BRITISH jockey Sophie Doyle enjoyed her biggest win in the US when Fioretti stayed on strongly to win the Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes (Grade 2) at Keeneland last Saturday. The Bernardini filly trained by Anthony J. Hamilton Jr is likely to contest the Fillies Sprint at the Breeders’ Cup meeting. She had three-quarters of a length to spare over Heykittykittykitty with even-money favourite Judy The Beauty, who won last year’s Sprint, back in third.

Dude delivers

WILD Dude took advantage of a very fast pace in front of him to win the Grade 1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship at the track last Saturday.

Distinctiv Passion and short priced favourite Masochistic duelled for the early lead, setting very fast fractions of :21.44secs and :43.93secs. Wild Dude, a son of Wildcat Heir was still 10 lengths adrift on the final bend, but stayed on strongly to secure his second Grade 1 win.

Kobe’s Back, who came from even further back, nearly got up but Wild Dude held on to win by a neck, finishing six furlongs in 1m 09.45secs under jockey Rafael Bejarano.

Masochistic tired to finish fourth and Distinctiv Passion hit the wire last.

Desormeaux fined

Jockey Kent Desormeaux was fined $2,500 by Santa Anita stewards last weekend for being “under the influence of alcohol” while riding July 29th at Del Mar.

California Horse Racing Board stewards also gave Desormeaux a 30-day suspension but stayed the suspension, provided Desormeaux has no additional alcohol-related infractions through the term of his current riding licence, which runs to Febuary 2018. The rule violations cited were for failure to fulfil jockey agreement (riding obligations) and disorderly conduct.

Map heads for Mile

TODD Pletcher revealed this week that his Grade 1 winner Liam’s Map will run in the Dirt Mile instead of the Classic at the Breeders’ Cup at the end of the month. That changes the complexion of the race as the son of Unbridled’s Song was guaranteed to race from the front.