ARCADIA, California: The 2012 Breeders’ Cup opened its $25.5 million two-day program on Friday with a command performance by Royal Delta, a string of upsets and a record 16th win for veteran jockey Mike Smith.
Royal Delta lived up to her billing as the top female horse in the United States by retaining her title in the $2 million Ladies’ Classic in stunning fashion at a sun-drenched Santa Anita Park.
With Smith on board, the Kentucky-bred filly took control of the race by the first turn and easily fended off late bursts by My Miss Aurelia and Include Me Out down the stretch.
The previously unbeaten My Miss Aurelia finished one-and-a-half lengths back with Include Me Out in third, a further one-and-a-quarter lengths adrift.
Smith, 47, was elated after pulling ahead of fellow Hall of Fame jockey Jerry Bailey with his 16th career win at the Breeders’ Cup, which is billed as the world championship of thoroughbred racing.
“It’s incredible to be with the riders on this list,” Smith smiled. “It’s truly an honor. I hope to be around a few more years to add to it.” Royal Delta, an overwhelming 8-5 favorite when she entered the starting gate, was the only fancied horse to win on Friday on a six-race card.
Other winners in front of a Santa Anita crowd of just over 34,000 were: Zagora in the Filly and Mare Turf; Beholder, who upset favorite Executiveprivilege in the Juvenile Fillies; and Calidoscopio in the Marathon.
French raider Flotilla took the Juvenile Fillies Turf and long-shot Hightail captured the Juvenile Sprint, the first race of the day.
But the stand out on Friday was Royal Delta, who raised comparisons with 2009 Breeders Classic champion Zenyatta, a retired thoroughbred mare who was ridden by Smith for 17 of her 20 starts.
“She is close to it,” Smith said when asked how Royal Delta matched up to Zenyatta’s impressive physique. “She has that kind of stride. She has a tremendous stride. She does it with ease.
“She actually waits for competition, and once they get to her she locks on them and seems like she can get around them again.” PLAN SHELVED Royal Delta, a daughter of 2003 Belmont Stakes winner Empire Maker, had also been entered for the marquee Breeders’ Classic on Saturday but that plan was shelved, mainly due to her trainer Bill Mott.
Mott will have three other horses running in the $5 million Classic, a race he won last year with Drosselmeyer.
“We’ve got three good chances in there tomorrow, and we’re certainly not counting our chickens before they hatch, but ... I think any one of the three has a chance,” Mott said.
“I know it’s a deep race and there are good horses and horses that have proven themselves well over this race track. You’ve got to push forward and look to tomorrow.” French-bred mare Zagora stormed home to win the Filly & Mare Turf in what will likely be the last start of her career.
Due to be sold at auction later this month, Martin Schwartz’s five-year-old stormed down the home straight with jockey Javier Castellano aboard to overtake the fancied Marketing Mix and hold off the highly favored The Fugue.
Zagora prevailed by three-quarters of a length, giving trainer Chad Brown just his second Breeders Cup win.
“She had everything go her way today,” Brown said. “She got the turf she likes, she got a great trip and she’s been training great.” Hightail, a 15-1 longshot, upset odds-on favorite Merit Man in the Juvenile Sprint, winning by a nose after a storming late surge from inside the rail.
Suggestions that Hightail might have interfered with Merit Man’s line down the stretch were cleared after a post-race inquiry.
Hightail’s stunning victory extended Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas’s record total of Breeders’ Cup wins to 19.
“At my age it’s significant,” smiled the 77-year-old Lukas. “I don’t know how many (wins) there are, but I always thought we could get one more. It’s exciting. They don’t come that easy.”
Royal Delta shines on day of upsets
Royal Delta shines on day of upsets
PSG ease past Seattle Sounders and into Club World Cup last 16
- The French champions will now go through to a tie against the Group A runners-up in Atlanta on Sunday
SEATTLE: Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Achraf Hakimi scored either side of half-time as European champions Paris Saint-Germain eased to a 2-0 win over Seattle Sounders on Monday to secure their place in the last 16 of the Club World Cup.
PSG needed to bounce back from their 1-0 loss at the hands of Botafogo in their last Group B outing and they were too strong for the MLS side without ever really playing to their full potential.
Kvaratskhelia deflected a wayward Vitinha shot into the net to open the scoring on 35 minutes in front of 50,628 fans at Lumen Field, Sounders’ home stadium.
Hakimi then made it 2-0 just before the midway point in the second half to kill off any prospect of a comeback by the hosts.
PSG are through to the next round and advance as group winners on goal difference, climbing up from second place because of Botafogo’s late defeat at the hands of Atletico Madrid at the same time in Pasadena.
The French champions will now go through to a tie against the Group A runners-up in Atlanta on Sunday, as they leave the west coast for the first time since arriving in the United States.
Paris coach Luis Enrique made four changes to his line-up following the defeat at the hands of Botafogo, with captain Marquinhos, Nuno Mendes, Fabian Ruiz and Joao Neves all coming in.
However Ousmane Dembele, their top scorer during the European season just finished with 33 goals in all competitions, played no part for a third game running after traveling to the tournament with an injury.
The Sounders needed a big win combined with a defeat for Atletico to progress to the last 16, something which was always going to be a big ask for the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League winners.
They didn’t have the quality to overly trouble PSG, who saw Desire Doue threaten early on with a powerful shot that was tipped over by home goalkeeper Stefan Frei.
A mistake by goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma at the other end gifted a chance to the home side, but it was not an easy one for Jesus Ferreira and he fired off-target.
The UEFA Champions League winners got the opening goal 10 minutes before the interval when the ball came out to Vitinha on the edge of the area and his attempt took a rather lucky touch off the back of Kvaratskhelia to find the net.
The second goal arrived on 66 minutes after Doue played a delightful pass out to the wing for Bradley Barcola and the substitute cut in from the left before setting up Hakimi to control and slot in his 10th goal since the season began.
Atletico Madrid earns 1-0 victory, but Botafogo advances out of Group B
It took nearly the entire second half, but relentless attacks on goal paid off for Antoine Griezmann in the 87th minute on Monday.
After teammate Angel Correa’s shot was blocked by a defender, Griezmann sent a left-footed shot into the net to lift Atletico Madrid to a 1-0 victory over Botafogo in Group B action of the FIFA Club World Cup in Pasadena, California
Unfortunately, it was not enough to send the Spaniards on to the knockout rounds as Atletico Madrid needed to book a victory of at least three goals to advance out of Group B. Paris Saint-Germain, which defeated the Seattle Sounders 2-0 on Monday, and Botafogo — which defeated PSG earlier this week — claimed the group’s top two spots.
In the 10th minute, Botafogo had a prime opportunity to strike first after a through ball to Jefferson Savarino gave the striker a run at goal. Atletico Madrid’s Jan Oblak, however, stretched out for a score-saving deflection.
Julian Alvarez nearly gave Atletico Madrid the lead just before the half. The forward collected an entry pass just outside the goal area, turned and whipped a right-footed blast, but his attempt was pulled wide to the left to keep the match in a scorelesss draw.
Early in the second half, Atletico again put the pressure on Botafogo with Griezmann settling a lofted ball down the left side and beating his defender along the goal line. Griezmann then attempted to sneak in a left-footed shot by the near post, but it caromed off the post and out of play.
In the 67th minute, Botafogo went on the offensive as Cuiabano lofted a cross into the box that Igor Jesus one-timed on goal. Again, Oblak was there to punch the attempt away to maintain a clean sheet.
Atletico had several chances to build upon its lead following the 87th-minute score from Griezmann, but Botafogo continued to deny the Spaniards.
Oblak finished with three saves for Atletico Madrid, which outshot Botafogo 23-7 (5-3 on goal). Botafogo’s John was credited with four saves.
Alesso releases official remix for Esports World Cup 2025
- Remix of EWC Music’s orchestral theme “Ascension” features cello sensation Tina Guo and merges electronic music with competitive energy in celebration of world’s biggest esports event
GRAMMY-nominated producer and global electronic music sensation Alesso has released an official remix of “Ascension”, the lead track from the original music suite created for the Esports World Cup 2025 – the world’s largest esports and gaming event.
Originally composed by Edouard Brenneisen of Hollywood Scoring and recorded at Abbey Road Studios, “Ascension” features fellow GRAMMY nominee and virtuoso cellist Tina Guo. Alesso’s remix reimagines the orchestral original with his signature euphoric production style. The sonic maven seamlessly fuses his progressive house sound with Guo’s powerful tone, transforming the cinematic piece into a high-energy rework designed to capture the intensity and emotion of elite esports competition.
The track is part of the EWC Music initiative, a new programme creating an original musical identity for the Esports World Cup and celebrating esports’ deep connection with music. Launched in April with a four-track suite by 2WEI and Hollywood Scoring, recorded at Abbey Road Studios, the programme continues with live performances, artist collaborations, and global fan activations. “Ascension (Alesso Remix)” will be featured across tournament broadcasts, live events, and digital content throughout the seven-week competition, which begins on July 7 in Riyadh.
The Opening Ceremony, on July 10, will be headlined by 9x diamond-certified artist Post Malone.
Alesso said of the track, “I was so excited when this opportunity came to me. I’m a huge fan of esports and gaming tournaments – I’m a gamer myself, so combining my two worlds into one on this remix felt so natural. Creating this alongside Tina was incredible. We were able to create something that truly brings listeners into another world. I can’t wait to share this moment with all of you.”
Tina Guo said of the collaboration, "I'm thrilled to have worked with Alesso on this remix and so excited to be a part of the Esports World Cup! This collaboration brings together my passion for music and gaming in a progressive house and cinematic fusion. The energy and creativity that Alesso brings to the table are truly inspiring, and being involved in such a monumental event like the Esports World Cup is a dream come true. I can't wait to share this experience with everyone!"
Ariel Horn, Executive Producer at the Esports World Cup Foundation, added: “Gaming and EDM have moved together for years, from Marshmello’s Fortnite show to major esports collaborations like League of Legends and VALORANT’s work with Zedd. With Alesso and Tina Guo, we’re building another bridge. Tina has scored games, rocked League Worlds, and played on iconic Hans Zimmer soundtracks – including Wonder Woman. Just as EWC is reimagining what global esports can be, this track reimagines the role music plays in connecting players, fans and culture, turning competition into something you don’t just watch – you feel.”
The Esports World Cup 2025 is the world’s premier esports event. Its unique cross-game format will reward Clubs and players competing for a life-changing prize pool across multiple platforms and genres – bringing together the best teams, players, and titles under one banner in the largest-ever celebration of competitive gaming.
EWC 2025 will feature 2,000 elite players and 200 Clubs from over 100 countries, competing in 25 tournaments across 24 games for a record-breaking $70+ million prize pool. Tickets, including access to the Opening Ceremony, are now available at esportsworldcup.com.
Riyadh to host leaders at New Global Sport Conference 2025
- Event takes place in August at Four Seasons Hotel
RIYADH: Riyadh is to welcome global leaders from sport, electronic sports, and entertainment at the New Global Sport Conference 2025 on Aug. 23-24 at the Four Seasons Hotel.
Organized by the Esports World Cup Foundation, the event coincides with the closing weekend of the Esports World Cup, the world’s largest event of its type.
Called “The Next Game — Building the Future of Gaming, Esports, and Sports,” the conference will bring together more than 1,500 industry leaders for keynotes, strategy sessions, and high-level networking.
Confirmed speakers include Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan, president of the Saudi Esports Federation; Casey Wasserman, chairman of LA28; Toshimoto Mitomo, Sony’s chief strategy officer; and World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen. Senior executives from Activision, Sega, Bandai Namco, Disney, and CBS Sports will also participate.
Ralf Reichert, the CEO of EWCF, said the event was occurring at a time of transformation, and added: “As the boundaries between sports, e-sports, entertainment, and technology dissolve, this event becomes the premier global stage for leaders to explore new horizons and create groundbreaking collaborations."
Tickets are now available at www.newglobalsportconference.com. Additional speakers and the full programme will be announced soon.
New Al-Hilal kit unveiled in New York gives a nod to club’s heritage
- The event featured a KidSuper x Puma Football tournament as Saudi giants continue their FIFA Club World Cup campaign
RIYADH: The new 2025-26 season Al-Hilal kit has been revealed by PUMA and American artist, fashion designer and musician KidSuper as the Saudi club continues its FIFA Club World Cup campaign in the US.
The strip pays tributed to the club’s “heritage, artistry and global ambition,” and takes its cue from its name — Al-Hilal means “crescent moon” in Arabic. The symbol is highlighted in toning blues with a glowing lunar graphic, while the goalkeeper’s jersey has an alpine snow base with blue and navy blue details.
To bring a regional flavor to the global collaboration, PUMA Middle East invited Zeynab El-helw — a Dubai-based fashion entrepreneur known for her bold, and distinct style — along with Shouq, a rising Saudi voice recognized for her expressive and forward-thinking fashion content, and Noura Joubran, a content creator celebrated for her fusion of elegance and contemporary style, to New York City for the proceedings.
The three brought the PUMA x KidSuper Al-Hilal collection to life with a content shoot celebrating the fusion of fashion and football, while also highlighting the club’s growing global footprint and milestone presence at the FIFA Club World Cup.
The trio joined PUMA’s global team for an exclusive launch event, attended by creators, media and football fans, and which featured a KidSuper x PUMA football tournament. They also attended one of Al-Hilal’s Club World Cup matches.
Colm Dillane, aka KidSuper, said: “I’ve always wanted to merge the worlds of art and football, and with PUMA, we’re doing just that. This collection is about more than just the game. It’s about expressing yourself, taking risks, and standing out. Whether on the pitch or off, football is an art form, and this collection shows that.”
The collection also features limited-edition kits and lifestyle pieces for six other PUMA-sponsored clubs — Manchester City, Borussia Dortmund, FC Salzburg, Mamelodi Sundowns, Palmeiras and Monterrey.
