By Jalen Santos Twitter @jalen_santos7
A week ago, the horse racing world was centralized around the sunrise in the Dubai desert. Meydan Racecourse hosted a $23m race card that attracted some of the best horses in the world. Course records fell left and right, performances left us in awe of horses’ hearts, speed and staying power as well as a performance that left us thinking of a horse as the best horse in the world right now.
Today, I’m going to do an in-depth review of two races and just a brief mention of three other races from the Dubai World Cup Card. I’m going to start with the UAE Derby (Gr.3) that allowed two horses into the Kentucky Derby, then to the Dubai Golden Shaheen (Gr.1) with the wrong American horse triumphing over last year’s winner in a dramatic photo finish.
First, the UAE Derby (Gr.3) with Tall Boy and Worcester carrying America’s hopes against potential freak from Europe, Cairo, as well as the usual Japanese brigade. It started relatively calmly for all, with favored Cairo catching a flier that put him a length on top before taking back and getting in a tight spot briefly as he crossed over to the rail. Tall Boy and Worcester both broke well but Tall Boy, being as big as he is, was shuffled back as was Worcester eventually who ended up widest of all near the back of the pack into the turn with Tall Boy. The Japanese invaders broke sharply and one of them, Derma Sotogake, found the early lead in a paceless race.
Cruising on the lead under one of the best jockeys in the world under Christophe Lemair, who I can’t praise enough simply for being a jockey, Derma Sotogake was in first gear for most of the race with Dura Erede taking up a staking position outside of Cairo who sat fourth down on the rail. Tall Boy had settled in near the rear with Worcester right in front of him.
As they went into the far turn, something appeared wrong with Cairo as he was under a rough hand ride and even a few taps on the shoulder with over a half mile still left to be run. Meanwhile, Derma Sotogake picked it up a notch with Dura Erede right behind him and Tall Boy starting to wind up his run, but he quickly got stopped by fellow American runner Worcester. Christophe Lemair angled Derma Sotogake out, off the rail into the lane while Cairo abruptly stopped with a quarter mile still to be run, Tall Boy and Worcester were also nowhere to be found as Christophe Lemair handrode Derma Sotogake to an open length victory over Dura Erede, finishing with Japanese runners occupying the top four spots. Cairo, Tall Boy and Worcester were nowhere to be found near the back of the pack.
Derma Sotogake and Dura Erede have now qualified for the Kentucky Derby, with Derma Sotogake confirmed to be going after the race. Asked if they would be in Kentucky, the Derma Sotogake group responded enthusiastically. French born Japanese rider Christophe Lemair finds himself with a mount in the run for the roses for the second straight year, having ridden Crown Pride to victory in the UAE Derby last year en route to setting the record-breaking pace causing a meltdown for everyone in the top five early to wilt, and Rich Strike taking the fast lane from dead last to win at record breaking odds, nearly 90-1.
Dura Erede is sure to be a threat if he shows up as well, holding a win at derby distance as a two year old he surely won’t lack the foundation or class to win the Kentucky Derby if he stalks behind a little more pace he may be able to reel in the speed. Tall Boy and Worcester will both likely return to the USA, and both may target the Preakness for Doug O’Niel and Bob Baffert. Cairo seemed to lack interest throughout the race and blinkers may help his next race as it seems like he mentally isn’t ready yet, lacking interest throughout as he did in his last race until late stage where he managed to kick in and get the win after worrying his backers in the early stages of the race.
Now, onto the Dubai Golden Shaheen (Gr.1) with the wrong American winning. Well, if I said the American won, you’re expecting that Gunite won, right? Wrong. From a far outside draw Gunite sprinted out of there with Tyler Gaffalione sitting loose reined in his first-time riding in Dubai, he let Gunite get into a pressing position out in the three-path battling the third American, Hopkins.
Into the turn Hopkins and Gunite were shown the whip as they battled each other stride for stride. Fellow American Sibelius under european jockey Ryan Moore ran up the rail but had nowhere to go as Hopkins occupied the rail in front of him, and Gunite was right outside of Hopkins. Even further from the clouds was last year’s winner Switzerland appeared on the screen as my heart skipped a few beats while I screamed home Gunite. Then, my worst nightmare happened. I watched Gunite stick his head in front, but Frankie Dettori hadn’t seen Sibelius on the rail, so he moved off the rail to battle Gunite.
Now, I was screaming for the wire to come but in the long Meydan stretch it seemed it never would while Gunite battled a head in front of Hopkins, with Sibelius half a length back and closing fast on the rail and last years winner Switzerland bearing down on them on the outside, also half a length back. For about two strides the four horses sat even but after a torrid early pace, Gunite and Hopkins couldn’t hold off the fresh challenge of Sibelius from the inside and Switzerland from the outside. Switzerland went on by and stuck his head in front, but Sibelius came right back and got his nose up at the wire.
The photo finish revealed that Sibelius won by a nose over last year’s winner Switzerland. A length further back was Gunite in third, half a length ahead of Hopkins. The wide draw might’ve ruined Gunite’s chances in the sprint as the turn comes up quickly out of the gate, so Tyler Gaffalione ws forced to use him early to cross over and still ended up in about the three path, dueling with Hopkins.
I don’t believe Hopkins was ever going to win this race but the pressure from Gunite certainly didn’t help. Last year’s winner Switzerland was benefited by the fast early pace, but Sibelius got the jump on him with a confident and risky ride by Ryan Moore down on the rail, which probably forced Sibelius faster as he was squished between the rail and three horses on his outside.
Gunite finished an unlucky third, as it seems he has finished unlucky second or third place finishes in his last few races and in his career overall. He’s a game and top-class sprinter but it seems that he always finds himself in unlucky situations by pace setup or by the competition he runs against.
Overall, it was a very competitive and thrilling card with great international competition and exciting results. It was a little depressing compared to past editions as far as the number of American horses going but we certainly made up for it with our Dubai Golden Shaheen finish and I’m sure we’ll be back with a group of invaders next year.
