June 19 (UPI) — While Royal Ascot was hosting some of the season’s most epic battles this week, American racing prepared for a weekend that features the Grade III Ohio Derby at Thistledown and the Grade II Chicago Stakes at Churchill Downs.

Here’s the scoop …

Royal Ascot

Trainer Aidan O’Brien notched his 100th Royal Ascot victory in Thursday’s Group 1 Gold Cup as 4-year-old Scandinavia caught 8-year-old pacesetting favorite and defending champion Trawlerman in the final strides to win by a head. Even the losing camp admitted the race was a classic thriller.

O’Brien typically downplayed his achievement. MV Magnier, one of the Coolmore partners who own the winner, had it in less humble perspective: “It is incredible — for Aidan to get 100 winners here and win the Gold Cup. The king and queen are here. It is a very big deal.”

It also was a very big deal for Scandinavia’s sire, Justify. He also sired the first- and second-place finishers in Thursday’s Chesham Stakes for 2-year-olds. As Justify stands at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud in Kentucky for $200,000, it was a remarkable day for the organization all around.

While the 2 1/2-mile Gold Cup thrilled with a tight finish, Wednesday’s featured Group 1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes got the job done with an electric performance by Godolphin’s superb Ombudsman.

The race billed itself as a showdown involving that one, the 1-2 finishers in last October’s Arc d’Triomphe, Daryz and Minnie Hauk, and possibly Irish Tattersalls Gold Cup winner Almaqam.

Almaqam didn’t fire, but with a furlong to go, it looked like a free-for-all involving the others — until, that is, jockey William Buick gave Ombudsman his cue and he quickly drew off to win by 4 lengths. Minnie Hauk was second, Daryz third.

“The filly ran great. The Arc winner ran great. And probably the horse who won in Ireland [Almaqam] might not have run his race today,” winning trainer John Gosden said. “But, overall, I thought it was one of the great performances of Ombudsman’s career.”

Buick added, “Today, he pleasantly surprised me a little with how well he did it and the feel he gave me. He was exceptional. It’s very rare for a horse to do what he did.”

The race was a “Win and You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Turf, but Gosden dashed any hopes Ombudsman might turn up on Halloween at Keeneland. “He’s too good for a mile and a-half,” he said.

The opening day feature, the Group 1 St James’s Palace for 3-year-olds, ended in another nail-biter, with Guineas winner Bow Echo remaining undefeated by edging Guineas runner-up Gstaad by a short head.

“I think that was the first time Bow Echo got into a proper battle,” winning trainer George Boughey said. “And, I think we’ll see a better horse now that he’s been in a scrap like that. He has done everything we’ve hoped. It’s fine margins in this game. Luckily, he was on the right side of it.

Friday’s Group 1 affairs are the Commonwealth Cup for 3-year-olds going 6 furlongs with a filly, Venetian Sun, taking on colts as the favorite in a field of 22 and the Coronation Cup for 3-year-old fillies with Coolmore stars Precise and True Love facing off.

Saturday could be International Day with Japanese star Satono Reve challenging Australians Joliestar and Overpass in the sole Group 1, the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at 6 furlongs.

Overpass finished third as the favorite in the Group 1 King Charles II Stakes on Day 1. Joliestar, the better fancied of the two, has waited in the wings to put her three-race win streak on the line.

Gather at the bandstand for a sing-along and see ya next year.

Back in North America

The 3-year-olds

The long string of post-Derby derbies moves to Thistledown, near Cleveland, for Saturday’s $500,000 Grade III Ohio Derby, which drew a pretty nice field.

Among the hopefuls are Kentucky Derby third and Preakness fourth Ocelli, who remains a maiden after eight starts, and Chip Honcho, who was third in the Preakness. The favorite is Desert Gate, an Omaha Beach colt who won the Texas Derby by 6 1/4 lengths on Memorial Day. Nice race.

Churchill Downs

Saturday’s $300,000 Grade III Chicago Stakes at Churchill Downs drew a field of eight fillies and mares to go 7 furlongs out of the backstretch chute.

The morning-line favorite is the Brad Cox-trained Eclatant, a 4-year-old Into Mischief filly looking to extend a two-race win streak that includes the Grade 1 Madison at Keeneland on April 4.

The main competition looks like the Bob Baffert-trained Usha. The 4-year-old daughter of Tiz the Law finished third in the Grade I Derby City Distaff on Derby Day and returned to win the Grade III Winning Colors on Memorial Day, three weeks later. Foie Gras and Lotsandlotsofcandy are tasty options.

Thistledown

The Ohio track supports the derby with Saturday’s $250,000 Lady Jacqueline for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles. A field of nine is in from as far afield as California, Maryland and Kentucky.

Elsewhere

Monmouth Park, Laurel Park and Gulfstream Park have $100,000 stakes events Saturday. Aqueduct’s feature is the Spectacular Bid Division of the New York Stallion Stakes.