The 2021 Eclipse Awards put an exclamation point on a banner year for Knicks Go, who took home champion older dirt male and Horse of the Year honors.
Tag: Racing
Life Is Good, Hot Rod Charlie Among Nominees To 2022 Dubai World Cup
US star Life Is Good is among 750 horses from 20 different countries who have been nominated for the 26th Dubai World Cup meeting, on March 26, 2022.
With nine races, including six Group 1s, on the card and $30.5 million in total prizemoney, the Dubai World Cup meeting promises to be a spectacular day of racing, culminating in the 26th G1 Emirates Airline Dubai World Cup.
Sheikh Rashid bin Dalmook Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Racing Club, said: “To have more than 750 horses from 20 different countries nominated shows the continued strength of the Dubai World Cup meeting, which has grown each year since its inception in 1996. This achievement has been made possible by the vision and guidance of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, who is the world's most influential supporter of this sport. We are delighted to have so many Group and Grade 1 winners nominated, including established stars such as Life Is Good and Hot Rod Charlie, and we thank the horse connections for their support and their trust in Dubai. We look forward to welcoming connections and fans to the 26th Dubai World Cup and we aim to deliver a spectacular night.”
Run over 2,000 meters (1 1/4 miles) on dirt, the G1 Emirates Airline Dubai World Cup has attracted 153 nominations, including 23 individual Group/Grade 1 winners. Among them is G1 Pegasus World Cup winner Life Is Good for trainer Todd Pletcher, who has also nominated Happy Saver and Dr Post, and Doug O'Neill's Hot Rod Charlie, already a winner at Meydan Racecourse in the G2 Maktoum Challenge Round 2.
A strong bunch of nominations from the USA also includes Art Collector, trained by Bill Mott, and 2019 G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Storm The Court, for trainer Peter Eurton.
There will also be a strong home defense, with Godolphin G2 winner Real World nominated by nine-time World Cup winner Saeed bin Suroor, and Group 1 winner Salute The Soldier by Bahraini handler Fawzi Nass.
Japan, who won the Dubai World Cup in 2011 with Victoire Pisa, are also set to be well-represented, with 2021 runner-up Chuwa Wizard among their nominations, as well as Grade 1 winner Café Pharoah.
The $6million G1 Dubai Sheema Classic, sponsored by Longines, has attracted a strong list of top-class turf horses, with 11 Group 1 winners nominated. They include G1 Coronation Cup winner Pyledriver, trainer in the UK by William Muir, as well as Japan's Glory Vase, dual winner of the Longines Hong Kong Vase.
The $5million G1 DP World Dubai Turf has attracted 22 Group 1 winners among 210 entries, including defending champion Lord North, trained in the UK by John Gosden, and 2021 G1 Emirates Airline Jebel Hatta winner Lord Glitters. The USA could be represented by dual G1 Pegasus World Cup Turf winner Colonel Liam, trained by Pletcher, while a strong Godolphin challenge includes Charlie Appleby's popular Barney Roy.
US Grade 1 winner Ce Ce, trained by Michael McCarthy, is among 161 nominations for the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, over 1200 meters (six furlongs) on dirt, while Saffie Joseph Jnr has put forward G1 Woody Stephens winner Drain The Clock and Mark Glatt has nominated G1 Breeders' Cup Sprint second Dr. Schivel.
The Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint, over 1200 meters (six furlongs) on turf, has 170 entries, including defending champion Extravagant Kid, trained by Brendan Walsh, and G1 Haydock Sprint Cup winner Emaraaty Ana, trained in the UK by Kevin Ryan.
There are three Group 2s on the card, including the UAE Derby which has attracted 141 entries. Among them is Grade 1 winner Albahr, for Appleby, while US Hall Of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has nominated the exciting Pinehurst.
Baffert could also be represented in the G2 Godolphin Mile, in which he has nominated G1 winner Eight Rings, while defending champion Secret Ambition could bid for a repeat for first season UAE trainer Bhupat Seemar.
The 3200metre Group 2 Dubai Gold Cup, on turf, which is a popular race with fans, has attracted exciting nominations from Europe in particular. They include Dermot Weld's dual G1 Irish St Leger winner Search For A Song, as well as Johnny Murtagh's Sonnyboyliston, winner of the same race in 2021.
The Purebred Arabians also get their chance to shine in the $1million Dubai Kahayla Classic, the traditional curtain raiser to the day. It has 70 entries, including 2021 winner Deryan and second AF Alwajel, representing three-time UAE Champion Owner Khalid Khalifa Al Nabooda.
The full list of entries is available here:
https://dubairacingclub.com/sites/default/files/2022-02/DWC%20Nomination%20Entries%20Final.pdf
2022 El Camino Real Derby Cheat Sheet: Get to Know the Horses
Northern California racing takes a bow Saturday on the Road to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve as Golden Gate Fields hosts the $100,000 El Camino Real Derby.
Coach Chasing Third Straight Win In Rescheduled Bayakoa
Trainer Brad Cox tries to continue his dominance in Oaklawn's two-turn stakes series for older fillies and mares in Saturday's $250,000 Bayakoa (G3) at 1 1/16 miles.
The Bayakoa originally was scheduled Feb. 5 before being postponed because of a winter storm that closed the Hot Springs, Ark. track last weekend. The Bayakoa was redrawn Monday, with the original cast of seven again entered. The field will be reduced by at least one after trainer Phil Bauer said Mariah's Princess would be scratched.
Probable post time for the 1 1/16-mile Bayakoa, the eighth of 11 races, is 3:47 p.m. (Central). The 10th race is the $600,000 Razorback Handicap (G3) for older horses at 1 1/16 miles. First post Saturday is 12:10 p.m. (Central).
Cox has won four of Oaklawn's last five two-turn stakes races for older females, dating to the $150,000 Pippin in January 2021 with Getridofwhatailesu. Cox then captured the $250,000 Bayakoa (G3) with two-time Eclipse Award winner Monomoy Girl and the $350,000 Azeri (G2) with Shedaresthedevil. Monomoy Girl, in what would be her final career start, was beaten a nose by Letruska in the $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) last April to deny Cox a four-race sweep in 2021.
Cox found the winner's circle again in the $150,000 Pippin Jan. 8 with Coach (Commissioner), who is the 5-2 program favorite Saturday. Cox also has the 3-1 co-second choice in the program in multiple stakes winner Matera.
Freshened following last April's $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) for 3-year-old fillies, Coach is seeking her third consecutive victory. She was a sharp two-length allowance winner in her Dec. 17 comeback race at Oaklawn.
“Obviously, Coach loves Oaklawn,” Cox said. “She's better than she's ever been. She always tries hard. She's very competitive. Obviously, it's a step up. The way she's training, I feel like she can step another step forward. It will be her third run off the layoff, so I'm excited about her.”
Blue-blooded Matera – Tapit out of Oaklawn stakes winner Miss Macy Sue – captured an allowance race last March in Hot Springs in her first start for Cox. The $1.4 million Keeneland September Yearling Sale graduate added stakes victories at Horseshoe Indianapolis (formerly Indiana Grand) and Ellis Park before closing 2021 with a runner-up finish in the $300,000 Chilukki Stakes (G3) Nov. 20 at Churchill Downs.
“Matera missed a little bit of time once she arrived at Oaklawn,” Cox said. “Had an illness. Nothing major at all, we just missed some time. Got her back going and she's had three works since. This was obviously a race we were pointing for, this and the Houston Ladies Classic (Jan. 30). Waiting for this gave us an opportunity to work her once more. She's a little behind where we expected her to be, given the fact she ran in November, and missed a little time. But she's done extremely well once we got her back to the track and training, so we'll see where we are.”
The Bayakoa entrants from the rail out:
- Matera, Florent Geroux to ride, 119 pounds, 3-1 on the morning line
- Miss Bigly, Ramon Vazquez, 119, 9-2
- She's All Wolfe, Francisco Arrieta, 119, 12-1
- Jilted Bride, Joel Rosario, 119, 8-1
- Mariah's Princess, Martin Garcia, 119, 5-1
- Queen Goddess, David Cabrera, 119, 3-1; and
- Coach, Ricardo Santana Jr., 122, 5-2.
Mariah's Princess, however, will be scratched after not training satisfactorily, Bauer said in a text message Wednesday night. Mariah's Princess has won her last two starts by a combined 9 ¼ lengths, including a three-length score in the inaugural $150,000 Mistletoe Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles Dec. 4.
“Tough game,” Bauer said.
Southern California-based Queen Goddess exits a front-running 2 ¾-length victory in the $300,000 American Oaks (G1) for 3-year-old fillies Dec. 26 at Santa Anita. The 1 ¼-mile American Oaks, moved from the grass to the main track because of rain, marked the dirt debut for Queen Goddess, a 4-year-old daughter of Empire Maker who races for her breeder, TOLO Thoroughbreds, & Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners.
Trainer Michael McCarthy said Queen Goddess arrived in Hot Springs Feb. 1 after being flown via FedEx to Memphis and vanned approximately 190 miles. Queen Goddess worked an easy half-mile in :53.40 Monday in advance of the Bayakoa, which is a major local prep for the $350,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) March 12 and, ultimately, the $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) April 23. The Azeri and Apple Blossom are also 1 1/16-mile races.
“Looks like on paper she should be right there, with a little bit of speed outside of her,” McCarthy said. “The controlling speed looks to be inside, so David can get himself into a good position going into the first turn and let the chips fall as they may.”
Queen Goddess made her first five career starts on grass. In addition to winning at 1 ¼ miles, Queen Goddess broke her maiden at 1 1/16 miles Aug. 7 at Del Mar and finished fifth in the $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes (G1) at 1 1/8 miles Oct. 16 at Keeneland.
“This is a mile and a sixteenth, so a little different strategy, a little different race shape,” McCarthy said. “We'll see. She's certainly earned the chance to go ahead and compete.”
The consistent Miss Bigly ran third behind Matera in the Chilukki and second behind Coach in the Pippin. Trained by Phil D'Amato, Miss Bigly has finished first, second or third in 19 of 25 lifetime starts.
