Rokoduguni in their starting XV for Saturdays second autumn internationa

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. -- Mike Smith knew he was going fast early aboard Songbird in Saturdays Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama at Saratoga. Though he had the undefeated champion a few paths outside of pacesetter Go Maggie Go, they were in virtual lockstep through the first six furlongs of the 10-furlong race run in 1:11.13.I cant honestly tell you I wasnt concerned, Smith said.But every so often, Smith would look down at Songbird and could see - and feel - she had no concerns whatsoever despite the rapid early pace.Around the far turn, Songbird left Go Maggie Go behind and the rest was rather easy as Songbird cruised home a seven-length winner of the 136th Alabama before an announced crowd of 40,329 on a perfect summer afternoon.Songbird is perfection embodied as she ran her record to 10 for 10, this being her sixth Grade 1 victory.I never like to say its easy, but shes just got a lot of talent and makes it look easy, but its not easy, said Jerry Hollendorfer, the trainer of Songbird.What wasnt easy Saturday was the fact owner Rick Porter wasnt at Saratoga for the race. Instead, he is hospitalized in Delaware, making the victory even more meaningful to Hollendorfer and Smith.Mr. Porter is having a little bit of a hard time of it right now, but hes a real tough guy and we expect him to come through with flying colors, Hollendorfer said. It was our hope and wish that we could win for him today and we did.Smith said he had the chance to speak briefly to Porter on Friday.It was extremely important we win this and lift Mr. Porters spirits, Smith said. Hes fighting. Were hoping. Were praying.Songbird had a fight on her hands as Go Maggie Go, breaking from post 4 under Luis Saez, went to the front. Songbird, breaking from post 6, took Smith right with her through a quarter-mile in 23.76 seconds, a half in 47.77, and six furlongs in 1:11.13.Im a rider Im thinking a hundred different things, Smith said. Who is going to make the late charge? Have we done too much soon? But I look down at her about every five steps and shes just doing what she does. Every now and then shed throw an ear [up] so I knew she was comfortable. Me, in my head, Im trying to figure out whats going on behind me.Smiths biggest fear was that Weep No More would pull a reprise of what she did in the Grade 1 Ashland at Keeneland in April when she came from out of the clouds to nail Rachels Valentina and Cathryn Sophia on the wire. But no one was coming.I was coaxing her with the whip just a little, I wasnt really hitting her, just stay the same, you dont have to go no faster, Smith said. Then I stood up and saw she was 10 in front.Going for Broke, making her stakes debut, rallied from sixth to get second by 1-3/4 lengths over Family Tree. Weep No More, Flora Dora, Go Maggie Go, and Dark Nile, who was eased, completed the order of finish.Songbird covered the 1-1/4 miles in 2:03.00, running the last quarter-mile in 26.99 seconds. She returned $2.40 as the favorite.She was tired, but theyre supposed to be going a mile and quarter with those early fractions, Smith said. Im not going to lie to you and say she came back skipping. I mean she was blowing but the sign of a champion is how shell recover in a couple of days.Songbird return to a loud ovation from the Saratoga faithful, some holding Songbird posters that the New York Racing Association gave away.Songbird is expected to ship back to Southern California on Tuesday. But, she is expected to return east for the Grade 1, $1 million Cotillion at Parx on Sept. 24. Cristiano Ronaldo Jersey . 4 Villanova with a 96-68 drubbing on Monday. Wragge hit 9-of-14 from behind the arc, matching Kyle Korvers school record for 3-pointers in a game set in 2003, as Creighton (16-3, 6-1 Big East broke a conference record with 21 treys in the rout. Juventus Jerseys . 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John McKee believes the creation of a Pacific Islands Super Rugby franchise would eventually transform Fiji into heavyweights of the game.Plans are underway to establish a team comprising of players from Englands opponents at Twickenham on Saturday, plus Samoa and Tonga, that would compete in an expanded version of the southern hemisphere competition.By offering professional rugby in the Pacific Islands in the form of franchise that would be operational in the early 2020s, it is hoped that the player drain to overseas clubs can be stemmed.England are among the nations profiting from Fijians opting for the greater riches available outside their homeland as they prepare to name Nathan Hughes and Semesa Rokoduguni in their starting XV for Saturdays second autumn international.McKee views the emergence of Argentina since their exposure to Super Rugby as proof that Fiji might also power into rugbys top tier.It costs a lot of money to run a Super Rugby franchise and the economies in the Pacific are small economies, but it could become a reality in the next five to six years, McKee said. I certainly feel that the groundswell has changed a little bit and were realistically moving towards that now.From a national coaching perspective, to have our players playing in Super Rugby would be hugely beneficial for the national team because the windows fit in with the Test match windows.We woulld have access to a fair number of our squad at home over the whole 12 months.dddddddddddd We would still select players from Europe, but the core of our team would be at home.With the talented athletes we have, if we had a Super Rugby team, we would be right up there.If you look at Argentina, they have improved since joining Super Rugby. They found it a bit tough with all the travel, but its enabled them to have the core of their players at home for the majority of the year.You can see how Argentinas style has changed - they are a much more dangerous team now and had a very successful World Cup, playing very un-Argentinean style rugby. That has come from playing Super Rugby.Fiji captain Akapusi Qera believes that having a Super Rugby franchise in the Pacific Islands would have a profound impact on their ability to halt the exodus and urges World Rugby to invest in the project.Having Super Rugby would bring professionalism to the islands and it would raise question marks on whether to come to Europe or not. If it happened, most of the boys would tend to stay rather than moving on, Qera said. If World Rugby wants the tier two nations to compete with the tier one nations, then they have to look into this investment in order to level the playing field. ' ' '