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Dubai World Cup Day: Initial Thoughts

admin — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 19:05:00 +0000

The post positions are set for Dubai World Cup day. Here’s our quick race-by-race rundown (including links to the handy interactive racecards from Emirates Racing).

Godolphin Mile
Gayego seems to be thriving since his purchase by Godolphin and his subsequent move to the UAE; he won over the same track earlier this month. Godolphin also has Two Step Salsa in this race. Art of War finished third behind Asiatic Boy earlier this month, but the shorter distance may suit him here. California-based Informed is looking to build his profile as well. While it’s an interesting field all around, I like Gayego’s chances.

UAE Derby
This is, on paper, Desert Party’s coming out party; a win here sends him to Kentucky. Looking to spoil the his day are Regal Ransom and Redding Colliery, both horses who finished behind him last time out. I should know more about the rest of the field, but alas, I do not. I wouldn’t be entirely surprised to see Desert Party beaten, though.

Golden Shaheen
Indian Blessing was a bit unlucky to draw the outside post here; I don’t think that bodes well for her chances, but I also think Diabolical is not quite the threat he might have been in the past. Hammadi is coming off a win here and he may be one to watch. I do hope Indian Blessing gets to pick up a check.

Dubai Duty Free
This may be the most competitive race on the card – there are so many horses I like in this race, including Archipenko, Tuesday Joy, Niconero, Paco Boy, Lady Marian and Jay Peg hoping to defend his title. Kip Deville seems outgunned here. I’m thinking Archipenko might pull it off, but Lady Marian has Frankie Dettori aboard…

Sheema Classic
Another very interesting international field; Youmzain may be past his best, and I’m curious to see where Red Rocks fits in this picture, but I confess I’m chiefly watching Front House (a winner here recently), Doctor Dino and King of Rome. Quijano could give Germany a Dubai win.

Dubai World Cup
Asiatic Boy is looking to win after finishing second last year, and trainer Mike de Kock has again enlisted the services of Johnny Murtagh. Happy Boy is another strong contender, although the outside post position could be detrimental to My Indy. Albertus Maximus is the toughest US-based entrant and is doing everything right, but I’m not sure I love his or Well Armed’s chances on Saturday (and the same goes for Japan’s Casino Drive). Asiatic Boy just may pull it off this time.

Fantasy Horse Racing?

admin — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 16:37:00 +0000

I enjoyed Joe Drape’s column in the Times regarding the ongoing medication and safety issues in American racing and would love to see some of these ideas taken much further. However, I do wonder about his suggestion that should British-based Mafaaz win the Derby on hay, oats and water we’d see a collective return to basics – it didn’t happen after Raven’s Pass won the Breeders’ Cup Classic, but perhaps we’re just slow over here and need repeated reminders. It’s an interesting notion.

There will be plenty of drug-free horses running in Dubai this weekend; the World Cup is almost upon us. It’s something of a quiet US contingent this year (at least compared to Curlin last year), with Albertus Maximus, Arson Squad and Well Armed heading the American charge in the big race (along with, somewhat oddly, Anak Nakal). Indian Blessing will be taking on the boys in the Golden Shaheen (although one hopes she’ll dress more appropriately for the event than My Little Slave Princess Leia) and Gayego appears in the Godolphin Mile. Post positions will be determined on Wednesday, and we’ll have much more on each race later in the week.

There may also some American horses trying their luck in Britain later this spring – Kenny McPeek’s Dream Empress and Striking Dancer will take aim at the Epsom Oaks (largely, it seems, because we have no equivalent mile-and-a-half turf race for them Stateside). It is possible Theregoesjojo will point to that Derby, rather than its Kentucky counterpart – it sounds almost as though he and Mafaaz may simply switch places.

Check back later this week for more on the Florida Derby and the Dubai World Cup…

Nothing Definitive

admin — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 14:44:00 +0000

Last weekend’s racing may have produced more questions that answers; Albertus Maximus (pictured) was a worthy winner of the Donn (although Einstein overcame a terrible post position and a rough trip to hang on for third on his less-than-favorite surface, so at least he picked up a check) and is off to Dubai for the World Cup. I’m not ready to put him in Invasor’s shoes just yet, but he does seem to be hitting his best stride now – and the more good older horses running, the better.

Kip Deville may also head to Dubai for the Duty Free after edging out Just as Well and Court Vision (who may be better suited to turf miles) in the Gulfstream Park Turf, but given that his last international outing (up the track in the Hong Kong Mile – given the Dutrow connection, I’m sure many draw their own conclusions about that, but equally he may just not like travel) was not so encouraging, he is just as likely to head to Kentucky next.

The three-year-olds were a mixed bag; I was impressed by Capt. Candyman Can’s professional win in the Hutcheson over a slightly greener (but not unpromising) Hello Broadway – and as a gelding, there’s every chance he’ll stick around for a while. However, the Holy Bull was entirely confusing; while you can argue post position had a lot to do with the West Side Bernie and Beethoven finishing mid-pack behind longshot Saratoga Sinner, I still didn’t see much to get terribly excited about from this field – yet.

The Derby trail horses I am most looking forward to following to have yet to start this season, but one should appear on Saturday: Stardom Bound makes her 2009 bow in the Las Virgenes. If she wins there, she is likely on to the Santa Anita Derby – and potentially the other one in Kentucky. Following in the footsteps of Winning Colors is no bad thing. Here’s hoping she doesn’t pull a Halfbridled and discover boys first.

I am still waiting for Old Fashioned to make his first start of the year as well – he’s been working like crazy, but the plan to send him to Oaklawn for the Southwest had been up in the air after trainer Larry Jones had run afoul of stewards there in an unrelated situation – apparently everyone is friends again, and we should see Old Fashioned follow the Smarty Jones path in a few weeks.

Check back later in the week for more on the Las Virgenes, the Robert B. Lewis and the Risen Star as we start hitting the Derby trail proper…