If Ka Ying Rising flaunted champion-grade talent in his course-record prep at Sha Tin, he had to summon a different quality of champions – the ability to overcome circumstances – in Sunday’s Hong Kong Sprint (G1).

A European longshot again dominated the shortest of Breeders' Cup races at Del Mar on Saturday when Starlust won a three-way photo by a nose in the $920,000 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1).

Of the five Thoroughbred Group 1 winners on Sunday’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1) undercard at ParisLongchamp, Friendly Soul and Ramatuelle are the likeliest to proceed to the Breeders’ Cup.

Scratched from last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1), the brilliant Bradsell is on course to try again at Del Mar after landing Friday’s “Win and You’re In” Nunthorpe (G1) at York.

Big Evs broke prominently and powered his way to a half-length victory in Friday’s $920,00 Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1), striking for the international contingent in the first of 14 Breeders’ Cup races at Santa Anita over two days.

International participation during Breeders’ Cup Friday has come up strong. Horses representing England, Ireland, France, and Japan are among the entries.