Splash Point turns tables on Zanzamar in U.A.E. Guineas

Turning for home, the leaders were in a constant state of flux. Abstrato had

already folded, Abjer was surrendering his short-lived lead to Sonoran Sands,

and Krypton Factor (Kyllachy) was emerging from the pack to challenge.

Moving best of all, however, was Buffum. In his first start since trailing

home behind To Honor and Serve (Bernardini) in the November 27 Remsen S. (G2),

Buffum ranged up with a good-looking charge on the outside and took command

briefly. But Buffum failed to sustain his run in deep stretch.

As Buffum's bid stalled, he was beset by a rallying Splash Point wider out,

and the resolute Bridgefield and Krypton Factor to his inside. Meanwhile,

Zanzamar was looking for a clear path through all of the traffic. Splash Point

outkicked them all and forged clear. Although Zanzamar eventually found room

along the rail and finished strongly, it was too late to threaten Splash Point,

who completed the metric mile in 1:37 3/5 on the Tapeta. Splash Point thus

became the second U.A.E. Two Thousand Guineas winner sired by Street Cry (Ire),

following 2009 winner Desert Party.

"That is a great feeling and I am delighted," al Zarooni said of his first

U.A.E. classic success. "I am so grateful to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed and

everybody for this opportunity. Splash Point ran well first time, and we were

hoping for a big run. Mickael did everything right."

Another three-quarters of a length away came Krypton Factor, nipping

Bridgefield by a short head for third. Buffum checked in a close fifth, while

the early leader Abstrato wound up a tailed-off last of 12.

Splash Point is the latest notable three-year-old bred by WinStar Farm, which

campaigned last year's Kentucky Derby (G1) hero Super Saver and Belmont S. (G1)

winner Drosselmeyer (Distorted Humor), and whose current Derby candidates

include Brethren (Distorted Humor).

Sold for $300,000 as a yearling at Keeneland September, Splash Point began

his career in England last year. Then sporting the Godolphin silks, the bay colt

finished second in his first two attempts, but broke his maiden on Kempton's

Polytrack on October 25. Splash Point returned with his game runner-up effort to

Zanzamar in the aforementioned Guineas Trial. With Thursday's classic victory to

his credit, he has earned $168,078 from his 5-2-3-0 line.

Splash Point is out of multiple Grade 2-placed stakes heroine Dianehill (Ire)

(Danehill), who has since produced a juvenile full sister to the winner.

Dianehill is herself a daughter of multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Very

Subtle (Hoist the Silver), the winner over males in the 1987 Breeders' Cup

Sprint (G1). This is the family of unbeaten Schuylerville S. (G3) queen Subtle

Aly (French Envoy), Grade 2 scorer Broad Dynamite (Broad Brush) and Grade 1

victress Pool Land (Silver Deputy).

Unraced since defeating Raihana in the U.A.E. Derby last March, Musir was held up near the back of the pack in the Firebreak. The Saeed bin

Suroor-trained Skysurfers, under a textbook ride by Frankie Dettori, got first

run on him. Advancing on the outside on the far turn, Skysurfers was about to

strike the front in midstretch just as Musir was slicing his way through the

field. Musir boldly threaded the needle to draw near Skysurfers, but he came no

closer. Skysurfers found an extra gear and pulled away to prevail by 1 1/2

lengths, speeding the metric mile in 1:35 3/5 to earn his first stakes coup.

Musir crossed the wire 5 1/4 lengths clear of stablemate Imbongi (Russian

Revival). Finishing fourth was the hampered Bankable (Medicean), who had to

check hard on the far turn, while Gayego (Gilded Time) was a disappointing ninth

in the 14-horse field.

Skysurfers has compiled a mark of 9-3-2-2, $312,285, with all three wins

coming on synthetic surfaces. Third in the 2010 Godolphin Mile (UAE-G2) in only

his fourth career start, the five-year-old will now aim for the March 26

renewal.

"The horse had been working very well and seems to run best when fresh," bin

Suroor said. "We will probably wait until World Cup night now and the Godolphin

Mile."

Skysurfers was coming off the worst effort of his life in the October 2

Guisborough S. on the turf at Redcar, where he was eased. The bay had placed in

his prior three on the grass in the Fortune S. at Sandown, the City of York S.

and the On the House S. at Goodwood. Bred by Darley in Great Britain, Skysurfers

was produced by the winning Fortune (Ire) (Night Shift), a full sister to German

highweight older sprinter and sire Dyhim Diamond (Ire); German One Thousand

Guineas (Ger-G2) heroine Dakhla Oasis; and Grade 1 diva Creaking Board (GB), the

dam of Grade 3-winning sire Crowd Pleaser (A.P. Indy). Dynamic Holiday (Harlan's

Holiday), the photo-finish winner of the January 1 Tropical Park Oaks, descends

from the same female line.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa, de Kock and Soumillon posted their first win of

the night with Hunting Tower. Though the nine-year-old gelding had failed to hit

the board in his previous races on the Tapeta, the chestnut veteran showed that

he could learn a new trick after all. Hunting Tower rallied late to defeat

Godolphin's Sabotage (Halling) by 1 1/4 lengths, completing about 1 3/8 miles in

2:20 1/5 to snap a losing streak dating to early 2009. His last victory had come in

his Dubai debut, and he has remained in the Emirates ever since.

Bred by Mrs. Bridget D. Oppenheimer in South Africa, Hunting Tower was a top

horse in his prime, with his major victories including the 2007 Durban July

(SAf-G1) and the 2006 S.A. Classic (SAf-G1) and his stakes placings including

the 2008 J & B Met (SAf-G1). He had been plying his trade in turf handicaps

recently, and his resume now reads 50-10-5-5, $700,243.

Bred by T.E. Pocock and Morton Bloodstock in Great Britain, Golden Sword

commanded $331,825 as a Tattersalls December weanling. He is out of the winning

Salse mare Sitara (GB) and comes from the family of Oaks (Eng-G1), Irish Oaks

(Ire-G1) and Yorkshire Oaks (Eng-G1) heroine Alexandrova (Sadler's Wells); Group

1 victress Magical Romance (Barathea [Ire]); English highweight older staying

mare Pongee (Barathea [Ire]); Japanese champion Cheers Grace (Sunday Silence);

and Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1) victor and sire Doyoun (Mill Reef).

Soumillon accomplished a four-timer on the evening, with his other winner

being PROHIBIT (Oasis Dream [GB]) from the Robert Cowell yard. The six-year-old

gelding was wheeling right back off an eighth to Dynamic Blitz (Elusive Quality)

in last Thursday's Al Shindagha Sprint (UAE-G3) on the Tapeta, and relished

reverting to turf in this spot. Prohibit stormed from off the pace and just got

the better of Invincible Ash (Invincible Spirit) by a short head, the pair

pulling 3 1/4 lengths clear of the rest. By zipping about five furlongs down the

straight course in :57 4/5, Prohibit boosted his bankroll to $316,185 from his

33-7-4-5 record. Since selling for $146,602 at the 2009 Tattersalls Autumn

Horses in Training Sale, the bay has captured the 2010 Scarborough S. at

Doncaster and placed in the Beverley Bullet Sprint S. and the World Trophy S.

(UAE-G3) at Newbury. Prohibit is campaigned by K. Dasmal, A. Rix, F. Barr, T.

Morley and J. Penny.

A British-based runner also took the opener, courtesy of David Dixon and

trainer Jamie Osborne's RAKAAN (Bahamian Bounty) in the about seven-furlong

affair on the Tapeta. The four-year-old had been knocking on the proverbial door

since landing a Sandown handicap last June. Shelved after missing narrowly in

Newmarket and Goodwood handicaps over the summer, he returned with a close

fourth in a Tapeta handicap on January 27, the same race that produced Golden

Sword, and gained compensation here. Under Ted Durcan, Rakaan reeled in the

longtime leader Montmorency (Pivotal) en route to a 1 1/2-length score, and he

virtually doubled his earnings to $132,335 from his 15-3-7-1 line. Like

Prohibit, the chestnut gelding is also a 2009 Tattersalls Autumn Horses in

Training Sale graduate, fetching $44,616 from Osborne. For former trainer Brian

Meehan, Rakaan placed third in the 2009 Coventry S. (Eng-G2).

"There is a race for him next week and hopefully we will be back for that,"

Osborne said. "It is my first winner here and a great night."