Prince Abu Dhabi gets turf tryout in Alcatraz Stakes
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Unbeaten after four starts, Prince Abu Dhabi has won two sprints and twice around two turns, with all his races on the synthetic track at Golden Gate Fields. The next objective for Prince Abu Dhabi is trying turf in Sunday’s $75,000 Alcatraz Stakes for 3-year-olds at a mile at Golden Gate.
How he runs on turf Sunday will determine where the improving gelding starts in coming months. One possibility is the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby at 1 1/8 miles on turf on Sept. 3, said trainer Blaine Wright.
“We’re trying to check all the boxes,” Wright said on Thursday. “We have an opportunity to run on the turf, and that will give us some direction with this horse.”
Prince Abu Dhabi closed from last of nine to win the California Derby at 1 1/16 miles on April 29. California Derby runner-up Phosphorescence is part of the Alcatraz field.
Prince Abu Dhabi was ridden by Alexander Chavez, who moved the gelding through traffic in the stretch to reach the front in the final strides. Chavez rides Prince Abu Dhabi on Sunday.
“I thought my jock did a good job of saving ground,” Wright said. “He made a couple of advantageous moves to get him in position.
“He had to wait for a hole to open and it did. In those situations, I think this horse has shown he will go through there.”
Owned by the father and son team of Steve and Lance Kinross of St. George, Utah, Prince Abu Dhabi has earned $115,200. He was purchased for a mere $8,000 as a yearling.
Prince Abu Dhabi has several familiar rivals in the Alcatraz. Harcyn and Passarando, who were fourth and fifth in the California Derby, are part of the Alcatraz field.
Passarando, a two-time stakes winner at 2, closed from far back with a wide run in the California Derby to finish three lengths behind Prince Abu Dhabi.
Phosphorescence, trained by Michael McCarthy, was a game second in his stakes debut in the California Derby. He led throughout a maiden race at a mile on turf at Santa Anita on March 12 in his preceding start and figures to be prominent early in the Alcatraz.
Phosphorescence is one of two Southern California shippers in the Alcatraz, along with the turf stakes veteran Game Time.
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Trained by John Sadler, Game Time has made six of his seven starts on turf, with his only victory coming in a maiden race on turf at Santa Anita in October. He raced in traffic in the stretch and finished fourth by 1 1/4 lengths in the Singletary Stakes at Santa Anita on May 7.