Florida Derby, Dubai World Cup On Tap This Weekend
Written by trackmasterplus on March 26, 2009 – 3:03 pm -Dunkirk and Quality Road head a field of nine set to face off in the Grade 1 Florida Derby on Saturday. The first named colt is a $3.7 million Keeneland Yearling Sale purchase trained by Todd Pletcher who has been impressive in his only two career starts to date (vs maiden and allowance company), both coming this year (no horse has won the Kentucky Derby without starting as a 2-year old since Apollo in 1882). Still, the Florida Derby comes up on the soft side this year with only Quality Road, recent winner of the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth, the only other genuine Derby contender signed on.
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The eyes of the rest of the horse racing world will be on Dubai, where the 14th renewal of the Dubai World Cup is being held, along with six supporting stakes – all featuring some of the best race horses from around the world. The feature race has drawn a full field of 14 in what shapes up to be a wide-open affair. The leading U.S. hopes are Albertus Maximus (winner of the 2008 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile), and multiple graded stakes winners Well Armed and Arson Squad. Locally owned (Dubai) entrants My Indy and Asiatic Boy appear to both be coming up to this race in fine form and may have the home track advantage having raced multiple times over the deep sandy surface. Asiatic Boy finished a distant 2nd to Curlin in the 2008 World Cup. Bettors looking for value should not ignore the Japanese entrant Casino Drive.
Turf stars gather in the Dubai Sheema Classic at 1 1/2 miles on the grass. Youmzain would appear to be the horse to beat based on his consistent form in high class competition and this will be his third try in this same race. Still, he seems to find a way to come up just short in the biggest races (two straight second place finishes in the Arc) so it may pay the astute bettor to shop around for some value. South African based trainer Mike de Kock conditions no less than five of the entrants here and has proven he knows how to get horses ready to fire their best on Cup Day. Front House would seem a logical choice among the many de Kock runners but none should be counted out. Doctor Dino and Purple Moon both rate upset chances as well.
Kip Deville, the 2007 Breeders’ Cup Mile winner is the best US hope in the Dubai Duty Free, contested at 1 1/8 miles which is probably not his best distance. Another US horse, Hyperbaric is 7 for 12 lifetime but has not raced since last summer. This is an awfully tough place to mount a comeback. The field has some world-class middle distance specialists including Vodka, Balius, and Archipenko, runner up in the 2008 Arlington Million. Another intriguing entrant is the Godolphin owned filly Lady Marian, multiple graded stakes winner in Europe in 2008 including the Grade 1 Prix de l’Opera.
Run at 6 furlongs on a straightaway, the Dubai Golden Shaheen poses a unique challenge to U.S. sprinters who have more than risen to the occasion and who have dominated previous runnings of this race. Indian Blessing, a filly, drew an advantageous outside post. She’s trained by Bob Baffert, no stranger to the country of Dubai. Her primary competition should come from top French sprinter Marchand d’Or and Diabolical.
Comment (1) »Posted in Thoroughbred Products, Thoroughbred Racing
March 27th, 2009 at 8:07 am
Old Time Handicapper once in 5 dailies
but not done yet
am going to pass the MILE and the DERBY
and bet the other races
Good Luck to everyone
the RAIN complicates the whole card