I will address a question raised in 'Horsetalk.' Hanging means there is lack of momentum. Imagine a fruit hanging from a tree. When a horse hangs, he or she is not moving forward as fast as he or she could be running.

Lugging is the inability to keep a straight course. There could be interference. When a horse is not running on a straight path, valuable ground is lost. There are a number of reasons for the act of 'lugging.'

Let us begin with what happened in Europe. Two major races were moved from York to Newmarket and one of them, the Darley Yorkshire Oaks, was run on Friday. Lush Lashes, at even money, made amends for her narrow loss in Goodwood's Nassau Stakes. Kevin Manning rode for trainer Jim Bolger. Lush Lashes, the beaten favourite in the Epsom Oaks, won the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot. She suffered a narrow loss in the Nassau and had a trouble-filled journey.

On Saturday at Newmarket, Duke of Marmalade won his fifth Group I race in 2008. It was the 2000-metre Juddmonte International. The Duke had flown to Leeds last Tuesday. He went back to Dublin when Ebor's first day was abandoned. Flying back to England, the Duke showed no signs of travel fatigue in the Juddmonte. Red Rock Canyon set the pace and the 4-6 Duke struck the front with 600 metres left. Phoenix Tower, touched off in the Coral Eclipse by O'Brien's Mount Nelson, came calling with 400 metres to run. It was a duel but the Duke, John Murtagh up, went one better to win by three parts of a length. The time was 2.01.53 on a good to firm track. New Approach, at 2-1 and the Derby winner at Epsom, made his reappearance and was fighting for his head and was a non-threatening third.

Aidan O'Brien spoke about the Duke. "He's an amazing horse, the special one. If good horses are made of stone, this one is made of something harder. All the credit goes to the lads in the team and Johnny (Murtagh) who did a great job."

Duke of Marmalade gave Aidan O'Brien the 17th Group I win this year. The record of 25 for most Grade I wins in a year is held by Robert Frankel. The Irish Champion Stakes on September 6, at Leopardstown is the next race for Duke of Marmalade, who is likely to be opposed by Phoenix Tower, New Approach and Casual Conquest,

John Murtagh flew to Paris to ride at Deauville on Sunday. There was another Group I victory awaiting him. The David Wachman-trained Bushranger, John Murtagh up, got the better of the Jimmy Fortune-ridden Gallagher, by one half length. The race was the 1200-metre Prix Morny for freshman girls and boys.

Trainer Wachman expressed optimism about his ward. "Bushranger is a versatile individual. He can stay further."

Bushranger gave John Murtagh his 17th Group I win in 2008. Bushranger's Prix Morny win boosted Master Craftsman's stock. The latter beat Bushranger by five lengths in the Curragh's Phoenix Stakes. Master Craftsman is now the 5-1 favourite for next year's English 2000 Guineas.

On Friday at Saratoga, Ginger Punch had to pull out all the stops to justify favouritism in the $400,000 Personal Ensign Stakes. It was a 2000-metre race and Ginger Punch won by virtue of a head bob in the final stride. Lemon Drop Mom led with 300 metres to run and Ginger Punch joined issue. The time was 2.03.37 Ginger Punch paid $3.30.

Winning jockey Rafael Bejarano spoke in glowing terms. "Ginger Punch is a super filly. She tries all the time. The race was very close and very scary. The other horse tried hard but my horse does not quit. She runs until the end."

Trainer Robert Frankel let the cat out of the bag. "She was in heat. I was a nervous wreck."

Saturday's Travers Stakes at Saratoga provided a finish that had the grandstanders on the edges of their seats. The Travers is a race with a million dollar purse and is for three year-olds. It is run over 2000 metres.

Mambo In Seattle took the lead with less than 400 metres to run. When it looked like the winner had been spotted, Colonel John, finding a seam in heavy traffic, made his bid. It was a duel and as the post loomed large, neither was giving in. Jockey Robbie Albarado, riding Mambo In Seattle, raised his right hand in a gesture suggesting that he had won. Moments later, the photo showed that Albarado was wrong. Colonel John, the second favourite at 4-1, had won by a nose. It was a matter of inches.

Eoin Harty, Colonel John's trainer, expressed relief. "He had an unhappy trip in the Kentucky Derby. We would not have beaten Big Brown that day. In the Breeders' Cup, I want a crack at Big Brown."

Garrett Gomez, the winning rider, described his ride. "We had a good trip. I had my hands full trying to weave my way in and out. We were a bit slow leaving. The way he ran today was a heck of a performance."

Neil Howard, Mambo In Seattle's trainer, had Grasshopper in the 2007 Travers. Street Sense beat Grasshopper narrowly.

Not to be outdone by John Murtagh, Garrett Gomez flew to Los Angeles on Sunday. He missed his first engagement. It is a six-hour flight. He partnered Go Between, the 5-2 favourite, to victory in the million-dollar Grade I Pacific Classic. Making a run from the rear, Gomez timed his move to perfection to catch Well Armed in the waning yards. Mast Track took third. The time was 2.01.10 for the 2000-metre race. Go Between, a five year-old by Point Given, now has a berth in the Breeders' Cup Classic.

It was two Group I wins for jockey Gomez in two days. The Travers was in the East coast and the Pacific Classic was in the West coast.

At Saratoga on Saturday, Visionaire came from far back to win the Grade I $250,000 King's Bishop Stakes. The margin was two and one quarter lengths. Visionaire clocked 1 21.94 over 1400 metres. The return was $15.60. Alan Garcia, Visionaire's jockey, had a five-winner tally at Saratoga on Saturday.

Trainer Michael Matz spoke about his trainee's big heart. "He has just one style of running. It can get nerve-wracking. These horses had big numbers. We just had a horse with a lot of heart and he proved it today."

Shakis, an Irish-bred, won the Bernard Baruch handicap two years running. It was another win for jockey Alan Garcia. Shakis made up a lot of ground in the lane to score by three parts of a length. Shakis paid $14.80.

Kiaran McLaughlin, trainer of Shakis, paid a compliment to jockey Garcia. "I did not think we had a chance at the top of the stretch. I was afraid they were not going fast enough. Alan is a great judge of pace and did a great job."

In other news, Forest Wildcat, a Storm Cat progeny, is dead. Forest Wildcat died on August 21 near Lexington. He was 17. Var, winner of the Prix l'Abbaye, is a Forest Wilcat offspring. Forest Secrets, another Forest Wilcat progeny, won the Grade I Acorn Stakes.

Big Brown will run next in the $500,000 Monmouth Stakes, a grass race, on September 13. The purse has been increased from $200,000 because of Big Brown's participation. The plan is to move from dirt to grass and go on to the synthetic surface at Santa Anita for the Breeders' Cup Classic. Big Brown won his maiden race on turf at Saratoga back in September 2007.

The Breeders' Cup races this year will have also eligible lists in oversubscribed races. An oversubscribed race is one in which there are more than 14 horses (or 12 in the case of three races).

Greg Avioli, the President of the Breeders' Cup organization, said, "our goal is to have as many full fields as possible. Also eligible lists increase the opportunity to give many top quality horses the chance to compete."

The Grade I Ballerina Stakes was the feature at Saratoga on Sunday. As an energy-sapping duel took a lot out of the front horses, Intangaroo rallied off the pace to win decisively. Gary Sherlock was winning his first Grade I race. The 1400-metre race was run in 1 22.18.

Intangaroo has earned a spot in the Breeders' Cup Sprint. Winning jockey Alonso Quinonez was thrilled. "It's my first time here. My first win. What can I say? I'm excited. I just followed instructions. I was a good passenger. She (Intangaroo) relaxes when she's behind horses. When she's not, she wants to go. So, I kept her behind horses and she was perfect."