Sheikhzayedroad survives foul claim in Northern Dancer Turf

Reporting Star had an eventful beginning to the Northern Dancer as well, for

he reportedly bounced off the rail in the early going. Stein, who was noticeably

jostled around, did well to stay aboard. Perched over his withers from that

point on, Stein coaxed his mount along on the front end through fractions of

:52, 1:17 4/5, 1:43 and 2:07 3/5.

Sheikhzayedroad, last early after a tardy start, improved his position before

Lane drove him onward into the stretch, and pointed him toward an inviting

opening on the fence. The five-year-old stayed on strongly to overtake Reporting

Star, but Dynamic Sky was also finishing fast on the outside. Despite veering

out late, Sheikhzayedroad held Dynamic Sky at bay by a half-length, bumped him

for good measure at the wire, and completed 1 1/2 miles on the good turf in 2:32

1/5.

"Really pleased, lovely race to win," said Simcock, who later saddled

Trade

Storm to scoop a Grade 1 double in the Woodbine Mile. "He is a grand horse and tries

really hard. He has his quirks. He runs about a bit, but that's normal for him.

He did a lot worse when he was a younger horse, I assure you, and he never wins

by far. He thinks he's done enough once he's got there. He's terrific."

"The race couldn't have worked out any better," Lane said. "He was able to

come around the reins-side all the way and when we straightened up he picked up

all the way to the line for me.

"He's gone to win real easy. He's probably got a length up."

Dynamic Sky checked in three-quarters of a length in front of Reporting Star,

who was tightened up when the winner took a starboard lurch. Villandry wound up

another 4 1/2 lengths back in fourth, followed by The Pizza Man, Aldous Snow,

Perfect Timber, Karibu Gardens and defending champion Forte Dei Marmi.

Sheikhzayedroad paid $8.30 to win while advancing his line to 21-8-3-4,

$501,880. Tenth in the 2012 Wood Ditton, the famed newcomers' event for

three-year-olds at Newmarket, the bay won next time out at Hamilton and

proceeded to learn his craft in handicaps. He was beaten by eventual Group 2

winners Thomas Chippendale and Universal, and by a future Cambridgeshire hero in

Educate, but also scored three wins at that level in England.

After Sheikhzayedroad landed a handicap on 2013 Derby Day at Epsom, he tried

the Wolferton at Royal Ascot and finished a close second. He held his own at the

Group 3 level when a troubled third in the Glorious at Goodwood, and signed off

for the season following a ninth in the Ebor. Reappearing triumphant in a Meydan

handicap on January 16, Sheikhzayedroad dropped his next three at the Dubai

Carnival, including unplaced efforts in the March 8 Dubai City of Gold and the

March 29 Dubai Gold Cup.

But Dubai might have been the making of Sheikhzayedroad. He returned to

England better than ever, missing by a nostril in the May 29 Brigadier Gerard

before beginning his current winning streak.

"He's a traveler," Simcock said. "He loves going to different places, Dubai,

here and he'll go elsewhere in the future.

"We've got an option of the (Canadian) International (at Woodbine) on the

19th (of October). He's got an entry (in the October 18 Champion Stakes) at

Ascot. I'll speak to his owner and decide where he is going. We'll either come

back here or go to Ascot and then he'll go to Dubai and start his travels

again."

Bred in Great Britain by Rabbah Bloodstock Ltd., Sheikhzayedroad is out of

the winning Highest Honor mare Royal Secrets. His dam is a half-sister to Group

3-placed French stakes victor Vernoy as well as the unraced City Maiden, who

produced Group 2 heroine First City. This is the family of Grade/Group 2 winners

Lelouch and Idle Fancy, Grade 1 vixen Dreams Gallore, and at a further remove,

Belmont Stakes heroes Colonial Affair (1993) and Union Rags (2012). Another

maternal relative is Ball Dancing, winner of Saturday's Sands Point in her U.S.

premiere.

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