jens Hirschberger; J-Adrie de Vries; i40,000. Lifetime Record: Co-Hwt Older Horse-Ger at 7-9.5f, GSP-Fr, 17 starts, 9 wins, 5 places, i275,100. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. 2--Emerald Commander (Ire), 132, c, 4, Pivotal (GB)-- Brigitta (Ire), by Sadler=s Wells. (40,000gns yrl >08 TATOCT; ,72,000 2yo >09 DONAPR). O-Godolphin; B-Grangecon Stud; T-Saeed bin Suroor; i15,500. 3--Set the Trend (GB), 132, g, 5, Reset (Aus)--Masrora, by Woodman. (7,000gns wnlg >06 TATDEC). O-Corbett Stud; B-Old Suffolk Stud; T-Andrew Balding; i6,500. Margins: 3/4, 1 1/4, 4. Odds: 0.80, 2.10, 11.30.