This was a Belmont for the Birds. It was Summer Bird, not Mine That Bird and jockey Calvin Borel, who came roaring down the long stretch and won the final jewel of the Triple Crown on Saturday. For a brief moment on the turn for home, Borel looked like a winner. His tough little gelding took the lead, and even Borel believed his victory guarantee was assured.

The last of 14 horses running down the Pimlico backstretch launched his bid to stay alive for the Triple Crown just as he had two weeks before at Churchill Downs. Last is where Mine That Bird wants to be early and he had only 12 horses to pass this time. The Derby winner was running on strongly entering the last three furlongs and a palpable sense spread over the crowd of 77,850 that there was a developing battle that would decide the Preakness. In fact, Mine That Bird and the others of his gender were running for second.

In a performance reminiscent of his winning ride aboard Street Sense two years earlier, Calvin Borel hugged the rail throughout then exploded through the stretch to guide Mine That Bird to an improbable 6 3/4-length victory over Pioneerof the Nile in the 135th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. The victory capped off a memorable weekend for Borel, who also rode Rachel Alexandra to a one-sided triumph in Friday’s Kentucky Oaks.

Mine That Bird, who was driven to Kentucky in a pickup truck by his trainer Chip Woolley, entered the Derby off a fourth-place finish in the Sunland Derby. His last victory came in Woodbine’s Grade 3 Grey Stakes in October 2008. A son of Birdstone, Mine That Bird paid $103.20 after covering 1 1/4 miles in 2:02.66 seconds over a sloppy racetrack. The win payoff was the second-largest in Derby history.

Mon Mome, a 100-1 outsider trained by Venetia Williams and ridden by Liam Treadwell, sprung a huge surprise by winning the Grand National at Aintree racecourse. Last year’s winner Comply Or Die (14-1) made a valiant attempt to become the first horse since Red Rum in 1974 to win successive Nationals but had to settle for second. My Will (8-1) took third. Treadwell, 23, having his first ride in the race, said: “It’s absolutely unbelievable. He’s a super horse to ride. It was great for me. He’s so genuine.”

Well Armed, ridden by Aaron Gryder for US-based trainer Eoin Harty, galloped to a stunning victory in the $6 million Dubai World Cup, the world’s richest horse race. Third last year to Curlin, Well Armed - who was a 10-1 shot in London betting - made all the running in the 10-furlong race to win unchallenged by an extraordinary 14 lengths. It was a record for the race and nearly double the previous best margin, set by Curlin in 2008. Second place in the 14-strong field went to French raider Gloria de Campeao (25-1) with Saudi Arabian 66-1 outsider Paris Perfect in third.

Eastern Anthem has won the $5 million Dubai Sheema Classic by a nose in a thrilling three-way finish. The 5-year-old bred in Ireland, ridden by local Emirates jockey Ahmad Ajtebi, crossed first in a late surge over Spanish Moon and Purple Moon on the turf Saturday at Nad al Sheeba. Eastern Anthem had only four wins in the past nine starts. It was back-to-back victories to Ajtebi, who won the Dubai Duty Free aboard Gladiatorus. The 1½-mile Dubai Sheema Classic is one of seven races on the $21 million Dubai World Cup program.

A Parigi vince Meaulnes du Corta con una gara condotta sempre in testa. Expolit Caf e gli altri rappresentanti tricolori lontani dai piazzamenti. E’ dalla doppietta di Varenne (2001-02) che manca un successo azzurro.

Super filly Zarkava, ridden by Christophe Soumillon, stormed to victory in the £3.16 million Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp, the world’s richest race on turf. The 13-8 favourite, overcoming fears about the softish ground, took up the running with 300 metres to go and quickly put the issue beyond doubt. She has now won all her seven races. Trained by Alain de Royer-Dupre for the Aga Khan, Zarkava became the first filly to win the Arc since Urban Sea in 1993, the emphatic manner of her success evoking memories of the great Allez France in 1974. The runner-up spot went for the second year running to Youmzain (12-1), ridden by Richard Hills for English trainer Mick Channon. The colt made late ground but was held by two lengths. Third place in the 16-strong field resulted in a dead-heat between German raider It’s Gino, a 150-1 outsider, and Soldier of Fortune, a 9-2 chance trained in Ireland by Aidan O’Brien.

L’arc de Triomphe 2008 è stata vinta da Zarkava, montata dal franco-belga Christophe Soumilon. La tre anni ha ottenuto la 7ª vittoria in altrettante corse disputate, divenendo la prima femmina, dopo Urban Sea nel 1993, ad aggiudicarsi l’Arc de Triomphe.

When Big Brown turned for home, something wasn’t right. Jockey Kent Desormeaux knew the big bay colt was finished. Trainer Rick Dutrow Jr., who guaranteed racing’s first Triple Crown in 30 years, knew it, too. Big Brown straggled home last Saturday, losing the Belmont Stakes to 38-1 long shot Da’ Tara, who led wire-to-wire. Eased up in the homestretch, the 1-4 favorite was so far behind at the end that his margin of defeat wasn’t even charted.

Not once but twice, jockey Kent Desormeaux sneaked a peak to see if anyone was gaining on Big Brown.His big bay colt ran away with the Preakness on Saturday and now is pointed squarely down the path toward the Triple Crown.

The 3-year-old with the perfect record heads for the Belmont Stakes (ABC, June 7) in three weeks as the fourth horse this decade to try for the triple, a sweep last accomplished by Affirmed in 1978. The last to try was Smarty Jones in 2004.