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 on Saturday, Buffering scored a three-quarter-length win over Ertijaal at age, say, 8 1/2.
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.
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.
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.
Jockey Victor Espinoza the last 23 months has done things scarcely to be believed – winning two Kentucky Derbies, two Preaknesses, one Triple Crown, a Breeders’ Cup Classic – and now a Dubai World Cup. And the horse that took Espinoza to the top of this mountain Saturday night at Meydan Racecourse, California Chrome, added another chapter to his fairy-tale career.
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.
Lani became the first Japanese horse to win the Group 2, $2 million UAE Derby and for his next trick will try to become the first Japanese horse to win the Kentucky Derby.
Marathon races come naturally for Vazirabad. On Saturday in the $1 million Dubai Gold Cup at Meydan Racecourse, Vazirabad extended his winning streak to six races with a hard-fought win in the Group 2 race at two miles. The Dubai Gold Cup was Vazirabad’s first start outside of France and the longest race of his career.
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Doug Watson walked out of the Meydan winner’s circle after the Godolphin Mile, did a quick local TV hit, then whirled, slightly flustered, looking for assistance. He spotted John Ferguson of Godolphin, walked up to him, and said, “John, who do I talk to? I’ve never won one of these things!”
X Y Jet once was a wild horse, unruly and difficult to handle, but he has focused that energy into being a racehorse, channeling his inner demons into brilliant speed on the track, and now X Y Jet looks poised to become the latest American-based winner of the $2 million Golden Shaheen on the World Cup card here Saturday night.
