Asiatic Boy wins UAE 2000

Asiatic Boy upheld the fine record of Argentine-breds in the Group 3 UAE 2000 Guineas at Nad Al Sheba on Friday night as he sped to a 4 1/2-length victory over Traffic Guard in the $250,000 mile.

Jockey Johnny Murtagh had Asiatic Boy, a Southern Hemisphere 3-year-old, perfectly positioned in second before taking command entering the 2 1/2-furlong stretch. He covered the mile on a fast track in 1:36.25. Trained by Mike de Kock for Mohammed bin Khalifa al-Maktoum, Asiatic Boy was adding to the UAE 2000 Guineas victories of his countrymates Gold for Sale in 2006 and Little Jim in 2004.

Earlier, the Gulf News Trophy produced two hot candidates for the $5 million Dubai Sheema Classic as Quijano just nipped Laverock on the line in the 1 1/2-mile turf handicap. A German-bred, Quijano was winning for the ninth straight time, one of those victories coming in the Group 1 Grosser Preis von Baden. He was, however, receiving eight pounds from the Carlos Laffon-Parias-trained Laverock, the winner of two Group 1 races last year: the 1 1/2-mile Gran Premio del Jockey Club and the 1 1/8-mile, 55-yard Prix d'Ispahan.