Lovcen wins Japanese Derby; Irish horses dominate French Derby

Lovcen secured victory in the Tokyo Yushun, the Japanese Derby, on Sunday, May 31, establishing himself as a contender for a Triple Crown sweep. The colt, trained by Yoshito Yahagi, narrowly defeated Peintre Naif by a head after running mid-pack for most of the race. Meanwhile, at the French Derby, Aidan O'Brien's horses delivered a strong performance with Constitution River claiming the title, followed by stablemates Hawk River and Montreal. The success of O'Brien's contingent highlighted Irish dominance in the race. Preparations are underway for the upcoming Epsom Derby and Belmont Stakes, with Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo gearing up for the latter after a five-week break.

• 1:33 PMYahoo Sports — Japan,, French derbies, Belmont preparations keep focus on 3-year-olds