England: Darkness Falls edges Desert Castle in Dewhurst Stakes

The 2-year-old colt Darkness Falls debuted racing one mile in July and, after an easy win last month over 1 1/8 miles in the Group 1 Golden Fleece Stakes, emerged as a leading contender for the 1 1/2-mile Derby at Epsom Downs next June. One might have imagined “the longer the better” for the sweet-striding son of Camelot, and while that might still be the case, Darkness Falls cut back a quarter-mile in trip and took down odds-on favorite Desert Castle in the Dewhurst Stakes on Saturday at England's Newmarket.

Already a leading hope for the Derby, Darkness Falls showed he has the pace for the 2000 Guineas, run over a straight mile at Newmarket in May. And Darkness Falls on Saturday had just enough to touch off Desert Castle, winning the Group 1, seven-furlong Dewhurst by a neck.

It was 2 1/4 lengths back to Great Barrier Reef, Darkness Falls’ Aidan O’Brien-trained stablemate, and while the big two in the Dewhurst likely raced for the last time this year, Great Barrier Reef seems likely to ship to Keeneland for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.

Ryan Moore rode the winner, who paid $5.50 on the American tote.

Darkness Falls’ dam, the No Nay Never mare You'resobeautiful, a sprinter during her racing career, apparently passed on enough speed to allow Darkness Falls to defeat Desert Castle, Europe’s highest-regarded 2-year-old coming into the Dewhurst.

Jassas, a pacemaker for Desert Castle, took an early lead in the Dewhurst, Moore keeping Darkness Falls in contact with the leader as William Buick waited a couple lengths behind on Desert Castle. Buick played his hand with a little more than a quarter-mile remaining and Desert Castle might’ve nudged to a narrow lead as the two horses pulled clear and went down into The Dip, but Darkness Falls gathered himself for the Dewhurst’s uphill finish, forged back to the front in the final 50 yards, and went into a winter break a leading chance for Classic races in the spring.

***To the surprise of no one, Daryz, who won his second Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on Oct. 4, was retired to stud late this week. Whether he stands in France or Ireland has yet to be decided.

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