Number's no Secret after Al Bastakiya

Overcoming a wide trip from post 11, Godolphin's Secret Number remained

unbeaten from two starts in Saturday's $250,000 Al Bastakiya, thus emerging as a

leading contender for the Group 2 U.A.E. Derby back at Meydan on March 30.

Secret Number, from the first crop of Raven's Pass, became his sire's second

major winner during the Carnival. The first was Lovely Pass, who landed the

U.A.E. One Thousand Guineas on February 7.

A mightily-promising debut winner over a mile on Kempton's Polytrack on

October 24, Secret Number was stepping up considerably in distance to about 1

3/16 miles, and in class, for this middle jewel of the U.A.E. Triple Crown. But

the Saeed bin Suroor pupil took it all in stride, kicking off a four-win bonanza

for his trainer on the Super Saturday card.

Secret Number, who broke poorly in his only prior start, wasn't quick into

stride in the Al Bastakiya either for new rider Kieren Fallon. But as the

Argentine-bred filly Emotif set the pace, tracked by I'm Back and Zahee, Secret

Number steadily advanced on the backstretch.

By the time Zahee took command turning into the homestretch, Secret Number

had worked his way into contention. The inexperienced colt kept on relentlessly

after the New Zealand-bred Zahee, and ultimately wore down his more seasoned foe

to win going away by two lengths.

Zahee stayed on for second by 1 3/4 lengths from the closing Snowboarder,

gaining revenge for his two Carnival losses going shorter. Snowboarder had

beaten Zahee when placing in both the Group 3 U.A.E Two Thousand Guineas and

Guineas Trial, and their proximity again here gives this result a solid look.

Elleval rallied for fourth, followed by Emotif, I'm Back, Deauville Prince,

Tarbawi, Darkening and Stasio. Fortify was scratched.

Secret Number, who negotiated about 1 3/16 miles in 2:01 1/5,  has now

amassed $154,644. Bred by Darley in Great Britain, the bay is a half-brother to

multiple Group 1-winning French highweight Librettist, Group 1 victor Dubai

Destination, and Slovakia, the dam of Australian Group 2 scorer Tatra.

Secret Number's dam, the Alleged mare Mysterial, is in turn a half-sister to

Japanese champion sprinter Hishi Akebono and to multiple Group 1 star Agnes

World. This is also the family of Japanese Grade 2 vixen and classic-placed

Broad Street and multiple Group 3 winner Moonwalk in Paris, third in Saturday's

Group 3 Burj Nahaar for Godolphin.

In the next race on the card, M.C. Berzack and B. Joffe's top-class South

African dasher Shea Shea smashed the course record in the $175,000 Meydan

Sprint. By blitzing about five furlongs down the straight in :57 on the good

turf, the Mike de Kock charge cast himself as the one to beat in the Group 1 Al

Quoz Sprint on Dubai World Cup night.

Shea Shea brought a strong resume to Dubai. Formerly trained by Geoff

Woodruff in his homeland, the National Emblem gelding beat older horses in the

Group 1 Golden Horse Casino Sprint in 2011, in addition to capturing the Group 3

Man o'War Sprint and placing in the Group 1 Computaform Sprint and Group 3 Tony

Ruffel Stakes. Shea Shea was in superb form when winning both starts in 2012, a

prep run at Vaal and a 2 1/4-length conquest of the April 28 Computaform Sprint.

Shelved thereafter while making the roundabout trek to Dubai, Shea Shea was a

ring-rusty seventh in his first start for de Kock here on January 31. He shaped

with promise that day, though, under 132 pounds, and made plenty of progress

ahead of this second tilt.

Shea Shea was always prominent, easily wrested control, and slammed the field

by 2 1/2 lengths. Christophe Soumillon wrapped up on him, and he made it his

track-record performance look effortless, while improving his record to

18-9-2-3, $321,933.

Sole Power, a close runner-up in this race last year, settled for second by a

more resounding margin this time. Russian Soul was a one-paced third over

Russian Rock, who was making a rapid reappearance one day after defending his

title in Friday's Jebel Ali Sprint. Next came Spirit Quartz, Medicean Man,

Seachantach, Monsieur Joe, Dandy Boy, Ballista, Invincible Ash, Red Dubawi,

Secret Asset. Vocational, Silaah and My Special J's.

Bred by Klawervlei Stud, Shea Shea is out of the Jallad mare Yankee Clipper,

a half-sister to multiple South African stakes scorer Melting Moments and to the

stakes-placed Senor Senna. He hails from the immediate family of multiple Group

1-winning sprinter Fov's Favourite.

The result of the other Super Saturday sprint, the Group 3, $200,000 Mahab al

Shimaal, was much less formful. All eyes were on defending champion Krypton

Factor, but he was upset by Zabeel Racing International's Reynaldothewizard, who

has suddenly developed into a prospect for the Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen on

World Cup night.

The addition of blinkers has worked the oracle for Reynaldothewizard, now

two-for-two since donning the headgear. Victorious in a handicap over this about

six-furlong distance on Tapeta January 31, the Satish Seemar veteran carved out

a similar trip in this tougher spot. Richard Mullen had the seven-year-old

gelding well placed, tracking the pacesetter Ganas, and he rolled past him in

the stretch.

Krypton Factor, the reigning Golden Shaheen winner, couldn't accelerate or

even make it competitive. The new-and-improved Reynaldothewizard toppled the

favorite by four lengths, earning his first stakes victory in a final time of

1:11 4/5.

Balmont Mast checked in another 1 1/2 lengths astern in third. Time Prisoner

found his best stride a bit too late in his synthetic debut, but was along for

fourth. Ganas weakened to fifth, trailed by Hitchens, Jaasoos, August Rush,

Faridat and Alazeyab.

Reynaldothewizard hadn't even competed in stakes company since leaving

original trainer Eoin Harty. As a juvenile in 2008, the son of Speightstown was

third in the Grade 2 Saratoga Special and 10th in the Grade 1 Breeders'

Futurity. After his fourth in the 2009 San Miguel in his sophomore bow, he found

his home in allowance company. His move to Dubai, and transfer to Seemar, did

not raise his sights. A regular on the Meydan circuit since 2010,

Reynaldothewizard had kept to the handicap ranks until Super Saturday, when he

upped his mark to 17-6-1-2, $308,290.

Bred by Gibraltar Group in Kentucky, Reynaldothewizard brought $400,000 as a

Keeneland September yearling and $775,000 as a Fasig-Tipton Florida

two-year-old. He was produced by Grade 2-placed multiple stakes heroine Holiday

Runner, a Meadowlake mare, making him a half-brother to multiple Grade 1 star

Seventh Street and Grade 2-placed American Story.

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