Sheema Classic: Rewilding gives Godolphin third win of night

Rewilding, third in the 2010 English Derby, won the biggest race of his career in Saturday’s $5 million Sheema Classic at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai, giving jockey Frankie Dettori his second winner of the Dubai World Cup undercard.

The winner is trained by Mahmood Al Zarooni for the Maktoum family’s Godolphin Racing, representing Godolphin’s third winner on Saturday’s program.

Rewilding was well-placed through the final half-mile, rallying wide through the stretch to outfinish Redwood by about three lengths. Redwood, the winner of the Grade 1 Northern Dancer Stakes at Woodbine last year, finished clear of an unlucky Calvados Blues, who had trouble early in the race and lacked racing room in the stretch.

Calvados Blues was racing alongside Rewilding in early stretch. While Dettori guided Rewilding to the outside, Calvados Blues went to the inside under jockey Ahmed Ajtebi and had a rough trip, causing Deem and Chinchon to take up in the final 150 yards.

Two California-based runners – Champ Pegasus and Bourbon Bay – did not factor in the finish.

Rewilding, a 4-year-old colt by Tiger Hill, has won 4 of 8 starts and $3,455,646, earning $3 million from the Sheema. Last year in England, Rewilding won the Cocked Hat Stakes at Goodwood in May, finished third, beaten 7 1/2 lengths by Workforce in the English Derby, and later won the Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes at York.

The Sheema Classic was Rewilding’s first start since a sixth in the Group 1 St. Leger Stakes at Doncaster, England, last September.

Rewilding paid $7.80 in the United States.