HAPPY VALLEY SELECTIONS
(Wednesday, March 02, 2022)

The American horses that ran well on Saturday in Saudi Arabia appear likely to ship straight to Dubai for races on the March 26 Dubai World Cup card. The ones that did not are coming back home.

Eye Pea Oh needed a start on Jan. 22 before she won a maiden race in Australia on Feb. 13 in her second career appearance.

The difference was experience and race tactics.

Eye Pea Oh did not have an ideal start in a five-furlong maiden race at Kembla Grange Racecourse in her debut, but was sharper in a maiden race at 5 1/2 furlongs at Nowra, leading throughout to win by about 1 1/4 lengths.

California Spangle, with a major assist from Zac Purton, led from start to finish in the $1.54 Hong Kong Classic Cup on Sunday at Sha Tin, hanging on for a one-length win in the second leg of the 4-year-old classic series.

The 2021 Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar marked a breakthrough for Japanese horses. Loves Only You won the Filly and Mare Turf, and Marche Lorraine won the Distaff, the first Japan-based winners of Breeders’ Cup races. Yet that was nothing compared to the Japanese domination of stakes races on the Saudi Cup undercard on Saturday at King Abdulaziz Racecourse outside Riyadh.

Emblem Road scored an Arcangues-like upset Saturday in the $20 million Saudi Cup.

Purchased at auction in America but campaigned strictly in Saudi Arabia, Emblem Road swept past Country Grammer and Midnight Bourbon with 100 yards left and won the Saudi Cup by a half-length. He paid $229.20, not far off the $269.20 win price on Arcangues in the 1993 Breeders’ Cup Classic, one of the great upsets in a major race.

A trio of New Zealand-bred stayers – Vanguard, Gunaluva, and Savvy Acquisition – appear poised to dominate a handicap at 1 3/8 miles at Hamilton Racecourse in Australia on Monday.

Vanguard was the 8-5 favorite in early betting on Saturday even though the durable 5-year-old gelding has not started since he won a maiden race over hurdles at 1 15/16 miles and a maiden race over fences at 2 9/16 miles in his last two starts in New Zealand in a four-day span in September.

Paul Lally:

R1: 2-14-10-8

R2: 5-2-1-12

R3: 10-5-2-8

R4: 5-2-3-4

R5: 12-6-9-5

R6: 6-5-1-8

R7: 3-7-2-1

R8: 3-4-1-2

R9: 6-3-8-1

R10: 8-4-1-10

Best Bet R10 N8 Cordyceps Six

Longshot R5 N12 Handsome Twelve

Play R10 QQP 1-4-8

Tom Wood:

R1: 10-7-14–2

R2: 2-1-9-5

R3: 5-2-3-4

R4: 5-2-3-9

R5: 6-5-1-9

R6: 5-6-7-8

R7: 3-1-10-11

R8: 2-1-3-10

R9: 6-3-8-2

R10: 6-10-8-4

The Irishman was bred in New Zealand and began his racing career there before starting twice in Australia. Now he is a Hong Kong horse and with luck – he’ll need plenty breaking from post 14 – he can win the $1.54 million Hong Kong Classic Cup on Sunday at Sha Tin. 

The Hong Kong Classic Cup, run around one turn at 1,800 meters (about 1 1/8 miles) is Hong Kong’s version of the Preakness, the second leg of the 4-year-old classic series that starts with the Hong Kong Classic Mile and ends with the 2,000-meter Hong Kong Derby. All three races are run at level weights.  

Nations Pride, scoring for the first time on turf, was an easy winner of the inaugural Jumeirah Derby on Friday at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai. 

Settled into a stalking position under James Doyle, Nations Pride overpowered his favored stablemate. New Kingdom. at the 300-meter mark and drew clear to a 3 1/2-length victory in this $200,000 race restricted to 3-year-olds. Sed Marib outlasted New Kingdom for second as New Kingdom failed to stay this 2,000-meter trip.