Brotherly Love takes Dubai Road to the Kentucky Derby Stakes; Salloom a late scratch

Brotherly Love, who has a family connection to the American Triple Crown, won the inaugural Dubai Road to the Kentucky Derby Stakes on Friday at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai.

Closing from well back in a field of 11, Brotherly Love and jockey Saffie Osborne took the lead in the final half-furlong and pulled away for a two-length win over Duke of Immatin.

Heavily favored Salloom acted up badly in the starting gate, eventually bucking his way out the front of his stall and briefly running loose before being caught by an outrider and scratched by Meydan stewards.

The Dubai Road to the Kentucky Derby Stakes, as one might guess, is part of the European/Middle East Road to the Kentucky Derby, a separate branch from the American Road to the Kentucky Derby. The American series qualifies the top 18 points earners for the Derby, with one spot in the 20-runner Derby gate reserved for the horse that earns the most points in the European/Middle East Road as well as the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby.

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The first five finishers Friday earned 20, 10, 6, 4, and 2 qualifying points, with the UAE Derby on March 28 the major qualifier in the European series, offering 225 total points, 100 to the winner.

A son of Zoustar and the Scat Daddy mare Ruby Love, Brotherly Love ($12.40) had finished eighth last out in the UAE 2000 Guineas over a one-turn mile and clearly goes better in a two-turn route. A strong pace in Friday’s race aided his chances.

Jamie Osborne trains Brotherly Love and sent the horse’s half-brother, Heart of Honor, runner-up in the UAE Derby, to finish fifth in the Preakness and sixth in the Belmont last spring.

Earlier on the card, favored Labwah ($5.80) was a romping 7 1/2-length winner of the UAE Oaks. Going straight to the front under jockey Bernardo Pinheiro, Labwah never had an anxious moment while defeating six 3-year-old fillies. Yuno checked in a distant second while nearly 12 lengths clear of third-place Dozalla.

Unlike the colts race Friday, the UAE Oaks is part of the main Road to the Kentucky Oaks, and Labwah, if her connections desire, will get into the Oaks with the 50 qualifying points she earned. Trainer Salem bin Ghadayer said after the race that a discussion with owner Hamdan bin Mohammad al Maktoum would determine whether Labwah, a daughter of Charlatan and the War Chant mare War Tigress, would travel overseas.

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