Japan's Cesario claims Hollywood victory

Japanese raider Cesario blitzed the field to run out an impressive four-length winner of the American Oaks Invitational Stakes at Hollywood Park on Sunday.

The daughter of Sunday Silence took up the running on the final turn and flew home to beat the 6-5 favourite Melhor Ainda with Singhalese taking third, a further one and a quarter lengths away.

“She is the very first Japanese horse to win an American Grade One race, and hopefully she won’t be the last,” winning jockey Yuichi Fukunaga told www.thoroughbredtimes.com.

Cesario’s trainer Katsuhiko Sumii added: “Each of her winning styles are different so this time I was very nervous. I’ve had a dream of winning in American and this is the first step, so I am very happy.”