Sheikh of Sheikhs wins Juvenile Dirt Sprint as favorite

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Excluded Friday from the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, Sheikh of Sheikhs came through as an 8-5 favorite before a still-gathering Breeders’ Cup Saturday crowd at Keeneland by winning the $100,000 Juvenile Dirt Sprint.

With Frankie Dettori aboard for owner Abdullah Saeed Almaddah, Sheikh of Sheikhs stalked his Wesley Ward stablemate Moment Is Right into defeat before turning back a rail rally from Noholdingback Bear to win the six-furlong race in 1:10.28 over a fast track. The winner returned $5.40 for his second victory in three starts.

Ward said Sheikh of Shiekhs, a Florida-bred by Discreetly Mine, is a versatile colt who had “no problem with the different surface and distance” than what the preferred target had been.

“It all worked out in our favor,” said Ward. “We had him ready to roll, no matter.”

Richie the Bull finished third in a field of nine, another three-quarters of a length behind Noholdingback Bear.

The $2 exacta (4-3) paid $31, the $1 trifecta (4-3-10) returned $70.30, and the 10-cent superfecta (4-3-10-7) was worth $24.28.