Found, unraced since winning the $3 million Breeders’ Cup Turf at Keeneland last October, is expected to be an odds-on favorite for her 4-year-old debut in Sunday’s $53,500 Alleged Stakes at The Curragh in Ireland.
Found is part of a field of seven in the Alleged Stakes, run at 1 1/4 miles on turf, and was listed as a 10-11 chance on Friday by the European bookmaker Coral, which is sponsoring the race.
Mike de Kock, who trains in South Africa, Dubai, and England, is sending two of his best dirt horses, the 4-year-old Mubtaahij and Vale Dori, a 4-year-old filly on Northern Hemisphere time, to U.S. trainers for summer campaigns. Mubtaahij goes to Kiaran McLaughlin and Vale Dori to Bob Baffert.
California Chrome had a quiet Sunday at Meydan Racecourse in the United Arab Emirates a day after his dramatic win in the $10 million Dubai World Cup.
Alan Sherman, assistant trainer to his father, trainer Art Sherman, said in an email that California Chrome “came out of his race great.”
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – There is something about the Al Quoz Sprint that loves a graybeard. Sole Power won the straight-course turf dash at age 8 last year, and while he could only muster a 10th-place finish this year at 9, Buffering scored a three-quarter-length win over Ertijaal at age, say, 8 1/2.
Buffering, Australian-bred and owned, is an 8-year-old on Southern Hemisphere time but 9 on the Northern Hemisphere breeding calendar. But spare the details – he’s no spring chicken. This was Buffering’s 52nd career start in addition to being his best one.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – It was not the breathtaking performance of countryman Just a Way in 2014, but a Japanese horse, Real Steel, won the $6 million Dubai Turf for the second time in three years.
The Japanese, who love their racing and were at the races Saturday night in force, had barely finished celebrating Lani’s win in the UAE Derby when Real Steel, overcoming a wide draw under Ryan Moore, saw off a solid showing from Euro Charline to win the Dubai Turf at Meydan by a half-length.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – It took Postponed 12 starts to win his first Group 1 race, but he did not waste much time getting his second.
Jockey Andrea Atzeni was on the right horse Saturday night in the $6 million Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan Racecourse, and he gave Postponed a perfect ride. Atzeni and Postponed drafted behind a horse while perched two wide, tipped three deep turning into the homestretch, and went on to a two-length victory over the fine Japanese horse Duramente.
ARCADIA, Calif.- Hoppertunity finished third behind California Chrome in Saturday’s $10 million Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse in the United Arab Emirates.
Being behind California Chrome is a familiar position for Hoppertunity.
The 5-year-old Hoppertunity has been chasing California Chrome for the last two years. They were first and second in the $1 million Santa Anita Derby in 2014; second and third behind Shared Belief in the San Antonio in February 2015; and first and third in the San Pasqual Stakes at Santa Anita on Jan. 9.
Muarrab, a fixture at Dubai tracks in recent years, scored a mild upset to edge the star Florida sprinter X Y Jet in Saturday’s $2 million Golden Shaheen Sprint at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai.
The result was only decided in the final strides.
Muarrab, who paid $15.80 in American pools, finished a neck in front of X Y Jet after the two fought through the stretch together. A patient ride from jockey Paul Hanagan was arguably the difference.
