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Asiatic Boy stakes World Cup claim
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Asiatic Boy was too strong in the closing stages
(Dubai Racing Club/Andrew Watkins) |
The Super Thursday card at Nad al Sheba lived up to its billing, with
its preps furnishing plenty of clues for the Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1)
program on March 28. In the $300,000 Maktoum Challenge Round 3 (UAE-G2),
Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Maktoum's ASIATIC BOY (Not for Sale)
served notice that he will once again be a major player in the $6
million World Cup. A star at the 2007 Dubai International Racing
Carnival when sweeping the Triple Crown, and runner-up to Curlin in last
year's World Cup, the Mike de Kock charge showed on Thursday that he is
returning to his sparkling best.Asiatic Boy, who was poorly drawn in post 15, was reserved just off
the pace by Johnny Murtagh, while stablemate Art of War (Kahal [GB]) led
the way. When Art of War was swallowed up by Happy Boy (Ski Champ) in
the stretch, Asiatic Boy also appeared to be treading water.
Midway down the straight, though, Asiatic Boy began to strike top
gear. The bay collared Happy Boy, and after a brief tussle between the
"boys," Asiatic Boy edged away to score by 2 1/4 lengths. The final time
was 2:03 for about 1 1/4 miles on the fast track. Happy Boy crossed the
wire 6 1/4 lengths clear of third-placer Art of War, with Godolphin's
Kirklees (Jade Robbery) fourth in his dirt debut.
"The Dubai World Cup has been his target ever since last March and
that run should have put him spot on," de Kock said. "To win from that
draw was a great effort." |
Asiatic Boy now brandishes a mark of 14-7-3-2 with $3,068,090 in earnings.
Sidelined for about 10 months after the 2008 World Cup, the six-year-old
returned to action with a close third in Round 2 of the Maktoum Challenge
(UAE-G3) on February 5. Bred by Haras Arroyo de Luna in Argentina, Asiatic Boy
is out of the winning Polish Navy mare S. S. Asiatic.
De Kock's other World Cup hopeful, Honour Devil (Honour and Glory), was a
valiant second to SNAAFY (Kingmambo) in the $200,000 Burj Nahaar (UAE-G3) at
about one mile. Honour Devil had to work hard on the front end early with
Murtagh, and he paid for it late. After opening up by daylight, he shortened
stride in the final furlong and succumbed to the closing rush of Snaafy.
Conditioned by Musabah al Muhairi and ridden by Richard Hills, the five-year-old
bay burst 2 1/2 lengths clear in a final time of 1:37.
Snaafy, who was coming off a pair of scores in allowance company, now shapes
up as a candidate for the Godolphin Mile (UAE-G2) on World Cup night. Bred by
Shadwell Farm in Kentucky, he sports the colors of Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al
Maktoum. The son of English stakes heroine Nafisah (Ire) (Lahib) improved his
record to 12-5-1-3 with $294,484 to his credit.
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Front House captured the prep for the Sheema Classic
(Dubai Racing Club/Andrew Watkins) |
De Kock did enjoy one other win on the evening, courtesy of the four-year-old
filly FRONT HOUSE (Sadler's Wells), who defeated a crack group of males in the
$250,000 Dubai City of Gold (UAE-G2). Although she was in danger of being
compromised by the far outside post 16, Kevin Shea managed to negate its effects
when dropping her over into a stalking third. Relishing the step-up in trip to
about 1 1/2 grassy miles, the Irish-bred bay pounced in the stretch and stayed
on too well to be caught. Front House ultimately stopped the clock in 2:31 3/5
on the good turf.The seven-year-old Quijano (Ger) (Acatenango), who captured the 2007 City of
Gold as a Group 3 event, rallied late but fell a half-length short in his
seasonal reappearance. Also doing his best work late was the winner's stablemate
King of Rome (Montjeu [Ire]), who reported home another half-length adrift of
Quijano in third. Purple Moon (Galileo [Ire]) flirted with a challenge at the
top of the lane, only to have his effort stall, but he still wound up a useful
fourth.
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Front House, a daughter of the Darshaan mare Adjalisa, was bred by Triermore
Stud in the Emerald Isle and is campaigned by Mrs. John Magnier and
Wilgerbosdrift Stud. She ranked among the very best of her generation in South
Africa, capturing the Gold Circle Oaks (SAf-G2), just missing in the South
African Oaks (SAf-G1) and finishing third in the Woolavington 2000 (SAf-G1).
Front House was an honorable second in both of her Dubai Carnival efforts, the
Cape Verdi S. (UAE-G3) and Balanchine S. (UAE-G3) over shorter distances, and
she has boosted her bankroll to $285,859 from her 9-5-3-1 record.
"She is a nice filly and hopefully improving," Shea said. "She has improved
for each of her two previous runs and hopefully we can look at the Dubai Sheema
Classic (UAE-G1) now."
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Balius finished with a flourish in the Duty Free prep
(Dubai Racing Club/Andrew Watkins) |
In the nearly nine-furlong Jebel Hatta (UAE-G2) on the turf, BALIUS (Mujahid)
made a winning Dubai debut for his new connections, Sheikh Rashid bin Mohammed
al Maktoum and trainer Abdulla bin Huzaim. After racing in midpack with Willie
Supple, the bay flashed home on the outside to prevail by 1 1/4 lengths while
crossing the wire in 1:48 4/5.
Longtime leader Jay Peg (Camden Park) dead-heated for runner-up honors with
de Kock's Russian Sage (Jallad), the pair finishing a short head in front of
Imbongi (Russian Revival), another de Kock pupil. Japanese Horse of the Year
Vodka (Tanino Gimlet), who was bottled up in traffic for almost the entire
stretch, was a close fifth.
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"He is a nice horse with some very good form in the book and he has quickened
nicely there," Supple said of Balius. "We will have to look at the Duty Free
(UAE-G1) with him."
Indeed, the five-time French stakes hero acquitted himself admirably in three
top-level contests in 2008. Third to Jay Peg in the Singapore Airlines
International Cup (Mal-G1), Balius was runner-up to Archipenko (Kingmambo) in
the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (HK-G1) and to Eagle Mountain (GB) (Rock of Gibraltar
[Ire]) in the Hong Kong Cup (HK-G1) last time out. He has compiled a mark of
23-9-8-1 with $1,701,890 in his account. Out of the winning Nashwan mare Akhla,
the six-year-old was bred in Ireland by Stilvi Compania Financiera S A. Balius
is on course for a rematch with Archipenko in the Duty Free.
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Gayego advertised his Golden Shaheen potential
(Dubai Racing Club/Andrew Watkins) |
Godolphin was represented by two winners on the night. New recruit GAYEGO
(Gilded Time) was reportedly not fully cranked, with horseman Saeed bin Suroor
forecasting improvement for the run in Thursday's $200,000 Mahab al Shimaal
(UAE-G3). Accordingly, Frankie Dettori opted to ride defending champion
Diabolical (Artax), leaving Ted Durcan to pilot Gayego. As it turned out, the
massive dark bay exceeded expectations with a powerful victory in the sprint.
Hitting his best stride inside the final furlong, he blew past the
razor-sharp Big City Man (Northern Afleet) and won well in hand by
three-quarters of a length. Gayego reeled off the six furlongs down the
straightaway in 1:11, thrusting himself into the picture for the Dubai Golden
Shaheen (UAE-G1). Diabolical traveled well before tiring late and finished
another 3 1/2 lengths astern in third.
Gayego's line now reads 10-5-2-0, $883,020. Last season for Paulo Lobo, he
landed the Arkansas Derby (G2) and San Pedro S. and garnered second in the San
Felipe S. (G2). Freshened after his unplaced efforts in the Kentucky Derby (G1)
and Preakness (G1), Gayego returned in the fall and was last seen winning an
allowance/optional claimer in track-record time at Hollywood. He was bred in
Kentucky by Hargus and Sandra Sexton and produced by the winning Lost Code mare
Devils Lake.
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One race earlier, Godolphin swept the top two placings in the $150,000 Meydan
Classic, a conditions race for sophomores on the turf. This time, Dettori was on
the right one, guiding CITY STYLE (City Zip) to a workmanlike 1 3/4-length tally
over stablemate Liberation (Refuse to Bend [Ire]). Naval Officer (Tale of the
Cat) made good progress late for third in his Dubai bow.
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City Style led home the Godolphin exacta
(Dubai Racing Club/Andrew Watkins) |
By finishing about 7 1/2 furlongs in 1:32 1/5, the chestnut gelding increased
his earnings to $278,670 from his 6-4-1-0 record. He was bred by Stonerside
Stable in Kentucky and acquired by Sheikh Mohammed in his purchase of the
Stonerside holdings. Successful in the Sunday Silence S. and fourth in the
Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, City Style was most recently an impressive
allowance winner over the Nad al Sheba turf.Godolphin's hopes for Thursday's $250,000 Al Bastakiya, a stepping stone to
the U.A.E. Derby (UAE-G2), took a blow with the injury to champion Midshipman (Unbridled's
Song), and his understudy, Jose Adan (Crypto Star), was unable to come through
for the yard.
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Instead, Sheikh Majid bin Mohammed al Maktoum's SOY LIBRIANO (Ride the Rails)
emerged victorious, overhauling I Am the Best (King's Best) in midstretch and
safely holding Jose Adan at bay. Under an energetic Supple ride, the Mubarak bin
Shafya trainee completed about 1 1/8 miles in 1:52 3/5. The Argentinean-bred
colt is considered a four-year-old by Northern Hemisphere reckoning.
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Soy Libriano (right) could head to the UAE Derby
(Dubai Racing Club/Andrew Watkins) |
Godolphin's Triple Crown nominee Jose Adan was forwardly placed early by
Durcan, but the dark bay gelding had to be shoved along to maintain his position
along the inside. Jose Adan appeared to be coming up empty in the stretch, while
I Am the Best struck the front and then Soy Libriano made his move. Once Jose
Adan was switched off the fence and angled to the outside, however, he found new
energy. Although Soy Libriano was gone beyond recall, Jose Adan rolled past I Am
the Best and was steadily gaining ground late. The Illinois-bred reduced the
winner's margin to two lengths at the wire. It was another 1 3/4 lengths back to
British-bred I Am the Best in third.
Bred by Abolengo, Soy Libriano was produced by Soy Ariana (Equalize). He
previously raced in Uruguay, where he romped in the Clasico Ensayo (Uru-G3) and
finished second in the Gran Premio Criterium (Uru-G2). In his Dubai debut, the
dark bay was runner-up to I Am the Best in a December 26 conditions event. Soy
Libriano advanced his scorecard to 9-4-3-1, $184,849.
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