This was a weekend of defeats for the stars.

In Germany, Hungarian superstar Overdose was beaten – for the first time ever – in the country's top sprint; in Ireland, leading British-based 2-y-o filly Memory came unstuck when venturing across the Irish Sea; and in North America, Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver delivered a doleful performance in the 'Midsummer Derby', a result which was followed a day later by an unexpected defeat for 2009 Horse Of The Year Rachel Alexandra.

Sunday's racing in Europe saw the first appearance in a Group race in 2010 for the hitherto unbeaten 'Budapest Bullet', Overdose (by Starborough), trained by Jozef Roszival. Attempting to bring his record to 15 wins from as many starts, he finished only seventh behind the French invader Amico Fritz (Fasliyev – Arctic Appeal, by Ahonoora) in Germany's leading sprint event, the 1200 m. Bestewettn.de Goldene Peitsche (Gr.2) at Baden-Baden.

It would be fair to say that Overdose beat himself – he was exceedingly mulish at the start, taking several attempts to load, with Belgian ace Christophe Soumillon having to dismount repeatedly. Having worked himself into a lather during the eight-minute delay, Overdose then stumbled at the start and although he led his 11 rivals along for 800 metres, he weakened rapidly – obviously he had taken a lot out of himself.

The owner Zoltan Mikoczy reportedly commented that Soumillon should have withdrawn Overdose. "The horse wants to race, but today, for some reason, he didn't," Mikoczy said. "In the situation we had today, he shouldn't have run." The rider was more circumspect and would only say, "I've learnt from experience it's best to say nothing in these situations."

Despite the defeat, the connections of Overdose still plan to target the Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp in Paris in early October.

When Aidan O'Brien wins a Group 1 race, it's hardly news. However, so authoritative had Richard Hannon's Memory (by Danehill Dancer) been when scoring at each of her three starts in England, that the Highclere Thoroughbreds' standard bearer started as the even favourite in the Moyglare Stud Stakes (Gr.1; 1400 m.) at the Curragh in Ireland on Sunday while O'Brien's quartet was dismissed at odds ranging from 4-1 to 28-1.

The Ballydoyle stable's second choice Misty For Me (Galileo – Butterfly Cove, by Storm Cat) set sail in the lead and showed rugged determination to remain there till passing the finishing post. Rider Seamus Heffernan, who has ridden in India, put up a gutsy front-running performance on the filly to claim the rich prize. O'Brien commented about his charge: "She's very progressive. The day she won her maiden was only her second start and she has progressed with every run. Her dam is a half-sister to Fasliyev so there is speed there. The Galileos don't know when to give up. She's so courageous and has the pace to go. Seamus always felt she was crying out for a mile. We'll have a look at the Fillies' Mile at Ascot."

One day earlier, the Travers Stakes (Gr.1) was contested across the Atlantic over 10 furlongs at New York State's Saratoga Springs racetrack. Having finished an encouraging fourth in the Izod Haskell Invitational Stakes at Monmouth Park last month, Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver (Maria's Mon – Supercharger, by A.P. Indy) was expected by his connections to redeem himself. Instead he ran a shocker, putting up the worst performance of his 8-race career, one so poor that trainer Todd Pletcher decided immediately to order a comprehensive veterinary evaluation. "He seems OK this morning, nothing dramatically wrong, but maybe there is something underneath that we are not seeing," said Pletcher, the day after the race. It is interesting to note that neither the 2009 Kentucky Derby hero, Mine That Bird, nor this year's star Super Saver has won a single race after their moments in the sun in the Derby.

Meanwhile the Travers was quite a thriller and possibly introduced a new element into the leading three-year-old title race, currently led by Bob Baffert's Lookin At Lucky. This was trainer Jimmy Jerkens' Afleet Express (Afleet Alex – Expanse, by Distant View), who handed his schooler the most important win of his career so far by hanging on grimly in the race by a nostril over Fly Down (by Mineshaft). This was the fourth win from seven starts for Javier Castellano's mount. For Winstar Farms, owners of Super Saver, there was some scant consolation for their pride and hope's defeat – they had acquired Afleet Express's dam in a private transaction some months earlier.

The winner will probably contest the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park on October 2nd en route to the Breeders' Cup in November.

Not for nothing is Saratoga known as the 'Graveyard Of Champions'. Stretching out for the first time to 10 furlongs in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign Stakes on Sunday, 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra (by Medaglia D'Oro) was sent out as the hot favourite but could not land the prohibitively short odds of 45-100. She was soon in front but was persistently harried by the high class Life At Ten (by Malibu Moon) and the pair raced in tandem for about a mile. After putting away that rival, Steve Asmussen's four-year-old went clear in the straight, but could not find enough when tackled by Persistently (Smoke Glacken – Just Reward, by Deputy Minister) under Alan Garcia's strong driving.

Owned and bred by the Phipps Stable, and handled by trainer Claude A. "Shug" McGaughey, the winner races for the very same connections who campaigned Personal Ensign (after whom the race was named) to a perfect 13-for-13 record just over twenty years ago. This was the first stakes victory for Persistently, whose grand-dam, Heavenly Prize (also successful in this race), is an own-sister to the dam of Hazara Stud's new stallion Dancing Forever.

Jess Jackson, joint owner of Rachel Alexandra, issued a statement which read in part: "We are disappointed in the result, as we are sure her countless fans are, but we are certainly not disappointed in her. She is still a superstar in our hearts and minds." That is possibly true but chances of a repeat Horse Of The Year title are fading rapidly. Calvin Borel, rider of Rachel Alexandra added, "She just got outrun. I had everything my way, and she just got outrun." Meanwhile, McGaughey volunteered, "I thought that [Rachel Alexandra] might be a little vulnerable going a mile and a quarter, but we were going to be fine with second. I knew we’d run a mile and a quarter. Her female family runs a long way."

The eldest of seven sons of Sheikh Mohammed, Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Rashid bin Mohammed al Maktoum owns Zabeel Racing International, which has had a measure of success in North America through the likes amongst others of Henny Hughes, Conveyance and Game Face. His most recent star is Richard's Kid (Lemon Drop Kid – Tough Broad, by Broad Brush), whom he acquired after that colt had won the 2009 Pacific Classic (Gr.1) over 10 furlongs at Del Mar for owner Arnold Zetcher. Reappearing in the same event – which incidentally is the richest race in the West – on Sunday, the Bob Baffert-trainee defeated ex-European Crowded House (by Rainbow Quest) by three-parts of length.

Finally, it appears that Coolmore has decided to deviate drastically from its policy of standing only male-line descendants of Northern Dancer. Apparently a deal is about to be closed shortly for Canford Cliffs, who as a son of Tagula is a representative of the Turn-To stirp, via Hail To Reason.