Calandagan up in time in Dubai Sheema Classic

Just about everyone watching Saturday’s $6 million Dubai Sheema Classic (G1) was on tenterhooks as odds-on favorite Calandagan had a lot of ground to make up on free-wheeling longshot West Wind Blows at Meydan. 

“It was terrifying,” Princess Zahra Aga Khan said of seeing her homebred nonchalantly cantering near the rear entering the homestretch. 

“That was really hard,” trainer Francis-Henri Graffard said.

After all, Calandagan had left it too late in last year’s Sheema, when he was along for second. The Aga Khan Studs’ colorbearer had gone on to greater things in the interim, finishing the season as the world’s top-ranked racehorse. Still, could he really get up from there?

Jockey Mickael Barzalona knew that he would. Blithely confident in the horsepower beneath him, Barzalona unleashed Calandagan down the lane, and the Gleneagles gelding sprouted wings to prevail by three-quarters of a length.

“He’s an incredible horse, he's got his own attitude,” Barzalona said. “I know him very well now, and he always gives plenty in the end, I just need to trust him. 

“That's all that jockeys dream about, to find this kind of incredible horse, and I'm very glad and very grateful for the opportunity to be part of this team as well.”

“It became such a tactical race,” Graffard noted, “and it's difficult because there’s a lot of pressure that comes with running a horse like this.

“The difference now is that Mickael knows him so well.”

Barzalona admitted that West Wind Blows stuck around a lot longer than he anticipated.

“I thought my main dangers were Giavellotto and the (Willie) Mullins horse (Breeders’ Cup Turf [G1] upsetter Ethical Diamond), which was behind me. And when I thought I was going much better than Giavellotto, it was my turn to go. I didn’t expect West Wind Blows to give me that hard a race.”

West Wind Blows turned in yet another big effort for the red-hot yard of Simon and Ed Crisford, drawing 3 1/2 lengths clear of third-placer Giavellotto. Royal Power finished fourth, followed by Ethical Diamond and By the Book. 

Calandagan finished about 1 1/2 miles in 2:27.88, on a course rated good, to rack up his fifth straight Group 1. His skein includes the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (G1), King George VI & Queen Elizabeth (G1), the Champion (G1) at Ascot, and the Japan Cup (G1) in record time at Tokyo. Overall, he sports a mark of 15-9-5-1, highlighted by a romp in the 2024 King Edward VII (G2) at Royal Ascot, seconds in that year’s Juddmonte International (G1) and Champion, and a near-miss in the 2025 Coronation Cup (G1) before his current tear. 

Calandagan’s form was flattered in the race prior to the Sheema, when 2025 Champion runner-up Ombudsman came back to star in the Dubai Turf (G1).

As a “Win and You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Turf, the Sheema Classic prompts the question of whether Calandagan would continue his world tour at Keeneland. His connections want to recover from the Dubai excitement before making plans. 

“He has an amazing stride,” Princess Zahra marveled, “and he also has an amazing motor and a will to win. You can always tell with him, the last few strides, he puts his entire soul into it. It’s amazing to watch.”

Irish-bred Calandagan is out of Group 3-placed Calayana, herself by another Aga Khan great, Sinndar.